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Show Hj Giant Strides In Ship Building Under the New "Standardization" System A Steel Ship In Its Construction. Copy riylit, 101S, Tbe lutcrnatioual udiculo. -i NTOICE WHO has (he slightest knowledge of the preparation of our country In this war J I aware of t lio great number of 1 contracts which have been let for the construction of ships. Not only all of the regular shij yards are working to their full capacity, but many other contractors are undertaking the building build-ing of vessels for use In this great struggle. As time Is more Important than money tbe United States Government Gov-ernment has been quite liberal in its 1 conditions with the view of encourag ing extra efforts In the furnishing of this part of our military equipment. Then again this policy may be a far-sighted far-sighted one, for the successful issue of the war will impose upon us a creator and more responsible position in International affairs and as the j commcrco of Germany will be 1m- paired. If not destroyed, we will bo fully equipped to take our placo among the front rank of nations In the carrying trade. Thus one of the indirect results of tho war will be tho establishment of a merchant marine ma-rine and once more the stars and stripes will fly from our shipping in every port of tho world. All Kinds Of Ships. There was much delay In tho shipbuilding ship-building programmo owing to the , haggling of the shipping board as to whether wo should build steel or wooden ships, but finally after the entire country was disgusted over the delay, new members were appointed on the board and that body came to tho conclusion that ships of all kinds would be built, in fact, any kind of a vessel which could cross the Atlantic would bo acceptable as a carrier of food and men, so wooden ships, steel I jTilT STEEL SHIP IN THE ships and even concrete ships were contracted for. Thousands of men were enlisted In the work and soon -hips began going off tho ways and I carrying their loads of humanity and ' freight across tho ocean. Already many of theso new yilps have been I sunk but others are ready to lake their places and we must build and 'build until we have many times the number which have been sunk by Germany's piratical .submarines. "Simula rdioUou." One of the greatest helps in the ship building programmo is what Is called "Standardization" or "Fabrica tlon" that Is that certain ship yard build vessels of certain sizes only, and certain factories prepare the material for each yard. In the old days when one visited a ship yard vessels of various kinds and sizes were found on the ways and iron and steel in all shapes was scattered scat-tered about the yard. Today all this Is changed and you will And 3.500 ton carriers being built at one yard, 5,000 ton carriers at another and 7,000 and 8,000 and 9,000 and 12,000 at others. Before the work of "Standardization" "Stand-ardization" was completed model ships were built and tested and then taken apart and these parts were then sent to different fabricating factories The output of these shops was then commandeered by tho Government. Consequently onlv about IS per cent, of the actual work of ship building Is done In the yards, while 82 per cent, is done In tho fabricating shops. The benefits as to workmanship and speed , arc incalculable and If all goes well by the end of 1318 tho United States will j have built 8,000.000 tons of ships bc-; bc-; sides the 2,000,000 tons commandeered. comman-deered. Ono hundred and fifty ship yards arc busy turning out ships to build the bridge of victory and an army of 200,000 men arc doing the work More are learning tho ship building trade at schools established for this purpose. Steel .ship Assembling, The steel ships in the building or rather In the assembling (for the parts are sent to the yard ready to bo put in place) is an Interesting study especially espe-cially Jf the visitor Is fortunate enough to be able to watch the growth of the ship from time to time during Its construction from tho laying of the keel to the launching. When a vessel Is to bo constructed tho drawings are completed after which the work Is taken up by the construction force and preparations arc made to lay tho keel First the ' groundways arc laid directly on the ground being built tip of timber laid thereon tier crosswise, the upper surface sur-face being completed by tho "sliding plank." The surface of the sliding plank Is not a plane ono but what I? known In shipping terms as "cam- , ' Dered," that Is a longitudinal section j of It Is an arc of a circle of very great j radius, the curves being convex up- j ! wards. This shape Is used to guard i against the great velocity attained by a ship when It starts down the way at its launching. The keel blocks are I next put in position. Thcro Is a great deal of mathematical calculation about the laying of .these as to their height and slope. Should these bo set at a wrens angle direful things might happen at the