DOCKYARDS [BRITISH 94 feet wide at entrance. The basin is enclosed by wharf See also Vernon-Harcotjrt. Harbours and Docks. London, Colson. Notes on Docks and Dock Construction. walls with a total length of 1700 feet, and furnished 1885.—C. London, 1894. (h. F.) with 60-ton shears, cranes, &c. A slipway is provided Dockyard Administration.—To a great maritime power at the south end of the basin, and the dockyard buildings comprise a pumping-engine house, constructors’ shops, like Great Britain the importance of possessing adequate dockyards fitted with every requirement for a fleet is suffifurnace house, worksheds, &c. Malta dockyard was but briefly referred to in the ciently obvious. In the dockyard are brought together all ninth edition article, and some further notice is desir- the materials of every class and kind required in the conable here. The dock and victualling yards occupy to- struction of ships; and here is provided the labour required gether an area of some 100 acres, spread over the shores for the building of them. In the dockyard the ships receive on both sides of those arms of the grand harbour known their provision for offence and defence and their means for as “ Dockyard ” and “ French ” creeks, the dockyard being navigation, and are fitted in every detail for their service. located partly on the former, but principally on the latter Depending as the British empire does on the efficiency of creek. In 1880 the graving dock accommodation con- its navy to safeguard it from attack and to protect its sisted of one double dock at the extremity of Dockyard commerce, it is essential to remember that the navy could creek, known as No. 1 and 2 Docks, with a total length of not carry on its work successfully if there did not exist an about 525 feet, and with 25 feet over the sill at average efficient civil service such as is found in British dockyards. water level, the tidal range at Malta being but slight; In speaking of these establishments, it may be necessary and opening into French creek a dry dock of more to note that, in addition to the work in the yards of the modern construction, known as No. 3, or the Somerset State, much of that which has been alluded to is carried Dock, 427 feet long on floor, and with 34 feet over the on in private yards, though the ships built in these last are sill. Subsequently to this period the fine range of build- equipped and brought to completion in the Government A dockyard may be defined :as an ings known as the iron ship repairing shop was erected establishments. enclosure in which are sufficient basins, building slips, dry close to the Somerset Dock, and added greatly to the repairing resources of the yard. Dock No. 4, or the and wet docks, ammunition, store and coal magazines, coalHamilton Dock, was completed in 1891, having a length ing wharfs and appliances, and all other things necessary on floor of 520 feet, a width of entrance of 94 feet, and for the life of the ships. It may be noted that a wet with 35 ft. 5 in. depth over the sill at average water dock is a receptacle for a ship which is open to the tide, level. Associated with this dock was the construction of and a dry dock one specially constructed to receive ships adjacent deep-water wharf walls, together with the great for the repair of the under-water portions of their hulls in 160-ton crane. New gun-mounting stores, boiler shop, the most advantageous conditions. An ordinary observer, looking at the great mass and boat sheds, canteen, coal stores, &c., are among the more recent additions to the yard, and preparations are being variety of stores arriving alongside a ship, and seeing hundreds of men busily engaged in every part of her, may made for additional dry dock accommodation Halifax naval yard has an area (including the hospital not at once recognize the existence of a system. But ground) of about 18 acres. The yard is provided with closer observation will show that there is a thorough slipways for small craft, shops, stores, &c., but does not organization, that every man knows his duties, and that possess a dry dock. A private dock in the immediate every separate party bringing stores or requirements is vicinity completed in 1889, under a Government subsidy, informed as to exactly what is required to be done with has a floor length of 560 feet, a width of entrance of 89| them. The operations go on with celerity, regularity, and order, and it is a matter of astonishment to those who feet, with 30 feet over the sill at high-water springs. Bermuda naval yard is provided with a camber or know the vast and varied character of the work how small enclosed harbour protected with a breakwater. quietly it proceeds and how soon order is evolved from The dockyards at home and abroad Within the camber is moored an iron floating dock having apparent chaos. an inside length of 330 feet. Additional dock accom- lie within the province of the controller of the navy (the third lord of the Board of Admiralty); and the modation is contemplated. Jamaica naval yard covers an area of about 13 acres, director of dockyards, whose office, replacing that of surveyor of dockyards, was created in December 1885, is but there is no graving dock. Sydney.—The naval yard at this port is situated on responsible to the controller for the building of ships, Garden Island, Wooloomooloo Bay, and is provided with boats, &c., in dockyards, and for the maintenance and a deep-water wharf with shears, an engineer’s shop, naval repair of ships and boats, and of all steam machinery in and victualling stores, coal stores and coaling wharf, ships, boats, dockyards, and factories. The director of boat slip, &c. Accommodation for docking H.M. ships is naval construction, who is also deputy-controller, is refound in the Fitzroy and Sutherland Docks at Cockatoo sponsible, not only for the design of ships, but for their Island, the former having a length of 474 feet on construction, in the sense that he approves great numbers blocks, with an entrance of 59 feet in width; and the of working drawings of structural parts prepared at the latter a length of 602 feet on blocks, with an 84-feet dockyards. But the director of dockyards is the Admirentrance, having 32 feet over the sill at high - water alty official under whose instructions the work goes on, involving the employment and supervision of an army of spring tides. In addition to the above are naval stations at Ascen- artisans and labourers. Instructions, therefore, emanate sion, Bombay, Calcutta, Trincomalee, and Esquimalt, from the Admiralty, but the details lie with the dockyard officials, and in practice there is a considerable decentralizatogether with works in contemplation at Wei-Hai-Wei. tion of duties. The literature on the subject of H.M. dockyards is not exThe superintendent of a British dockyard is a reartensive, but the following papers and works may be consulted admiral in the case of Portsmouth, Devonport, and Chatwith advantage:—Bernays. “Chatham Dockyard Extension Works,” R. E. Lectures. Chatham, 1879.—Colson and Meyer. ham, and abroad of Malta, but a captain is the superin“Portsmouth Dockyard Extension Works,” Proc. Inst. C. E., tendent of smaller yards, Sheerness and Pembroke at 1881.—Colson. “Hamilton Graving Dock, Malta,” Proc. Inst. home, and Gibraltar, Bermuda, Jamaica, Hong-Kong, C. E., 1894. — “The Two New Docks at Portsmouth,” Engineer, vol. Ixxxi.—Coode, Son, and Matthews. “Dover Harbour Sydney, and Ascension abroad; and there are smaller Works," Brit. Assoc. Mechanical Science Section. London, 1899.— establishments at Halifax, N.S., the Cape of Good Hope,
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