Note. To lighten H.M.S. Warrior one inch it would be necessary to remove 42 tons of weight, or about 500 tons to lighten the ship one foot. The quickest way, probably, of doing this would be to take out the chain cables, say 128 tons, anchors 40 tons, water 90 tons, shot 113 tons, powder 23 tons, leaving more than 100 tons to be made up by the removal of guns. SECTION IX. PARTICULARS OF DOCKS ABROAD, WITH INFORMATION UPON COALS-FOREIGN SEA TERMS AND PHRASES ROPE CHAIN CABLES-ANCHORS-PAINTING SHIP-PRACTICAL RECIPES-INSTRUCTIONS FOR DIVERS AND USEFUL INFORMATION FOR OFFICERS IN PASSING EXAMINATIONS FOR THE ROYAL NAVY OR MERCANTILE MARINE. HAVRE Floating Basins. The Port of Le Havre, besides the tidal harbour, consists of ten floating basins or docks, which communicate with each other by gates. The basins are capable of receiving large merchant vessels. Steam vessels of heavy tonnage go into the Floride and the Eure basins. The locks opening from the harbour into the Floride and Saint Jean basins are 68 feet 10 inches wide, and those leading direct from the harbour into the Eure basin are 100 feet wide. The depth of water on the sill of the Eure dock is 25 feet at springs. The other locks are from 524 feet to 374 feet wide, which last is the lock leading into the Vauban Basin, where British colliers lie. At Havre the high water remains stationary for one hour, with a rise and fall of three or four inches for anotner hour, and only rises and falls thirteen inches for the space of three hours; this long period of nearly slack water is very valuable to the traffic of the port, and allows from fifteen to sixteen vessels to enter or leave the docks on the same tide. BREST.-The French Government contemplates extending the Dockyard, and making one or two large Dry Docks. L'ORIENT.-The factories for steel ship building are now complete. They are situated in one long building, each wing of which contains sufficient plant for constructing a first-class ironclad. Ships are built here with greater economy and rapidity than at any other port in France. SABLES D'OLONE.-Dock capable of admitting vessels of 16 feet draught at high water springs. ROCHEFORT. There is a commodious Dock; with steam cranes for discharging vessels. |