Page:1902 Encyclopædia Britannica - Volume 27 - CHI-ELD.pdf/539

 British] DOCKYARDS 495 small craft, will also be provided. The site of the exten- stores are established close to the principal dockyards and sion will be formed by reclamation, and the additional within easy access by rail or water. At foreign stations area thus formed, including the basin, will equal 34] Malta has a hospital and victualling yard, Gibraltar acres. The present yard will thus be increased from 4f has a hospital, and the other chief naval stations in acres to 39-£ acres in area, and the extension will mark different parts of the world have a shore establishment an important stage in the development of the accommoda- on a scale adapted to meet their probable requirements. tion required to meet the necessities of the fleet in the The chief features in the extensions of H.M. East. The existing establishment at Kowloon will be dockyards carried out between 1880 and 1901 h0"^ary augmented by the construction of coaling jetties, &c. under the ordinary navy votes, and not already navy votes. referred to, may now be briefly described. (c) Naval Barracks, Hospitals, dec. Portsmouth.—The extension works at this dockyard, The works in progress under this heading are in- described in the ninth edition article Dockyards, and cluded in the following general remarks on the shore completed prior to 1880, formed an important stage in the establishments of the navy, which include barracks for the history of this station, and, together with the works at seamen, royal marines, and royal marine artillery, training Chatham carried on at about the same period, marked an schools, hospitals, and victualling stores. The policy in epoch of advancement in H.M. yards, following as they did recent years with regard to naval barracks has been to the transformation which had already taken place in naval * provide buildings on shore in place of berthing the men construction in the substitution of iron for timber and of in hulks moored alongside the dockyards; and in pursu- steam in lieu of sail propulsion. This extension, commenced ance of this policy naval barracks have been provided, or in 1867, was designed to meet the naval requirements of are under construction, in the vicinity of the three great the day, and no works of equal magnitude have since been dockyards—Portsmouth, Devonport, and Chatham. At carried out at this port. The developments of naval Portsmouth new barracks on the site of the old Anglesey architecture and the increasing length of modern cruisers barracks have been commenced, and when completed will necessitated, however, additional dry dock accommodation, provide quarters for 4609 officers and men. At Devon- and in 1896 Docks Nos. 14 and 15 were completed, having port, as before described, the naval barracks adjacent to a floor length of 557 feet, with 33 ft. 10 in. over the the extension works at Keyham were erected to accommo- sill at high-water springs. These were the longest docks date 1000 officers and men, and the buildings are now in the service, with the exception of a double dock at being extended so that the numbers may be increased Portsmouth. Other important works carried out since to 2313 officers and men. At Chatham the site of the the completion of the extension may be summarized as old convict prison is being utilized for constructing follows :—The renewal and extension of the jetties on the quarters for 3731 officers and men. The royal marines west front, and, in late years, the construction of jetties have barracks at Forton, near Gosport; at Stonehouse, near at the entrance to the tidal basin and at the north wall; Plymouth; and at Chatham, with a depot at Walmer a torpedo range in the harbour; the establishment of a recently enlarged. The barracks and training establish- coaling wharf at coaling-point, with hydraulic appliances; ment of the royal marine artillery are at Eastney, near the widening of the entrance between Basins 4 and 5; Portsmouth, and provide accommodation for 1800 officers the erection of various buildings, such as torpedo and and men. The above-mentioned buildings include all gun-mounting stores, electrical shops, and the like, with necessary accessories, such as canteens, drill sheds, sick numerous subsidiary works of more or less importance. quarters, and the various buildings required for the accom- Extensive dredging of the harbour is in progress for modation and training of seamen and marines. The the purpose of increasing the berthing accommodation for training schools on shore include the gunnery establish- the fleet. ment at Whale Island in Portsmouth harbour, where an Chatham dockyard covers an area of 516 acres, including area of 73 acres has been formed by the deposit of ex- the extension works described in the ninth edition article cavated material from the dockyard extension works, and on Dockyards and completed prior to 1880. No works a gunnery school, provided for 1100 officers and men, with of equal magnitude or importance have been carried out parade ground, gun drill battery, sick quarters, rifle since that date at this yard, but among the principal range, &c. The establishment is about to be enlarged to additions or improvements which have been made from accommodate an additional number of officers and men time to time may be mentioned extensive dredging operaunder instruction. At Dartmouth H.M.S. Britannia tions in the Medway for the deepening of the navigable has hitherto been used as the training school for naval channel and approach to the basins and docks, the procadets, but a new naval college is now being erected on vision of a 160-ton crane, the lengthening of Dock No. 5, the high ground overlooking the site where the Britannia and the erection of various yard buildings. Additional is moored. Greenwich Hospital, formerly appropriated dry dock accommodation is provided for under the Naval to naval pensioners, is now used as a college for the Works Act. instruction of naval officers in the more advanced branches Pembroke dockyard has an area of some 79 acres, and of their profession, while at Keyham there is a college for is furnished with one dry dock 387 ft. 8 in. in length on engineer students. The largest naval hospital and medical blocks, numerous building slips of various lengths, and school is at Haslar, near Gosport, covering an area of the usual shops, stores, and other dockyard buildings. 88 acres, with beds for 1084 patients. Stonehouse Naval The Carr Rocks jetty now under construction will form, Hospital has 700 beds for the use of seamen and marines when completed, a valuable addition to the resources of of the Devonport district. At Chatham the existing the yard in the fitting out and completion of vessels. hospital accommodates nearly 250 patients, and a new Haulbowline dockyard was practically completed about hospital for 600 beds is under construction. Hospitals or the year 1889, and covers an area of 33 acres, while the sick quarters are also provided at Great Yarmouth, Dart- adjoining victualling yard of 22 acres makes the total mouth, Haulbowline, Portland, and South Queensferry. area of this naval station 55 acres. The yard includes a The chief victualling establishments are Deptford for the closed basin of 9 acres in extent, with entrance from Thames, Chatham, and Sheerness; the Clarence Yard at Queenstown harbour,, and with 32 ft. 8 in. over the sill Portsmouth; and the Royal William Victualling Yard at high-water springs. A dry dock at the south end at Plymouth and Haulbowline. Magazines for warlike of the basin has a length of 408 feet on blocks, and is