In the joiners' shops, illustrated by two engravings on Plate XLVII., adjoining this page, there is a complete equipment of wood-working machines for sawing, turning, planing, moulding, sand-papering, mortising, boring, tenoning, dovetailing, dowelling and joining. These are electrically driven, and are grouped at three places in the length of the shop on each floor, with benches around them, so that the joiners do not require to carry their jobs any distance in order to have them machined. There is also in use in connection with the department a portable electric circular saw, which is specially useful for carpenters and joiners, etc., on board the ship in the dock. An electric deck-planer, of the lawnmower form, has proved serviceable in reducing enormously the most laborious task experienced by carpenters and joiners.
There are two large smithies convenient to the shipbuilding berths, and in both cases the finishing department adjoins. In one case there are fifty-four fires and eight hammers; in the other, forty fires, with five hammers, ranging up to 15 cwt. The fires are operated by mechanical blowers, and the smoke and waste gases are carried off by overhead ventilating pipes. Extensive work is carried out by the smiths. Die-stamping is largely adopted in connection with the making of eye-plates, cleats, stanchions, clips, etc. In each finishing shop there are band saws, radial and other drills, screwing machines, and grindstones. Smiths' stores are arranged above the finishing shops.
The plumbers' shop is fitted with a special machine for bending pipes when cold, as well as screwing and tapping machines, drills, saws, grinders, and fires.
The sheet-iron department is equally well equipped, having straightening rolls, shearing, punching, chipping, drilling, and other tools, with various hammers; and here work is done in connection with ventilating and other light ironwork.
In view of the warship contracts undertaken, the mechanics' shop, for work peculiar to the ship as distinct from the propeller machinery, etc., is extensive. The four lathes here range up to 27 ft. in length over all, with a 14-in. headstock and a 22-ft. bed. There is a useful shaping machine, a fair-sized planer, and several drills, all adequate for the work required, which is remarkable more, perhaps, for its great variety than for size.