Page 7 - Building A Big Ship

BUILDING A BIG SHIP leave. The later large liners, though longer and wider than thoso mentioned, and of greater gross tonnage, have about the same draught of water. A ship is built on wha,t is called the " slip," a long, slanting plat t fEIS GR'AT TLOATINO CRA!f' AT I(ESSR,g. EARLTND & wor,rr'e Btt.tasr yARD Lrrrs 160 ToNa form extending some hundreds of feet on shore beyond high-rvater line and a shorter dlqtance into the water below it, and for very large vessels e considerable d.istance beyond the low-water lino. The slope is adopted so that a vessol will easily slide down when the time comes for her to be launched. The foundationsof the slopo have to be very firm, and moy