Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 230, 16 September 1906 — Page 3

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E fir --1 -ftyn-yrii--pp-iyin m- 'y-'1 , a w a 'yvy-M'-:-mAfiw. s IK F all the worts of man there Is j a nothing of his handicraft so nearly jr human a the modern ship, especially the leviathans of steel which are essentially floating hotels and contain all the features of the skyscraper ashore. The chief engineer, who Is a pigmy alongside of the giant engine with Its 1S.COO horsepower, gazes upon the whirling mass of - polished machinery with pride. He sees life in its every movement and affectionately strokes the huge pUtons with oily waste. The majority of engineers become so attached to and proud of their charges that they actually talk to them as though they were endowed with Intelligence. The captain on the bridge, 40 feet above the water line, also has a corresponding regard for the ship, but with him It is the whole fabric that receives his consideration and the component parts are not thought of unless there is a breakdown, and even then he Is inclined to scold, not the engines, the boilers or whatnot, but the ship herself as though she were rwponslble for anything that might happen to her apart. This love of the 6hlp Is yet even stronger In the smaller craft and the master of the two-sticker that skips from port to port dodging the storms of the open and creeping along under the lea of the land, loves his vessel with an affection that is not always shared by anyone else, not even his wife, and there are many mariners whose endearment toward their boats Is beyond the comprehensions of only those who love the sea and Its ships, and they alone can appreciate the numberless things that are convincive that every craft, be she large or small, possesses Individuality, If not Intelligence. The building and repairing of ships Is an Industry of considerable prominence In this country, and, according to tie last census report, there are 1,229 plants of all sires representing a capital of $131,736,843, employing an average of 54.477 men, who earn a yearly wage of $31,003,176 anl turning out annually. Including repairing, a product valued at $S5.642,540. Of these plants, 1,072 are devoted to wooden ships, and they represent a capital of $17,323,146, employing an average of 15.S73 men, who earn $S,607,S32 a year. Though there are but 44 yards where ateel and Iron ships are built and repaired, they are large and they represent a combined capita of $39,S39,553, employing 30,906 men. whose annual wage is $16,231,311. The United States government also has great plants of Its own where It not only builds Its own warships, but where most of the repairs are made when the great vessels get into trouble, and. Incidentally, it might be said that In repair work the government yards are kept busy. There are nine of these plants, and the lavlshness of their equipment Is expressed in their valuation, which Is set down as $54,291,011, almost equal to the total valuation of the 44 private concerns, employing an average of but 7,600 men. and yet having an annual payroll of $6,222,263. There are 104 plants where are built small vessels, such as launches, rowboats. canoes, etc.. but which are also counted in the Industry, though not one ' ' them has an annual product of over $500 in value. These plants employ on an average of slx'tnen throughout the year asa their capital Is estimatacd at $53,131. with a yearly payroll of $1,750. Of the shipyards of this country the one of the Newport News Shipbuilding aud Drydock Company, located at the month of the James River, is the largest, with 100 acres of land and half a mile tvater frontage. Equipped with modern machinery driven by electricity and compressed air, two large drydocks. an outfitting basin 000x500 feet, six piers, shear-legs of 100 tons capacity, an electrically operated 150-ton revolving derrick-crane, stationary and floating derricks, the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company a soeclaltr of recalling craft of

