▁based ▁in ▁Val para í so . ▁The ▁emphas is ▁of ▁the ▁station ▁started ▁sh ifting ▁more ▁to ▁British ▁Columbia ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ' s ▁economic ▁interests ▁shift ed ▁north ward . ▁ ▁The ▁move ▁also ▁allowed ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁to ▁avoid ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁Ch in cha ▁Islands ▁War ▁( 1 8 6 4 – 1 8 6 6 ) ▁between ▁Spain , ▁Chile , ▁and ▁Peru . ▁ ▁First ▁Gra ving ▁D ock ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁any ▁n avy ▁vessel ▁in ▁need ▁of ▁h ull ▁repair ▁at ▁Es qu im alt ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁taken ▁to ▁ship y ards ▁in ▁Seattle , ▁Washington ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁To ▁remove ▁the ▁dependence ▁on ▁American ▁ship y ards ▁a ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁was ▁constructed ▁at ▁Es qu im alt ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁The ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁was ▁commission ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁having ▁cost ▁$ 1 , 1 7 7 , 6 6 4 ▁to ▁build . ▁▁ ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁vessel ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁new ▁dry d ock ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁July ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁its ▁first ▁seven ▁years ▁of ▁use ▁the ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁serv iced ▁ 2 4 ▁merchant ▁ships ▁and ▁ 7 0 ▁n avy ▁ships . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁through ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁the ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁aver aged