GENERAL CONSIDERATION OF NAVY YARD DESIGN. 79 



The capacity to berth, repair and supply the whole fleet at one time and to 

 repair the largest ships rapidly under all conditions of injury and draught implies 

 large and well-equipped shops, ample wharfage capacity and numerous large dry- 

 docks. It also implies very deep water in the approach to the dry-docks, and at 

 least one dock with great depth over the sill. And the storage, transportation 

 and similar facilities should correspond to the other equipment. 



in. COST OF CONSTRUCTIONj MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION. 



The cost of the yard and plant should be as low as consistent with economy 

 and the achievement of the end in view — the care and upkeep of the fleet. 



The design of the yard should be such that its maintenance should cost as 

 little as practicable. The power plant should be located in a favorable position as 

 regards fuel and water supply, and be fitted with equipment of the best types, so 

 that the power charges should be as low as practicable, while the character of 

 the buildings and transportation facilities should render upkeep and transporta- 

 tion charges equally low. 



Given a well-designed, well-equipped, and well-located yard, the efficiency of 

 operation as regards both cost and speed depends upon suitable organization and 

 methods of carrying on work. 



THE NEW YARD PLANNED. 



The accompanying sketch, Plate 48, shows only the main features of the de- 

 sign. Some details cannot be shown except on a larger scale, and they are so 

 numerous that many of them would require additional study. General characteris- 

 tics shown are planned to meet the requirements enumerated in the foregoing pages, 

 and are independent of the exact design of details. 



Location. — It will be noted that the proposed yard is placed where its inner 

 end abuts land contiguous to all the great railways, and that its outer end reaches 

 deep water. The cost of supplies of all kinds is therefore reduced to a minimum. 

 The yard is located where the tidal current is always weak so that it is easy of 

 access. Access is further facilitated by placing piers at 45 degrees with the direc- 

 tion of entrance and with the direction of the tidal current. The location of the 

 yard is such as to render it quite free from ice accumulation during winter, except 

 such as may form in and around its own piers. 



Wharves, Piers and Docks. — There are twenty main piers, all of 700 feet 

 length. These twenty piers will berth forty battleships or other war vessels of the 

 largest size. At the wharves between the piers there is berthing space for eighteen 

 ships of length of 425 feet or less. Three other large vessels can berth at the 

 outer end of the yard. Twenty torpedo vessels or small craft can berth at the 

 outer ends of the piers, while about 100 tugs, barges, submarines, etc., can be 

 berthed at the piers (with the battleships, which are all less than 600 feet long), or 

 elsewhere about the yard. Its shape has been carefully studied and the one chosen 