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... y irrna Si? XL every type. Repairs are not limited, as In many places, to one department of shipwork, but at this plant -any damage to any part of a vessel can (be repaired. The plant was established at a cost of about $15,000,000. It givesj steady employment to 7,000 people. The entire shipyard, including the drydocks and piers. Is lighted by electricity, so that work may be carried on without Interruption day or night.. In addition to the two lafge drydocks now In commission, the company Is building another dock which will be about 600 feet long. This new basin Is. made necessary by the Increased repair work. The dimensions of the two docks now In use are as follows: DRYDOCK NO. 1. Feet. Extreme length - 630 Length on blocks 503 Width at top 130 Width of gate at top 96 Width cf gate at bottom 50 Depth of water over sill... DRYDOCK NO. 2. .. 23 Feet. .... $60 804 .... 162 103 . . . . 30 Extreme length Length on blocks Width at top Width at top of gate Width of gate at bottom.. Depth of water over sill.. Frequently when vessels are disabled at sea they put into Newport News for repairs, and. In order that there may be as little delay as possiMe, they are docked without discharging their cargoes and the repairs made. During the year 1003 more than 600 ships were repaired at this shipyard. This Includes vessels belonging to the German and the United States Navies, steamships and sailing vessels flying the flags .of the deep-sea trading nations of the world. The company has undertaken and executed some notable repair jobs. Among these was the rebuilding of the North German Lloyd's twin-screw steamer Main, which was partially destroyed by fire. This work was done at a cost of over $600,000, and was one of the largest contract Jobs ever carried out in the United States. Another interesting repair job was on the British steamship Sommerhill, which was badly damaged by going ashore. This contract was awarded on competitive bidding to the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. .The time stipulated in the specifications for doing the work was 51 working days. In Just 13 days the repairs were completed and the ship loaded a cargo for Europe. The Sommerhill reached her home port before the expiration of her contract time, and on her trip over she picked up a derelict and towed her in, earning sufHeient salvage to pay for the repairs made here. These are but instances of the many repair Jobs carried out at this shipyard, but they serve to Illustrate the ability of the plant to undertake and successfully complete any kind of repairs to a ship. In addition to carrying on repair work on an extensive scale, such as converting steamships into auxiliary cruisers and transports, cutting In two and lengthening ships, converting steamers Into oil tank ships, docking, painting and overhauling steamers, sailing vessels and warships, the company has cp to thts time contracted to build 50 vessels. Including seven first-class battleships, four armoured cruisers, one protected cruiser, three gunboats and a monitor. Ships, like human beings, are subject to ailments just the same as men and women are subject to disease or accident, and they, too, need the services of skilled hands to restore them to their former condition, and to this end the maritime hospital, or shipyard, plays an important part. With the advance in the art of ship-

" xv v V V 1 -"fVM' "r x . building and the construction of monsters of the deep, with all the Intricate details of the palatial home, there has been a corresponding advance In the equipment of the maritime hospital, and today such a yard as the one at Newport News cannot only build an ocean monarch, but has In Its repair department every facility for repairing it, no matter how great the Injury may be. In early days, when vessels were small, the mariner had much less need of the shipyard than at present. With the need of repairs or paint, he took his vessel Into a quiet cove, and at high tide placed the ship on the shelving beach and waited until the receding water left her keel dry. Those were the days of oak and hemp, and the ship's carpenter was nearly always equal to the task of putting In a new plank. But as the work could only be carried on between tides, and the flood had to be provided against, this method was necessarily so slow that another plan was frequently resorted to, and that was careening. This was the favorite method in the British Navy, and also among the pirates who sought the waters of the Carribean Sea for a hunting ground. To careen a vessel she was anchored from either end and all available weights placed on one side, to cause her to list, and, in addition, a kedge anchor was placed off the beam, and with a tackle leading from the top of her mainmast she was hove down on her beam ends, thus exposing one side of her huIL To reach the other side the weights and anchor were shifted. In some respects this mothed was easier than beaching, but with the loss of the Royal George and her complement of men and visitors the fashion quickly went out of vogue in the British Navy, and other mariners who look upon the navy as a criterion followed the example. Since a vessel was launched from the land. It was logical that the proper way to make repairs was to haul It out, and the marine railway was adopted. This appliance has also advanced In manner of construction, and for ships of certain size it is quick and satisfactory, and thousands of them are in use, some of them capable of hauling vessels 300 feet Ions and of 5,000 and 6,000 tons burden. - With the building of vessels of great length and weight, such as warships, marine railways could sot haul them, and

