Page 11 - Building A Big Ship

BUILDING A BIG SHIP picture also illus- trates the staging which has to be erected outside tho hull to eep it in t position and enablo the rvorkmen to attach the plating to the frames; This work is continued until all the frames are in their places, and if you had been able to look down Tgn " or,vuptc's " pnopnt,l-ER BLADES. upon the Olympia from the top of the gantry, you would havo seen her hull as depicted in the illustration. As soon as possible the steel plates are riveted to tho frames and their overlapping edges are also riveted. The turn from the bottom to the side is called the " bilge " ; and nearly all steamers have a keel built along the outside of the bilge for the greater part of their length, to lessen the tendency to roll. Wren the propeller shafts and tho propellers have been added, the next step is to launch the vessel Hydraulic machinery is used to propel the ship into tho water, and the ways down which she is to slide are plentifully greased. Her movement can scarcely bo felt at first, bpt soon the immense weight gathers speed and the ship makes an irresistible rush to the rvater. Launches gener- ally take place at high tide, so that the ship shall -to borne on the water as soon as possible. Heavy chains soon bring her to a stand- still, and steam tugs drag ONE OF tgn " or,vuplc's " rgRtnvt PRoIELLERG ll?