repair ship

A ship equipped with a mechanical plant for the quick repair of warships on the spot without having to go to a navy yard. It carries every po ible mechanical contrivance used in naval engineering, together with skilled machinists, boilermakers, etc. "The repair-ship Vulcan, the first experiment of this kind ever tried by the United States navy, was a most serviceable adjunct to Admiral Sampson's fleet while in Cuban waters, making it unnece ary that an injured ve el should make the long journey to Key West."- New York Journal, Oct. 23, 1898.