DOCK GATE'S VOYAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21546, 18 July 1933, Page 6

DOCK GATE'S VOYAGE

BIGGEST IN WORLD TOWED FOR 380 MILES The world's largest dock gate, biiill by the Furness Shipping Company at Haverton Hill,: Middlesbrough, to close the entrance of the world's biggest graving dock, which is to be opened by the King at Slillbrook, Southampton, on July 26, reached its destination today after being towed 380 miles by th# tug Dragon. - The great dock gate, which has been constructed of 1300 _ tons of British steel, was towed on its side fro® dlesbrough to Southampton in 81 dayt —a fine performance considering its unwieldy proportions. As it came down the channel it had the appearance or a huge, half-submerged matchbox. The gate is 141 ft. 9in. long, 29ft. 6in. wide and 58ft. 6in. high. Great accuracy was necessary in construction ana the ends and bottom of each of tne sides are covered with Gre®heart timber-facing, measured to l-40(XJtn ox an inch, to keep water from leaking into the graving dock when the entrance is closed. . ' Captain George Boalchi the skipper of the Dragon, had little sleep throughout the long _ tow. "Taking everything into consideration, we JJ we^ e very fortunate in our weather, n8 said. "The only thrill we had occurred on Fridav, when we were in thick fog off the East Goodwin Lights, and tM gate was nearly run into by a steamer. She apparently saw the dock gate a the nick of time, for we heard her blow three blasts on her whistle, indicating that she was going astern."