GENERAL CONSIDERATION OF NAVY YARD DESIGN, LOCATION, 

 CAPACITY AND MAINTENANCE, WITH PLAN AND DESCRIP- 

 TION OF A LARGE, EFFICIENT YARD PROPERLY LOCATED. 



By Captain L. S. Van Duzer, U. S. Navy, Associate. 



[Read at the twenty-first general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, held in 



New York, December 11 and 12, 1913.] 



During the past five years our navy yards have been given more than usual 

 attention. This attention has been chiefly directed towards organization, manage- 

 ment and the suppression of unimportant yards and stations. 



The uselessness and expense of these subsidiary yards have always been well 

 known, but local politics have prevented their abandonment. Recently strategic 

 reasons have added force to the economic ones and we now see that we must have 

 at least one great yard where the entire fleet can be repaired and supplied in time 

 of war. It cannot, in a war with a powerful nation, be divided. Therefore, at 

 least one properly located navy yard must be adequate to quickly effect repairs 

 and docking, and furnish supplies. 



Having determined that we need one great yard, it is necessary, before be- 

 ginning its construction, to investigate the requirements and desirable features. 

 These may be divided into: 



I. Suitability of location. 

 II. Capacity. 

 III. Cost of construction, maintenance and operation. 



I. SUITABILITY OF LOCATION. 



This comprehends: — 



( 1 ) Strategical position as regards the probable operations and requirements 

 of the fleet. 



(2) Strategical position as regards defense. 



(3) Accessibility under all conditions of tide, wind, and temperature. This 

 involves : 



(a) Depth of water and safety of approach. 



(b) Proximity to main channels and ease of approach. 



(4) Accessibility and proximity to the great highways of transportation. 



(5) Proximity to a great center of supply of materials. 



(6) Proximity to a great center of supply of labor. 



(7) Proximity to a very large city where liberty can be given to a large 

 number of men while the ships are under repair at the yard. 



