Trade and Commerce. 45 



first-class battleships, Belfast has not built any of the latest 

 warships ; but it is hoped that, when the new graving-dock 

 is ready, our premier shipbuilders will be entrustecl with 

 more work for the Government. Of course, however, the 

 largest vessels they build are nearly twice the length and 

 displacement of even the largest warships. They have now 

 in hands the engines for H.M. SS. "Queen "and "King 

 Edward VII." It is anticipated that the agreement which 

 has recently been made with the Morgan Shipping Combine 

 will give a still further impetus to the shipbuilding yards of 

 Belfast. 



The visitor to the works will begin with the main offices 

 and the spacious drawing-ofiice, where all plans and designs 

 are prepared. These are naturally large, as ships of 600 feet 

 to 700 feet are drawn to a scale of \ inch to a foot. Next 

 will be s^cn the large building containing the joiners' shop, 

 saw-mill, plumbers' shop, etc. A noticeable feature of this 

 department is the arrangement for disposing of saw-dust and 

 cuttings. Communicating with each machine is a large 

 galvanized tube, in which rotary fans maintain a powerful 

 suction, thus delivering the waste to the boilers, where it is 

 used as fuel. Close to this is the mould-loft, in which the 

 scale drawings sent out from the office are reproduced full 

 size, and very carefully checked in the process, for upon 

 the accuracy of this work depends the construction of the 

 ship. The lines are first drawn in chalk, and when verified 

 are cut into boards which go to the platers' and other shops. 



On the way to the plating-sheds will be seen several 

 vessels in course of construction, and also the huge gantries 

 already referred to. Near the slips are the shops where the 

 plates and frames are worked into shape. Here are punching, 

 planing, shearing, bending, boring, and rolling machines, 

 furnaces for heating bars and plates, and heavy hydraulic 

 presses for various purposes. 



The engine-works will also be visited, commencing with 

 the erecting-shop, where engines of all sizes, from the pro- 

 pelling machinery of liners to the smallest pumps, will be 

 seen in all stages. The pattern and other shops will be 

 inspected, and in the fo'indry will be seen castings of all 

 shapes and sizes. The last department is the boiler-shop, 



