DIVISION OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. 45 



drops the card in the messenger's box, after which it follows the route indi- 

 cated in upper left-hand comer until it finally arrives at the specifications 

 desk, where it is filed under a proper heading to be considered for the next 

 design. Similar cards are received monthly from all superintending con- 

 structors' offices and from construction officers at navy yards. 

 The most frequent sources of such cards are : — 



(a) New ideas. 



(b) Technical publications. 



(c) Trial board reports. 



(d) Suggestions from fleet. 



(e) Suggestions from superintending constructors. 

 (/) Suggestions from builders. 



(g) Miscellaneous suggestions from any and all sources. 



These cards are filed as general, and by types, both under subject index, 

 and whenever a new design is taken up all the cards referring to that time 

 and all the general subject cards are considered. 



Ships' Specifications. — In preparing detail specifications for ships first a 

 skeleton form is made. This skeleton is filled out by the specifications desk 

 in consultation with the plans as they progress, with the general specifications 

 and with the specification cards referred to. 



This typewritten specification is read and criticised : — 



(a) By the employee preparing the special plan involved. 



(b) By the subject specialists concerned in the criticism branch. 



(c) By the head of the branch. 



(d) By the chief draughtsman. 



(e) By the writer and by one or more of his office assistants. 



When these notes are all in, a conference is held of all those who have 

 read the specifications. The suggestion cards are gone over, various opin- 

 ions are voiced and explained, decision made by the writer, and the speci- 

 fications are ready to print. 



After printing, the galley proof is referred to other bureaus for comment, 

 is again checked and discussed in conference, and is finally printed. 



Specifications are filed by ship and by number in a storeroom specially 

 assigned. 



Issues are made by order signed by the employee in charge of the specifi- 

 cations desk, who keeps the record account of issues and balance on hand. 



Bach specification contains detachable receipt which must be signed by 

 the recipient and which is filed as the record. 



Weekly Conferences. — Once a week, on Wednesday at 9.30 A. M., 

 the ofiEicers and the civilian head of the criticism branch (who is the chief 



