30 LAUNCHING OF SHIPS IN RESTRICTED WATERS. 
The writer has had experience with brakes, dragging weights as above and slewing 
the ships by lines attached to the ship near the stern and led to a point up or down 
stream from the launching slip, but owing to the doubt as to the amount of friction created 
by the brake, prefers dragging weights wherever possible, except for very light ships. 
LizuT. COMMANDER H. E. SAUNDERS, C. C., U. S. N. (Communicated) ——Although 
the paper deals particularly with methods employed to check the speed of vessels after 
they have been launched and are water-borne, it is true that at any launching a considera- 
tion of this subject must also take into account the methods employed for sending the 
ship off the ways and into the water and the probable speed which will be attained in the 
course of this operation. 
Considering the subject of launching a vessel as a whole, therefore, it must be ad- 
mitted that the first and most important principle of a launch is to get the ship safely 
into the water, whereas the matter under discussion resolves itself into the most satis- 
factory, safe and economical method of stopping the vessel without damaging the ship or 
endangering life or property. 
It may be said, therefore, in connection with the launching of the battleship Cali- 
fornia at Mare Island, that this vessel was almost three times as heavy as any which had 
been launched from the same ways, and that, with a ship so large and so costly, any stick- 
ing or stopping on the ways when partly water-borne was not even to be thought of. 
“As a matter of fact, the declivity, as is often the case, was determined partly by con- 
sideration of the limits for piling, headroom, etc., in the vicinity. Even though this 
declivity (1 inch per foot) may appear to be steep for so large a vessel, it is believed 
that the decision to adopt it was based upon thoroughly sound reasoning. It is certain 
that this argument was borne out by the facts, for the vessel was quite lively and started 
immediately upon release. At the same time there was no difficulty in holding her with 
the hydraulic triggers and no evidence of undue stress at any point, nor was there any 
doubt in the minds of those who were responsible for the launch that, once started, the 
vessel would take the water quickly and easily. What may have been thought rather a 
daring procedure was certainly the means of ensuring a most successful launch, whether 
the ship was afterwards fully stopped within the estimated distance or not. 
Equally as daring may be considered the decision to retain exactly the same declivity 
for the battleship Montana, a ship which will be fully 50 per cent heavier when launched. 
However, the unit pressure will be reduced from 2.40 tons to less than 2 tons per square 
foot, with a considerable reduction to be expected in the launching speed. In this case,. 
exactly as before, the matter of first importance is to get the ship off the ways and into 
the water; the question of checking her speed after that point must then be taken care of 
with the brakes and other means that may be at hand. 
In the case of the Montana, the permissible travel after the vessel leaves the ways is 
almost exactly twice the length; it is considered that this should be sufficient distance for 
all vessels without undue expenditure of time and labor for brakes or drags, and a travel 
of three times the length should certainly be amply sufficient. 
THE CHAIRMAN :—In the absence of Commander Saunders, the thanks of the Society 
will be communicated to him for his paper. 
As we have reached the hour for recess the Society will now take one. The afternoon 
meeting will begin at 2.15 with the discussion of the next paper. 
