VI 



FLOATING DOCKS 



WITH recent years the largest floating 

 dock in the world has been placed at 

 Southampton. It will take not only the 

 largest vessel now afloat such monsters 

 as the 56,000 tonners Majestic and Leviathan, 

 but it is large enough for even bigger ships 

 should they be built. 



The most common type is that which is 

 shaped like a large oblong box, without 

 end and with hollow sides and bottom. 

 Normally it is floating well above water, 

 but when required for use the air chambers 

 are flooded until it sinks down anything 

 from 20 to 35 feet, according to the draught 

 of the ship which is about to be warped in. 

 So soon as its burden is safely inside, and 

 in proper position, powerful pumps begin 

 to empty the water from the air-chambers, 



55 