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'5 - it L WW," i for their accommodation graving docks were built. These docks are nothing but great excavations built Into the land at the water's edge, narrow at the bottom and sloping toward the top, their sides lined with mighty flights of steps for the convenience of workmen and also as supports for Joists with which to shore the vessel Into position. The vessel is floated into the dock, firmly braced in position, and then behinj her is floated a great gate made of steel and of stout construction to withstand the enormous pressure of water when the dock is empty. The gates are built to float as a ship, and they are towed to the end of the dock, where by the opening of compartments In them they are allowed to fill with water, and they settle in groves built in the sides of the docks. Great pumps, capable of throwing millions of gallons an hour, soon clear the water from the dock, and the vessel., resting easily on the keel blocks, is ready, for inspection. The great graving docks at Halifax, owned by the British government, are hewn from solid rock, and are among the most wonderful structures of their kind in the world. The graving docks at Newport News, owned by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, are among the largest in the world, and are capable of floating a vessel 800 feet long. They are cut in sandy soil and are lined with great timbers and cement, and when pumped out are as dry as a drawingroom floor. Another type of marine hospital Is the floating dock, and the most recent example of a structure of this kind is the Dewey, the largest and most modern floating drydock that has ever been built, embodying not only all the features of a ship, with cabins, refrigerating apparatus, wireless telegraph, a complete machine shop fitted with all pharaphernalla for the repalrlBg of vessels, but which is built in sections, so that two-thirds of it will dock the other third in case that portion of Itself needs repairs. This great dock, which Is 500 feet long and 100 feet wide between its walls. Is capable of lifting a battleship of 14.000 tons, and is fully Independent of land resources. Is the property of the United States government nd will take care of our warships and maritime interests la the Far East, as the covernment, ever geaerous, will allow any " vessel to be

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'ri p'; tifJ JEZELF-TTJZEIPA docked In it when . the interests of the Navy do not demand It. The Dewey, which was built at Sparrows Point, near Baltimore, is an improvement on the great dock which was built at the same place and which Is now In service at Algiers, La., and it is expected that it will not be long before a duplicate of it, with still more improvements, will be ordered, to be placed In the Patuxent River, near Solomons Island, Md., to take care of Unele Sam's ships on this side of the world. The floating dock is not altogether new, and It is recorded that Peter the Great, Crar of Russia, had one built in 1693, and that It answered every purpose for his fleet of comparatively small vessels. The dock was not built outright, but a hull of a ship named Camel was taken for the perpose. Her stern was cut off and a blnped gate was fitted to her. She was tben sunk and a smaller ship placed on her deck. The water from the Camel's hull was pumped out and she arose to the surface, thus demonstrating the practicability of the floating dock. It Is as far a reach from the Camel to the Dewey as It is from the steamboat Fulton to the ocean greyhound Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, and yet each was largely responsible for the other, for both were small beginnings of great endings, if one can yet say the end has been reached in either floating docks or ships. There are other large floating docks besides the Dewey and the one at Algiers, and those are the ones at Bermuda and Havana. Both these docks were built in England and were towed to their destinations by warships, but the 58-day voyage of the Havana dock to cover 6,500 miles pales Into insignificance when compared to the 16,000-mile voyage of the Dewey from the shores of the Chesapeake to the coral ledges of the Philippines, a distance of more than half the circumference of the earth. But if the ship is ever gotten aa far as the hospital, where the surgeons" can operate with scalpels, pneumatically driven, the injured parts are soon cut away and new pieces substituted, until the ship is herself once more. There is a similarity between the hospitals for humans and for ships, as there are . specialists in each branch. In the marine hospital of today, where ships of iron and steel axe built and ' repaired.

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practically every trade is represented. There are blacksmith, foundrymeo, coppersmiths, plumbers, drillers, boilermakers, locksmiths, calkers. shlpjolnera, pumpmen, machinists, painters, decorators, upholsterers, patternmakers, etc.. each of which represent a separate guild, but in the modern steamer one is as necessary as the other, for each has Its owa specialty. The ship's painters represent another industry. These men remove the trrowth of barnacles and weeds from the bull and then they pat on the copper paint.