launching. The keel plates have meanwhile been brought over by iho big derneks and made ready to be put In position. They are ' merely a large metal floor perforated with a great number of holes In which ; pins may bo placed. The moulds of the frame arc laid on the bending slab and pins Inserted along Its edge Tho inner and outer flat keels form edge strips and buttstraps to one another 1 and in addition buttstraps arc fitted to both keels. The final fitting of the .keel plates Is made after tho stem I and stern castings are erected. The double bottom space Is divided up into water tight and oil tight compartments com-partments and solid frames have to be provided between any two of these, the framing must be arranged to provide pro-vide for this space. The typo of transverse framing filled In double bottoms such as In the ships shown In the accompanying photographs arc bracket lightened plate water tight and oil tight. Looking down from above a steel ship at this stage re- sembles a huge bee hKe which has been laid flat showing the honey comb spaces. The special framing now has to bo worked around shaft swell and recess to take the stern castings. The lining off of the frames usually carried out by tho scrjve board system can be worked out with great rapidity. Gradually tho frames are put Into place and nt this point the vessel resembles a steel brldsc. Millions of rivets of various kinds are used and One wonders at the prodigality of ' rivets which seems to be everywhere In a hip yard The are of many kinds, but by the present methods of ship building there Is no delay in finding find-ing tho correct sizes for each and every attachment needed In the building of each ship It sent directly to the yard where that class of ship fs being built. Tho bottom plating Is generally double riveted or even treble riveted. A.S tho frames become more complete the shaft is put In. then the various hatches begin to show and the laying of decks begins. All through the construction con-struction everything is done with the greatest accuracy and fidelity to the drawings. A shipyard Is a busy place with Its huge steam derricks lifting tho Iron Plates, Its many tracks filled with carloads of parts for ship, the hum of tho machinery, the sound of the hammer and the moving about of thousands of workmen all contribute to make one feel that Uncle Sam Is In earnest In his war against tho Hun. Several times German propaganda has been spread among tho workmen and strikes have been threatened, but at present It seems that each and every shipbuilder is ready to do his j bit to back up the men in the trenches Lann hing. Finally as the vessel nears comple- lion tho top decks are laid and the hlp is made ready for the launching This too. must be carried out along n certain rule, tho deviation from which might cause a serious accident, aftd every shipbuilder breathes easier I when he sees tho big vessel hit the water ln safety, although there are I comparatively few accidents at launching. During the building of the craft sho rests in a sort of cradle which consists of bilgeways built up of balks of timber bolted and doweled together and the slices or wedges which are employed at tho ends of , r 1 tho ship. This cradle must bo sup-B ported when tho ship is to btfl launched. Tho groundways aril leaned and dried by burning shavlnriB on them In preparation for the grase fB Tho grease used consists of a mlxturejB of tallow and train oil, the mixture! being put on one-quarter of an inch I thick Pieces of wood known a. dop. shores .iro fitted in between tha groundways and a dogcleat to ths bllgeway to prevent tho cradlo from sliding. Iron shoes aro fitted In the! end of the dng-Oior.: to prevent the ! rnds from crushing. Tho finishing : process preparatory to the launching is usually completed en the mornlnu of the launching. When tho hour arrive-; h. trigger on tho reh - -- -is released and the ship glides dowr. the ways to tho music of tho steam j whistles of 'ho nearby boats and the cheers of tho builders. Each vessel I Is christened with wine or champagne! .iu-t is the shipyard people prefer and ! usually some prom ln rr v oman or girl 1 Is asked to do the christening Onol hundred and twenty vessels of thai 7.000 and S.000 ton class will be given I Indian names. The wife of tho Pres I Idem who Is ,1 descendant of Poca hontas has been asked to select thai names and has already sent in thai list of names she prefers. Earh vessel will require from one hundred to two hundred seamen and people are asking where and how they are to be obtained, but the Shipping . 1 king provision for this ns well as for housing tho .'hip-building .'hip-building workers. Training schools! for men to man these hips have been H opened In various parts of tho coun- I try, ome In far inl tcrs. Bcy. I In th- various manual training schools I arc studying the workings of an en- I glno, the use of the sextant and com I as and other things which will gc I far toward the making of a seaman, I |