20 ON THE MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS OF SHIPS. 
DISCUSSION. 
THE PRESIDENT:—I am quite sure you have all enjoyed this paper, and I 
take great pleasure now in calling on Past President Bowles to have his say. 
Past PRESIDENT BOwLES—Mr. President and Gentlemen, I will take my 
little note book and descend into the arena. (Laughter.) As one of his first 
American pupils, and possibly his oldest pupil here present, it is a great satisfaction 
to me to express the cordial appreciation of this Society at the presence of the 
distinguished author of this paper. 
It is a great pleasure to those of us who are present, and an honor to the 
Society, that such a very old question as the maximum dimensions of ships, and 
at the same time such an ever new and present problem, should be presented to 
us in such a masterly way. ‘The paper to me discloses throughout, perhaps uncon- 
sciously, the attitude of the naval architect in the problem that is always presented 
to us, of accomplishing the results of a design on the least dimensions, and therefore 
it might not be disrespectful to change the title of this paper to “The Minimum 
Dimensions of the Maximum Ship.” 
The author has stated in the beginning the pertinent questions on the subject 
and appears to have satisfactorily answered them himself. In answer to his first 
question, ‘‘Is it probable that the dimensions of ships will continue to grow at the 
rapid rate which has prevailed in recent years,” he is inclined to answer No, but 
he admits that the dimensions of the average merchant vessel will probably con- 
tine to increase, and, indeed, the reasons which he gives are capable of reinforce- 
ment, because the matter depends largely upon the development of terminals for 
commerce. There is now throughout the world a remarkable activity in the 
development of steamship terminals, not only in the United States, but throughout 
the world, which will have undoubtedly a profound influence in this respect, and, 
as the author states, a beneficial one. 
In answer to his second question, ‘‘ Will an upper limit to the sizes of ships be 
reached?’’ he admits that this question does not depend upon the naval architect, 
but upon the condition of terminals and financial considerations. 
In approaching the discussion of his questions and the considerations which 
he advances which are likely to determine such limits for either merchant or war 
vessels, he discloses some matters of opinion to which I venture to call attention. 
He asks for some explanation of why the United States has abandoned as a 
feature of its battleship design a moderate draught of water. Possibly, it is not 
becoming in me to attempt to furnish the answer to that question, but having 
grown up with the new Navy I am inclined to try it. When we started out in 
1882 to build a new Navy in the United States the people of this country regarded 