London's Gilded Youth,

The gilded youth of London represents a class which has received far too little attention from serlous-mtnded people. These young men are usually sons of very wealthy parents. Their whole and only object in life is never to do a stroke of work; work to them Is undignified and much be utterly tabooed, and they must also spend as much money as possible In enjoying life. An Income of $50,000 a year ! considered scarcely sufficient en which to maintain real respectability, though some of them manage to pinch along on this sum. Incomes ranging from $40,000 or $45,000 to $400,000 and even $500,000 a year are enJoyed by large number of tbe glided youth. It must be said that the London "Johnnie" is, as a rule, manly, and often turns out well after wasting a few years in betting, gambling, haunting stage doors and entertaining supper parties. Your gilded youth must have his chambers in town, usually in or off Piccadilly, must be a member of two or three of the best London clubs, keep bis motors, horses, and often a "little place in the country." His cook mast be above reproach and his valet above suspicion. The latter is a most essential feature to the gilded youth. His face must be a mask to his feelings; he must lie artistically and must know every whim and fancy of his master snd must be ready to tackle bts lord with diplomacy and tact whenever that glided individual lets fly his temper broadside on. The valet must know every change of fashion and be ready to suggest such and such a new mode directly he bears of it. A good valet can command $450 to $500 a year wages, bis perquisites are numerous and handsome, and bts master's cast oft clothing Is one of them. Any day in the career of a man-about-town is typical. Here is a good program. At 9 o'clock the valet enters the youth's bedroom, gently draws up the blinds, then goes to tbe bed and softly withdraws a pillow from under the sleeper's head, turns blm over on Lis back and commences to lather his face and then to shave him. A towel soused with cold water is then applied, groans issue from the glided one, but the valet merely says: "Borders is borders, sir." pulls his charge out of the bed and drags him to the bathroom. Here be is douched and showered and rubbed until be la really wide-awake. A cup of hot black coffee pulls him together and in a half an hour he is at his club, immaculately groomed, and sitting down to breakfast. Possibly a brandy and a soda Is indulged In to begin with, followed by delicious broiled mushrooms and chicken livers. He opens his letters and smokes a cigarette and returns to bis rooms to Interview the tailor. He may give his tailor a big order and his batter another without regard to cost and tben changing his clothes will shortly appear in all the glory of a perfectly fitted frock coat, Immaculate linen and boots and trousers. His top hat would take the shine out the sun ; bis valet has lavished on It all the art and care he knew for half an hour. A stroll necessitates a visit to the jeweler's and florist's. Possibly hi will spend a few hundreds on a diamond or pearl necklace for a footlight favorite and also order a magnificent bouquet for the same favorite, which will cos: $25 or $30. very likely much more. His flower bill during the year would run into hundreds of dollars. In a year he will spend anything between $10,000 and $25,000 on jewels. But I have only got our gilded youth as far as tbe street and It Is 12 o'clock. He has to kill time somehow, so be goes to Ms club and gossips a bit, has an appetizer, and then hies him to one of the leading restaurants where he Is to entertain a bevy of fair ladles at lunch. The lunch probably cost him $40 or thereabouts. He rises with his guests and they all drive away In bis magnificent motor car. Tea Is by no means an inexpensive Item, as his frivolous guests are sure to order' all tbe most expensive dainties, and then cornea the drive home at break-neck speed. Dinner with a few choice and kindred spirits is a welcome feature of the day's 1 program, and then comes a box at the theater or music haU. During the intervals be will haunt the stage door and try to sea his favorite actress, who by that time will have received the bouquet ordered that morning. -, Within the last few weeks a favorite appearing at the Empire has been the recipient of an anonymous girt in toe shape of a lovely bouquet. The flowers were sent with unfailing regularity, there being one addi

