Show REPAIRING TH massachusetts great care mut mutt be re udd in docking the ship new york dec IG IC the herald says so serious are the injuries sustained by the battleship massachusetts as a result of the mishap sustained a few days ago that naval constructor dowles bowles estimates that the cost of her repairs will be at least requisitions cor covering bring this amount for material and labor have been approved and repairs will be started at once constructor bowles estimates that six weeks at least will be necessary to complete the work officials of the navy say the injuries to the battleship are similar to those buffered suffered by the brooklyn a year ago the brooklyn while steaming down the Dei delaware aware river struck a pinnacle of rock which tore her bottom and ca caused used an expenditure ot of tor for repairs it Is believed that the cost of the massachusetts repairs will reach very near that figure docking the massachusetts will be a delicate and dangerous operation naval experts say that for a brief period the ship must rest her entire weight which is about tons on the injured keel the greatest care must be taken at his critical time to prevent her from settling As rapidly as possibly blocks will bo be placed under tinder her bilge keels and the vertical column will bo be relieved of pressure tho the slightest displacement of a block in the meantime would cause a serious accident bowles some time ago recommended the use of docking keels on all large war vessels these are long timbers to lie alongside the vertical keel and afford a broader surface to bear the weight of the ship on the stocks which Is now placed on the central keel had these keels been adopted the task of docking the massachusetts chu would have been less difficult it may be that the blocks will be so arranged as to form a substitute tor for the dock keels with a space between them into which the keel of the ship will sink as the water Is pumped out of the dry dock |