38 REVIVAL OF WOODEN SHIPBUILDING AS A WAR INDUSTRY. 



hold beams. At the bow they had an anchor deck, or low 'monkey forecastle,' and 

 aft there might be a raised quarter-deck. 



"Subsequently it was found necessary to place the machinery openings at a 

 higher level than the tipper deck, and so, for this purpose, casings were built, and, to 

 protect these, a bridge deck, enclosed at the ship's side but usually open at the ends. 

 Then, to increase the carrying capacity and improve the vessel's weatherly qualities, 

 the quarter-deck and forecastle were increased in height to form the poop and top- 

 gallant forecastle. The largest vessels of that period were about 250 feet by 33 feet 

 by 1 7 J/2 feet, but later, when greater carrying capacity was desired, they were in- 

 creased in size by simply adding 7 feet to their height, so as to give an additional 

 deck. To increase the depth only was thought to be advantageous, for at that time 

 the idea prevailed that the dimension of breadth was the one most particularly gov- 

 erning the vessel's resistance, and that to increase it would entail great loss of speed." 



To-day's problems have introduced some new details of construction. On the 

 Pacific coast long timber is available, keel sticks being from 80 to 100 feet and in 

 a few instances, I am told, as long as 1 50 feet between scarphs, while on the Atlantic 

 coast a 50-foot length would be considered a good specimen. On both coasts, how- 

 ever, steel has been introduced for keelsons and for brackets or braces to supplant 

 the ever-decreasing supply of ships' knees. 



Plate 19 shows a view in a 250-foot 2,500-ton wooden steamer wherein the 

 steel keelson is being assembled in place. 



The use of iron strapping on wooden vessels necessitates rabbeting the frames 

 so that the frame and strapping surfaces will present a smooth face on which to lay 

 the planking. To expedite this work, a portable pneumatic rabbeting tool has re- 

 cently been developed and used with excellent results. 



Painting by the old hand and brush method was laborious, time-consuming 

 and ever wasteful. The use of compressed air has solved these difficulties to a great 

 degree. 



In the launching of vessels there is always the usual interest of watching a large 

 mass slide gracefully down the ways to repose in its element. To-day, however, the 

 interest is held in another direction coincident with the launching, namely, the keel 

 laying of the next ship to be built on the same ways. On the west coast we prided 

 ourselves when a new keel was laid in 20 minutes after the launching. Later we beat 

 it at 16 minutes, later at 11 minutes, and finally got it down to one minute, a world's 

 record. In the old days many weeks would elapse before a new set of keel blocks was 

 ready and the new sticks were scarphed and ready for assembling and fastening. 

 Now, thanks to the introduction of quantity production and fabrication methods to 

 wooden ship production, we can use the same keel blocks without disturbing them 

 at launching and, by having the new keel all in readiness under the bilges, it can be 

 hauled to place on the vacated keel blocks as rapidly as the sister' ship glides to her 

 maiden plunge. This is shown in Plate 20. 



In the matter of fitting out vessels, records have been made. The vessels which 



