▁work ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁vessels ▁per ▁year . ▁▁ ▁The ▁naval ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁was ▁put ▁out ▁of ▁use ▁until ▁ ▁dock ed ▁there ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁Now ▁over ▁a ▁century ▁old , ▁the ▁dock ▁is ▁used ▁regularly ▁to ▁service ▁H MC ▁ships ▁and ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Fle et ▁Main ten ance ▁Fac ility . ▁ ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁D ock yard ▁Cl os ure ▁Es qu im alt ▁was ▁vac ated ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁at ▁sun set ▁on ▁ 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 5 . ▁The ▁Canadian ▁Department ▁of ▁Marine ▁and ▁Fish eries ▁took ▁over ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁shore ▁establishment ▁and ▁the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁enfor cing ▁control ▁of ▁Canada ' s ▁mar itime ▁interests ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁after ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁left . ▁ ▁After ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁Service ▁Act ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁Canadian ▁Naval ▁Service ▁( C NS ) ▁that ▁controlled ▁the ▁base ▁and ▁the ▁C NS ▁became ▁the ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Navy ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 . ▁ ▁Es qu im alt ▁Gra ving ▁D ock ▁Although ▁the ▁original ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁was ▁large ▁enough ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁the ▁largest ▁ships ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Pacific ▁fleet ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁construction , ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁larger ▁ships ▁were ▁rout in ely ▁being ▁built . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Canada ▁built ▁a ▁larger ▁gra ving ▁dock ▁