U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE, ANNAPOLIS, MD. THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR DEPARTMENT By LIEUTENANT R. R. CLARKE (C. C.), U. S. Navy The desirability of maintaining a record of the more important work undertaken by the mechanics of the deck force on one of the armored cruisers of the Pacific fleet led to experimental work along the lines described below during the years of 1916 and 1917. While the record has doubtless since been discontinued due to the inevitable changes in officer personnel and to the fact that regulations do not require keeping such records, the desirability of such a record aboard ship is so evident that the following description of the system is given as a means of directing attention to an important matter deserving of more consideration than it receives aboard the average naval vessel. A record of work of this, or a similar nature, will obviously be of no practical value when carried over a period of several years, unless the information is carefully tabulated and filed so that data desired can be readily located with a minimum expenditure of time, and it well may be that the failure to keep such records heretofore is partly caused by a realization of the hopelessness of finding desired information in the usual form of record. Incidental to the record of work it is also desirable to systematize the work of the mechanics engaged, so that their time may be employed on productive work to the greatest possible extent, both through using the proper man on each job, and through having material available at the proper time. Such results can be more readily obtained when a considerable list of work is always available for allotment to the individual mechanics, paying due consideration to the varying degree of skill and the general dependability of each. It is unnecessary and undesirable to record in a permanent file the majority of the work undertaken, since much of it has no particular interest or value after being completed. Some form of recording all current work is desirable, however, and the "Work 66 Books" used on many ships answer this purpose in an admirable manner. Loose individual job orders on a cruising vessel are open to many objections, not the least of which is the facility with which they may be mislaid or lost if sent to the shops. On the ship in question two work books were maintained, one for the carpenter's shop and one for the paint shop, in which all items of work were entered as their necessity became manifest. Items of work were entered in these books without particular reference to their urgency but with the date when entered preceding each item and a statement of the urgency of the item following, such as urgent," "immediate," "when convenient," "prior to next coaling," etc. All items of work were entered on the left-hand pages of the open book leaving the right-hand pages blank for entries as to date of commencing work, date of completion, material used, and the name of the mechanic who performed the work. In general a list of material used was not required, but if a list was desired notation was made to this effect in entering the item of work. During working hours the books were in their respective shops but were returned to the chief carpenter's stateroom about 4.30 p. m. each day and were accompanied by any requests for material desired in connection with the work to be undertaken the following day. The work books remained in the chief carpenter's room overnight and went to the shops before working hours with any additional items of work entered and with signed chits for the material which had been requested. The items of work to be entered in the work books were derived from various sources, numerous items being received from the first lieutenant's office in the form of memo lists of items reported in the weekly hull inspections, items noted on special inspections, etc. Items of work involving the use of a considerable amount of material were covered by regular job orders on S. & A. Form No. 316 under Titles "D," "K," or "P" as appropriate, but such job orders when received were entered in the work books the same as other items and the job order retained by the chief carpenter until it could be reported completed. The majority of expenditures under these titles were made against regular standing job orders issued each quarter and each covering certain specific work, such as, D-27. Charge to this number the cost of all material used in repairs to linoleum during the second quarter of 1916. P-30. Charge to this number the cost of all material used in repairs to boats during the second quarter of 1916. so that the only use made of the ordinary standing job order was in connection with the charging of material drawn out of store, to the appropriate job order number. The chief carpenter's mate and the head painter were each responsible for distribution of work in their respective shops and for having the proper entries made on the right hand pages of the work books as jobs were undertaken and completed, however many of the entries were made by the men actually doing the work, after they became familiar with the requirements of the system. Especial effort was made to have these work books of interest and help to the mechanics by giving all possible information relative to special drills scheduled for the day, commending any work exceptionally well done, pasting in clippings or copying data relative to tap drill sizes, machine and wood screw sizes, pipe threads, etc., or any other items of interest that might facilitate their work. It was found to be very convenient to leave a number of pages blank in commencing a new book so that standing orders, special details, general instructions, etc., could be entered therein from time to time as occasion arose. Various sizes of work books were used, a book about 8" x 10" with 150 to 200 pages is convenient, but in general too large a book is objectionable as it is subject to hard wear and should not fall apart before it has been filled. The successful accomplishment of work requires co-operation between all concerned and an iron clad adherence to any system. worthy of adoption is likely to meet with disaster unless discretion is used, especially is this true in any endeavor to establish definite times for the obtaining of material. The obtaining of material in advance is usually a matter of growth with even the best mechanics and is never fully acquired by some. It is of greatest importance therefore that chits for material should always be forthcoming at any time, encouraging the requesting of material at stated times but not insisting upon it. A mechanic should not be given the slightest excuse for feeling it might be better to loaf for an hour or two in order that an irregular request for material need not be made, as the officer who shows a disposition to hold his men to so-called " efficiency methods " for his own convenience is soon correctly tabulated by them and imitated in ways not calculated to increase efficiency. Likewise it is desirable that when occasions arise, as they frequently do aboard ship, which require that certain work be undertaken at once instead of in the routine way, the inconvenience of making a special trip to the shop for the purpose of writing the necessary order in the work book is well worth while in the effect it has toward establishing system. As the work books described above contain all items of work undertaken by the mechanics and painters of the Construction and Repair Department of the ship with the dates of commencing and completing each item, the selection of those items which are to be permanently recorded is a simple matter and the actual recording can be undertaken at intervals as may be found most convenient. The permanent record in the case under consideration was contained in a card file of standard 5" x 8" cards with the necessary guides to insure ready access to any compartment or other subdivision of the file. This size of card was adopted on account of its being a convenient size for use in a typewriter, the desirability of having the permanent record typewritten being selfevident. The guide cards used were cut and some of the actual guide card headings are listed as follows to suggest the arrangement of the file: "A" compartments, i to 99. Auxiliary C. & R. machinery. Watertight doors and hatches. Fire main. ય Flushing main. Data for requisitions. Drydockings and draft records. (Titles "D," "K,” and “P.”) Although not strictly required as a part of the record, descriptive cards were prepared in conjunction with the various subdivisions of the record, one of these cards was prepared for each water-tight compartment similar to that illustrated for compartment A-3 by Card No. 1. These descriptive cards were standard weight cards 5" x 8" but the record cards were of lighter stock cut from heavy durable paper and used on account of the greater facility with which they could be inserted in a typewriter. The data on the descriptive cards was compiled with a view to its probable utility, in the case of "Boats" it contained the type, length, date and condition when received, hull number, engine number, etc., in the case of staterooms a list of the furniture and other equipment was given for each, and under the other headings such data were given as experience indicated would be of frequent value, A-3. DRY PROVISIONS DESCRIPTIVE CARD U.S. S...... Hold compartment between frames 11-16 on the starboard side from outer plating to upper platform deck. Entrance is through a water-tight hatch in the upper platform deck at the bottom of A-23 (Access Trunk). Compartment A-4 corresponds on the port side of the ship. Compartment is drained through the secondary drain. The valve is in the after inboard corner of the compartment, is a 3-inch stop, check, and can be operated on the berth deck between frames 15-16 on the starboard side near the centerline. Sounding tube socket for the compartment is on the berth deck between frames 13-14 on the starboard side near the centerline. It is ventilated from Supply Blower No. 3. in the C. P. O. quarters. An automatic ball float valve protects the outlet in A-3 and a butterfly valve at the upper platform deck can be operated from the bottom of A-23. An 8-inch butterfly valve just above the protective deck can be operated on the berth deck between frames 14-15 on the starboard side near the centerline, this valve also cuts off ventilation from A-22 just above A-3. The supply pipe for A-3 is 41⁄2 inches in diameter where it enters the compartment. Painted area in the bilge below the floor boards is about 400 square feet and is painted with red lead paint. Painted area above the floor boards is about 980 square feet and is painted with inside white paint over red lead. CARD No. 1. (Standard weight.) Card No. 2 illustrates record data for compartment A-3 and in the actual file followed next after Card No. 1, being for the same compartment. After filling the first record card a new one. with the same heading marked (continued) would be commenced for the same compartment, making a continuous record for that compartment all filed together and readily accessible at any time without a necessity for extended search to locate information desired. It is of course important that only such data be recorded as might be expected to be of future interest, otherwise a bulky file results with attendant difficulty and loss of time in locating t 1 |