The Washington times., 1924-09-04
FLOATING NAVY
YARD To MAKE
FIRST TRIP
Y. S. S. Medusa Only Graft OF
Kind, Took Five Years
To Construct
By Interna.ional News Service.

The only one of it's kind in the world,
the U. S. S. Medusa, a complete
machine and repair shop afloat viii
sail from the Puget Sound Navy
Yard early in October on her maiden
voyage to join the United States
neet as repair tender. Her advent
to duty opens a new avenue to
maximum efficiency for the Ameri-
can navy. She is a factory equipped
with ultra-modern machinery for re-
pairing any part of a ship. Many
Inventions, heretofore unknown,
have been made for her. She can
all but build a ship while at sea.
Machine and repair shops which
include foundry furnaces, pattern
rooms, two two-ton cranes and oil
equipment found in steel plant on
land, are Installed on the ship. Pipe
and sheet metal shop and plumbing
shop Is adequate to accommodate
16 Oworkmen at one time. Opt al
shop, for manufacturing long-rar ge
lenses, also an optical repair shop
and radio shop are only several of
the larger departments in this
floating navy yard" Each shop
has its clerical office, telephone and
ether conveniences. for efficiency in
factory on land.
Five Years Building
Hundreds of hands have work ed
carefully on the Medusa since her
Keel was laid April 25, 1919. She
is like no other ship in equipment
and duty, authorities say. Hun
dreds of hands have worked fever
iChlU for fhHnn
monster ship into commission and
to inspect her in each detail. Cap.
tain r. T. Menner, U. S. N, will
take command of Notwithstanding
from the same duty on the U. S. S.
Prometheus, decommissioned repair
nhip.
That more than one year has
been required to assemble equip
Xnent alone for. the Medusa IS little
wonder. The following is her Off
c1al descriptions:
This vessel is of the single-screw
type, with machinery located aft,
with half-deck between the
three complete decks; a platform
deck forward and aft; a forecastle
deck, an after upper deck, an after
superstructure deck, a bridge deck
and bridge; an inner bottom ex-
tending between frames Nos. "a and
134; two mastS each fitted with two
boomS capable of handling weights
up to $4,000 pounds each; four boom
posts fitted amidships. w lifted
With two booms, each capable of
handling weights of ten and twenty
toms respectively, and two fitted
with one boom each and capable
OF handling weights up to 10000
pounds each.
Completely Equipped.
The vessel is fitted up complete
In every respect as a fleet repair
ship to care for the demands of
all classes of vessels, including
battleships. Matches are arranged
and trolley tracks fitted for the
handling of heavy weights to and
within the shops.
The endurance is 5000 miles at
ten knots, with fuel oil. Hospital
spaces, ships magazine spaces;
storerooms, refrigerated spaces and
stowage spaces for alcohol, tur-
pent1ne. kerosene and gasoline, re-
serve feed water, fresh water, fuel
OIL, lubrlcating oil, reserve feed and
fresh water cofferdams being pro.
Vlded between the tanks used for
the stoWage of fuel oil and those
used for lubricating oil and between
the tanks used for lubricating oil
and those used for reserve feed and
fresh water.
The sides of the ship are strength.
ened and kept clear of all obstruc.
tons to facilitate going alongside
other vessels, and heavy vertical.
spar tenders are provided for hang.
ing over the sides. Sixteen deck
Wlnches are located on the fore.
castle deck, main deck and super.
structure deck, those on the su-
perstructure being provided princi-
paIly for the handling of boats. A
towing machine, with automatic
cnock, is fitted out. Anchors are
OF the self-hoisting type.
The length over all of the Medusa
- 4S4 reet AS inches; the breadth
(extreme) 20 feet 81 inches; dis.
placement, 10000 tons. and me aa
oraIt, IL feet; depth, "A feet H.,
inches.
Officers Mess
Stepping aboard the Medusa a
visitor is led to the officers ward.
room mess, which is fitted hand
somely in mahogany appointments.
Wardroom officers country" is
an unusually large promenade
around which are grouped, clever,
spacious staterooms, each Of
which is fitted out with secretary
bureau. transom berth, wardrobe
not ana cold water. All furniture
IS Ilfeproot. Six additional rooms
Tor oIIlcers have been provided of
steamship liner rather than a
naval VACQnl
blinds and screens, take the Mace
OF portfolios in some of the stata:
rooms. Baths are beautifully tjle1
: and enameled in white. The ward.
room officers galley is provided
with copper Seaming ovens and al
the latest culinary equipment.
Fifteen warrant officers stats.
rooms. aft the ship, are fit4ea out
as elegantly. The warrant officers
wardroom mess is beautifully fur.
nlshed in mahogany. and the walls
are tinted in a pale green. A gal.
ley. accompanying is identical.
lounging room for the crew. where
members may receive guests, write.
read, or rest, is large and furnished
with davenport and desks, This
Is said to be the first room of it's
kind for the crew on u. S. ~. shin
Quarters for sixty.four chief pcttv
officers are neatly and comfortably
arranged. Wire cots are Furnished
as sleeping accessories. Handsome
office desks for their supply do
partment a beautifully appointed
mess wardroom is furnished them
also
The crew will sleep in hammocks
rather than hunks. Upon reporting
for duty aboard sailor is given