The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-12-03


The tune-worn and battle SCARED war
ships that have been kept afost for the
last twenty years have gradually dwindled
IN number, until ojir navy Of to day would
he, as far as ships are concerned. simply
helpless before any fourth-rute power with
whom complications may arise. The glO
rlous American clippers those flying
clouds uf the ocean some OF Whose
rams have never yet been equalled
even by the most expensive OF modern
steamships are known but as traditions
by the present generaton- 1t Is little to
he wondered az, therefore, that SO little
notice was taken Of the launch Of the
4tirHta. the new steam cruiser for our
navy. which took place at Chester, Penn,
lately. This vessel l. one Of series OF
steel ships to be built for cruising, Is sups
posed to embody the latest improvement
IN speed. hghtness, and general sea-golng
qualities. She Is Of the following dimen
.sions: Length, between perpesdiculars,
2TO feet: length on water line. 276 feet +:
length over all, 2S3 feet; depth from gar
board streak to underside Of upper struct
ure deck 81 feet; height Of main deck,
port sill from load water line. IL feet.
free board at eytremities Of superstruct
ure, 9 feet. extreme breadth, = feet;
mean draught at load, water line l6 feet
10 inches; displacement at water line,
5000 tons; area Of plain sall. lO,4o0 square
feet, complement Of men. 30: battery.
four Sinch and 6-inch breech loading
rihe; indicated horse power, $500; sea
speed, l3 knots; capacity Of coal-b bunk
ers, $50 tons
There vii be eight complete transverse
bulk heads extending MP to the main deck
Longitudinal bulk heads viii extend on
each side throughout the machinery space,
forming side eoal-bunkers, which afford
coal armOr eight feet IN thickness above
the water line and five feet below it. Her
coal viii enable her 10 steam $500 miles
at full speed, and $500 miles at the rate
Of ten knots an hour Her water tight
compartments are seventy three IN mum
Der. An inner water light bottom extends !
under the machinery spaces with twelve 1
water. tight cells. Her screw Is Of steel, /
and has four adjustable blades, with a |
mean pitch Of twenty feet.
Her armament VII be distribute as |
follows: Outside the forward port angle /
and the afterstarboard angle Of the super
structure an S-inch long rifed gun VIII be
mounted on a barbette about three feet
high, built Of inch steel plates. The
forward gun has a train from forty de
grees abaft the beam on the port side,
sweeping the whole deck forward 10 thirty
degrees abaft the beam on the starboard
side; the after gun viii have the same
range.
Within the superstructures VIII be SIX
6inch breech loading rifles SwO on each
bruadside, with a train Of sixty degrees
before and abaft the beam; one, forward
in the starboard angle on the supSstruCt-
ure, may fight either through . forward
u- a broadside port. giving total sweep
Of twenty degrees across the bow to sixty
degrees abaft the beam I'll. last gun Is
mounted the same on the port side aft.
The laaata, as she lay on the way, pre-
sented a fine appearance, towering above
the machines shops Of the shIp-yard, the
iron superstructure above her gun-deck,
the turTets on the forward and after decks.
and the round Hotchkiss gun towers on
either side being novel features to AHsri-
can eyes.
Shortly after p III. hundred work
men with sledge hammers began simulte-
neously 70 drive in the wedges and knock
away the shores Scores Of visitors
,hrunged her decks and peered cuuQusly !
from her ports, while thousands below
watched proceedings from the docks,
yards and hOusetops- The steamer >a.grl.
he huh Of the new monitor P,r-1,r7, and
.he dispatch boat DgipfiE lay near Is the
signal for the launch was given.
Two men with saws were stationed on
zach side the cradle 4 few strokes from
heir instruments, and with the parting Of
he last piece Of wood she promptly began
% move. Tie motion was slow at first,
md noiseless, like a boys sled coasting
iown hill, then faster and faster, until the
water was reached, and huge mass Of 4
-oaring white water was piled up 10 her
al under the stern. Then the horn like Z
am at the bow sank gracefully under the =
water, and rose sgain. and the great ship
rave two or three mighty rolls. 4 bottle
4 wine was dashed sgainst the bow, and
an sparkling down the side The ships
lew their whistles and salged, and the
rUwd cheered again and sgain as the
-essel glided out into mid-stream-
The 1g1ltl VIII soon be brought 10 New 7
FORK. where her machinery viii be com
'lsted and hsr batteries placed on board f.,
-EH-r.r's Weekly