THE NEW GRAVING DOCK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6092, 19 August 1881, Page 4

THE NEW GRAVING DOCK.

TO TUB EDITOR.

Sir,—Ho subject concerns the citizens of Dunedin more serious]}' than the improvement of the harbour, and on no public subject have they shown such BtoM apathy. Until the question of the exportation of frozen meat by direct uteamer has stared them in the face—and they then found in the status quo of the entrance there was neither an inlet nor exit for an ocean steamer. Your readers, therefore, cannot but rejoice in reading the telegram from the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, that the mission of th» deputation to Wellington j n favour of a dock trust has been so successful. As the Provisional Committed have given approximate dimensions of length and width of dock, you will admit that foresight is necessary to fix the dimensions in consequence of tha probable alteration in tho type of ocean steamem in the near future, ao that no lengthening or widening in two or three years will be urgent. The following shippin" extract from the Sydney Mail of August 6th will show how great ia the importance of the length, and especially the width, of the dock:—!' John Elder an i Co. (says an American paper) are about to buil<J a steamship 570 feet long and CO feet beam. Before "seven years we shall have vessels exceeding in size tho Great"Ecastern. In the inmiedi&te future we may look for shins about COO feet loni; and 80 feet beam, and we ought to have ships 800 to 1000 feet lonj within the next few yeara to go across the Atlantic." 11 larger steamships are required for the shori voyage of the Atlantic, it is also certain we shall likewise require them large for the long Auitralian and New Zealand voyage, a* population »ud freight keep annually increasing. We cannot, therefore, »fford to make so serious a mistake either in length or width of the now graving dock. The latt r (width) ii the more likely of the two, as the greater beam of the ocean ship the tendency will be to curtail the length owing to the greater capacity. A notable illustration eiveil by your ettJciont shipping reporter in your is>ue of August 3th is in point-viz., the arrival ™d<lesc"ution of tho bhip Pizarro-dnnensloijs, length, 253 ft; beam, 36ft 3in-rather more than one-sixth of he* leiiKth in breadth. Now if we apply this proportion (the Divine proportion of Noah's Ark for carrying and safety of flotation) to a modern Australian liner of 600't lone the proportion would be 100 ft beam, and this is the typo of the future ocean stoamship, which the most advanced builders on the Clyde believe and affirm The symmetry of the ship with so great a beam as described by your reporter i», " to say that the Pizarro is a handsome vessel U only paying her a bare compliment her lines are moat perfect; ehe possesses a clipper entrance, a clear run aft, and a fast sailer. In view of the supreme importance of bavin; a flr»t-clasß graving dock for Otago Harbour for tha ocean steamship 3of the future, and for the sake at ventilating the subject, mi^ht 1 surest to your shipping reporter to give tho dimensions of all large Bhips arriving in harbour.—l am, ie, August 18th.