62 



2(ith Aprils 1898. 



Professor J. D. Evrrett, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



THE EVOLUTION OF FLOATING AND OTHER DRY 

 DOCKS. 



By James Maxton. M.LN.A., M.I. Mar. E. 



My object in writing a brief Paper on Floating and other Dry 

 Docks, is to stimulate a desire in Belfast to keep ahead of, or at 

 least in line with, the times, and to ventilate a subject closely 

 associated with the Shipbuilding and Shipowning interests, and 

 hence with our progressing and enterprising City, rather than 

 to bring before you any novelty or unique experience in the 

 design or construction of these conveniences and necessities of a 

 Maritime Nation. 



To have written a Paper on the latest and most approved 

 types of Dry Docks would have given me very great pleasure, 

 but it would hardly have been suitable for our SDciety, whose 

 membership includes many who are not closely in touch with 

 Shipping, but who, nevertheless, take a lively interest in all 

 that pertains to Great Britain's Maritime greatness and 

 supremacy. 



History of Dry Docks. 



From the days of Noah, and earHer, there must have been 

 means of examining externally the bottom of ships or other 

 structures that float upon the surface of the water. With small 

 Craft this was a simple process, but as vessels became larger not 

 a little difficulty must have been experienced by nautical men 

 to repair or examine their vessels without injury to the 

 structure. 