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which Is so necessary to the prevention of attachment ot the barnacle. I When, the last mechanic has left tb vessel and the foreman of the yardpfre-, nounces her onianetL tnere la yec one' other specialist to come oa. bfltarA. Bsf is the compass adjuster and trader lin direction the vessel's first or trial trip-la? made. After completing tto work IM adjuster drops over toe aUle. waiet brsj band to the officers and Ibe siilp onea more befftna ber fight for xlsteo. Uw bosom of the sea. tional flower every night until tbe uet attained such a wonderful sine that f nothing bad ever been seen like It. The j donor-kept bis identity for some considerable time, bat at last revealed himself. ! Supper at one of the fashionable rea-; tanrants or hotels Is essential with the gilded youth after the theater, to which be usually takes one special fair favorite. Nor does be neglect to attend reception ( and bridge parties at fashionable house where in a few evenings he can add to or lessen bis Income by a few hundreds. Nor must bis attendance at a gambling game be omitted. There are a number of innocent houses in London which are a veritable Monte Carlo on a smaller scale. The gilded youth are a class by them selves. Some who keep up, perhaps, a. racing establishment, a steam yacht, and back heavily on horses, come a crasher with $500,000 a year. Others with a beggarly $50,000. $100,000 or $160,000 a year' acrape along and ultimately tora out men ' of grit and honor. One baa, however, j only to read tbe papers to see bow constantly carda, horses, women and win have brought tbem to utter ruin. It is a mean, miserable and contemptible existence, killing time and pitching money away on endleaa frivolities when thousands j of people are starving. What ultimately ! becomes of the gilded youth la a mystery. Some of them succeed to titles and e-1 tates and become honorable c! tiaras; others go abroad; some "turn over a new, leaf" and enter some profession in which possibly they ultimately meet with sue-' cess, while others go on killing tiro and' squandering money until' tlnve kills them,, CcmaU and Floods on Mara. i Herr Shertts, of the Beffln-Ooaei lafaay,' baa Juat completed a fa moos monograph' on the latest dlscovariea on . tbe planet Mara. He states that uadoutxtedly & singular regularity of the canal bands on' Mars are sure proofs of human' or rather, superhuman intelligence. The enormous length, hundreds of time longer than tb Panama Canal, for Instance, must b taken a a certain evidence of engineering skill and scientific Inventions far esceiling any knowledge of mankind. The aav nual melting of the great snow caps at' the North and Sooth Pole of Kara show' bow tbe eomparaUr absence of rain lav compensated for. Herr Sberlta says: "Imagine two tr, mendons cap of snow hundreds of feet In depth which accumulate near both tb poles on Mars during tb winter month.' Tben the canal band grow rn distinct, and it la evident that no vegetation exists of any consequence. But with tb torrid summer of Mars, which hi aa distinctly bot as tbe winter 1 colder than we can easily imagine on the earth, the great now melts swiftly, rustling, undoubtedly. Into tbe vat network of canal from tb floods that run down from the North and South polar snow and lee flVlda, This annual Inundation of Mar nraat excel the power of human imagination to describe. "The ability to guide these floods fate the canal and to prevent the entfre system from being washed away show that the brains of the Martian engineer are infinitely better developed than those of the most brilliant scholars of this planet." "Within a few weeka tbe faint lines of the canals begin to strengthen. This shows the vegetation springing up where the water flows. It is the borders of vegetation which run along both sides of the canals on Mars that are seen by the astronomers of the earth. Then, when the: summer gradually ends, tbe vegeta- ' tlon gradually dies out, taking about two weeks. to completely disappear. The canals grow very faint and remain In this condition until another Martian winter has ended, another great melting and flooding of the canals takes place and once again the summer vegetation on Mars springs swiftly Into' view of oar tdeacope. ITEMS OF INTEREST. Men's shirts very much in tbe style of those now worn were made in 1380. Bayonets were first manufactured in Bayonee. France, In the year 1670. They received their name from tbe town of their origin. Schwartz invented gunpowder In 1323But thirteenth-century alchemist, named Roger Bacon, gave a receipt for the making of it In a work of his In the rear