50 A PEEP AT 



ment. The Navy Yard is about one mile long, and 

 contains one hundred acres. On the side nearest the 

 town, the Yard is enclosed by a stone wall sixteen 

 feet high, and on the water side a wall extends the 

 whole length of the Yard, embracing several wharves 

 and a dry dock. This dock was commenced in 1827, 

 and opened for the reception of vessels in 1888. It 

 is constructed entirely of beautifully hewn granite, 

 and will contain a ship of the largest class ; it is three 

 hundred and forty-one feet long, eighty feet wide, and 

 thirty deep, and cost about 675,000 dollars. In 

 this Yard is a rope-walk, built of granite, which is said 

 to be the longest and most perfect in the world. It is 

 one thousand three hundred and fifty feet in length. 

 All the cordage used in the United States Navy is 

 manufactured here by machinery. In this Yard are 

 two lineo-f-battle ships, the Virginia and Vermont, on 

 the stocks, the former of which was built during the 

 last war. Within the yard are ship-houses, various 

 machine shops, carpenters' shops, stores, dwelling- 

 houses for the officers, and marine barracks. In the 

 engine-house are the pumps for pumping out the dry 

 dock; these pumps are so capacious that twelve 

 hogsheads of water are said to be thrown off at one 

 stroke, and the time occupied in pumping out the 

 dock is about six hours. 



