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Successful Engineering Feat Opens Broad Field for Lake Yards (Concluded from Last Issue) Stern Section: of the Van Hise Partially Careened at the Dock demanded that all openings in the ship should be sealed tight, so that if an accident occurred and the ship capsized, she would not sink. For this reason, no one was- to remain inside, and arrangements were made to start the pumps from the deck. The steam pipe was led to the end of the 1. was felt that ordinary prudence . boat, so that a tug could lie across the end and not be endangered, as she would be if moored alongside. The forward section was piped in a similar manner, a temporary pump being placed upon the inner bottom, and another pump upon the deck, with connections through the 12-inch main to all the tanks. In an effort to meet all possible contingencies, the pumping arrangements were far too com- plicated, and the pumps and piping too large to give the best results. The pumps were located on the center line, and. as a result had to work with a suction head of 20 to 25 feet most of the time. At times they would not pick up the water and the pipe lines had to be gone over repeatedly to in- sure all valves being tightly closed. The method of handling the water ballast in both sections was similar. First, the forward double bottom com- partment was filled, tanks, and lastly the pontoons, then then the wing -- the double bottom compartment was pumped out. On both sections, the filling was done entirely by the lower pump and the upper pump used when on her side. Some trouble was- an- ticipated in' getting enough men to handle. the pumps and look after. the lines while the sections were being rolled over. es As the rolling progressed without a sign of crankiness confidence in- creased and the men moved about in- side and out with unconcern. In righting the vessel, gate valves in' the pontoons were opened and the water allowed to run out, the section roll- ing back as freed from this weight. Then the wing tanks were pumped: out and water pumped into the starboard inner bottom, to bring her to an even keel. Complete Forward Section First The forward section of the ship was completed: first and on Dec. 5, 1918, it was towed out. behind the break- water at Buffalo to a spot where there was about 28 feet of water, and there turned. This section was in charge of two tugs, the one at the forward end holding the section at the place selected and the one at the after end furnishing stearh to operate the pumps on the ship that controlled the ballast. The starboard No. 1. inner-bottom tank was full of water and there was about 100 tons of water in No. 2 port inner bottom tank. This gave the sec- tion a list of about 13 degrees. At: 11 a. m. operations were ready to be- gin. Work was started on filling the port No. 1 inner-bottom tank. This was completed at 11:45 a. m. The section had a list: of 16 degrees. At 12:02 work was started on pumping out No. 1 starboard into No. 1 wing tank and this was filled at 12:27, the list then being 24 degrees. The for- ward end of No. 2 wing tank was then filled at 12:35, the list being 26 de- grees. The water was-then pumped into the pontoons, beginning at the forward one. At 12:45, with the ship listed -at 31 degrees, the pump was stopped to investigate conditions in the, interior. The pump was. started again vat 104 and: at: 2:15. alls sie pontoons were full and the ship listed to an angle of 70 degrees. The in- terior was again inspected for leaks and some work done toward checking those which had developed. At this time, the water had been practically emptied out of all the inner bottom compartments. except No. 1-.port. At 2:45 the pump was started, pumping overboard a portion of the water in No. 1. port and the section gradually Pe = es oe ek HOW THE AFTER SECTION APPEARED DURING THE ROLLING OPERATION--STRUCTURES JUST ABOVE 1 BALLASTED WITH WATER TO CAREEN THE VESSEL 252 Re HE WATERLINE ARE THE PONTOONS