The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-09
A Monitor Launched.
THE ANPHITRITE GIIDEs INTO THE WATER
AT WILMINGTON.


AT WILMINGTON.
philadelphia Press 7thl
The monitor Amphitrite was launched
Yesterday afternoon amid considerable po-
litical fcidt at the ship-yard OF Harlan &
Holingswolth, at Wilmington, Del. a
great crowd OF persons was present
Everything passed off smoothly, and the
huge marine Jumbo glided from the stocks
rs easily and noiselessly as if it had been a
thing OF life instead Of a dead, stumpy,
awkward-lOoking mass Of iron.
The gates OF the yard were thrown open
shortly after noon, and crowds OF the town
folks began to pour in. The two gang
ways leading TO the deck OF the Amphitrite
were guarded by special officers and no
one allowed to 20 thereon. Senator llaw-
ley and Secretary Chandler and party
viewed the launch from the forward-deck
OF the Italian briganline san JacintO. lying
in the dock only few feet from the stocks.
At o'clock the word was given to cham
mer away" and a hundred brawny Ia
borerS began TO knock down the
side-propS Of timber. As one after another
of the supports was tOppled over and
tossed away the huge monitor stood out
against the clear sky in bold relief. One
gangway was taken away, and over the
other mounted Captain Benson, the super
intendent OF the yard, and his daughter
Nellie, pretty girl Of seventeen, attired in
immaculate white muslin and carrying in
her hand bottle Of Mumm's Extra Dry.
The last gangw9y was lowered and the last
prop torn out. The crowd stood in breath
less suspense. Captain Benson raised his
hand. The workmen removed the slender
tmberS which alone held the vessel IN
place. There was loud shout OF There
She goes" Miss Nellie broke the bottle
Of champagne against the bow. and
the Amphitritc glided down the
ways and into the muddy water OF
Christiana creek rs serenely as If she had
gone through the same performance upon
a dozen previous occasions. Secretary
Chandler waved his umbrella and Senator
Hawley shook his red silk handkerchief.
TAYLOR Cause smiled rs he saw how lightly
.he much-abu,cd monitor rested upon the
bosom Of the water. and remarked that only
ridiculous rage could have prompted any
body TO rail against her sea-gOng qualities
or her usefulness as an armament OF war.
Secretary Chandler and the other guests
were driven TO the Clayton House IN
coupes, where was prepared banquet OF
modest but lONlal proportions.
The Amphitrite was begun in 1870, and
is one Of the four monitors ordered to be
/ constructed by eX-Secretary Robson. The
other monitors are the MOnadnOck, the PG-
ritan, and the Terror The Amphitrlte
was completed, so far as concerns her hull.
over six years ago. BY the terms OF the
| original contract il was agreed that con-
struction should proceed apace with the
congressional appropriations therefor.
/ The appropriations gave out, and were
not renewed. and in 1877 the con-
slructiOn was brought to standstlll.
| Congress. in 1882. during the last desperate
| davs Of the session, created Naval AdNl-
sory Board to inquire into the monitor con-
tracts and report thereupon. Their report
recommended the completion of the moni-
| tors, setting forth that this could be done
/ at a bv-nO-means cxhOrbitant cost. Lasl
wear another advisory board went over the
ground traversed by itS predecessor, and
rendered like report. Since that time the
work OF completing the Amphitrite has
/ been steadily pushed forward.
The vessel has length over all OF 1924
/ feet, with an extreme breadth Of jj3 feet ;
depth Of hold II feet. displacement 3,J1'
tons. thickness OF sidc-armOr : inches OF
| steel. thickness Of wOOd-banklng - inches,
internal diameter OF turTets, Of which
there are two. p feet; height Of same 9!
feet, thickness OF armor on turrets 10.
inches Of steel and inches Of iron. Tie
bottom is double, and divided into thirty
six water-dght compartments. There are
SIX boilers. II feet each in diameter. and
two pairs Of compound inclined directing.
/ engines, the diameter Of the screws being
II feet and the pitch 10 feet. The maximum
power Of the engines is 1000, and the guar
anteed speed twelve knots per hour. ON tho
deck are two layers OF iron seven eighth'
OF an inch thick. The storage capacity Is
for 800 tons Of coal. sufficient 10 last for d
fvc-day,' trip, which i estimated ut ! 1,,Sl
nautical miles. The six Sturteyant blow
erS. or ventilatols, have a capacity Of so,
600 cubic feet of air per minute. TIL,
armament will consist OF four ten-incl
breecl.loading steel rifles. two in each tur
ret. She will remain ut the dock at The
ward from which she was launched fOl
probably wear, which time will be neces
sary for the completion Of her annOr ant
equ;pments. The estimated cost OF com
pleting the vessel has been set down a
81 .OOS. AGO, OF which sum the armament
and carriages represent $4,000.