The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-06-23
CONCERNING THE DOLPHIN.
The Examining Board Reports that
She Is Bad Ship.

UnseawDrthy and Not Up to the
Speed R.Quirement-.The Govern.
meDt Not SOuRd to Accept Her.
John ROach's Mistake.
WASHINGTON, June l6 The BoarC
which examined the Dolphin for Secre
tary Wuitnev handed him its report lhi'
morning. Capt. Belknap, Commande
Evans, and MIR Herman Winters do no
desire another trial trim to satisfy then
that the ship is had. Not one of then
believes her 10 be seaworthv. Even OF
her first trial trip, in The smooth waters
OF Long Island Sound, she demonstra.
ted her structural weakness. The repor,
will be unpleasant reading 10th for Mr
John Roach and the members Of the
Advisory Board, for the responsibility
for the failure OF this "pioneer vessel oil
our new navy" is divided one. The
plans we're few, and they were executed
IN an unwoIkmanlke way. Tae Advi.
sorry Board designed ship for speed
and even as yacht she only looks fast
N " that her log is finally reckoned, i,
turns out that she did not make the re.
quired fifteen knots even in the alleged
successful third trial trip on the Sound
while, in order to meet the fifteen-kno,
sea speed required by the law, she should
have run seventeen or eighteen knots in
smooth water.
The design OF the ship considered as
despatch boat, is absurd She cannot
make speed, and she cannot defend her.
self. The only use for gun on such o
ship Is for fore and at FIRE, and vet her
6-inch gun can shoot in neither Of these
directions. She cannot fire ct vessel
which she may he pursuing, nor at one
from which she may be flying. In order
to do either she would be Obliged to send
ber ball through the small hamlet OF
houses that has been built on her deck.
One of these houses is called "Social
Hail." and this sufficiently indicates tue
use-to which it was intended to put the
Dolphin. The Board recommends its
demolition.
The report shows how faulty the con-
stfuction is bv pointing ou. that there are
no band braces in the vessel, and no sup.
port whatever for her engines. On
the first trial trip OF the series insti.
tuted by Mr.. Whitney, as the report
points out. ballast in her bow caused the
pinchiDg and heating o, her forward
crank pin, and on the next trial ten tons
additional in her stern caused like dis
aster to her after crank-pin. In other
words, the vessel is go badly construct
ed that slight addition to her load. or
slight shifting OF ii, throws her ma
chinery out of line. The absence OF
proper braces. due to faulty designing,
causes her to vlbra'e and her machinery
deck to shake in such q way as to raise
grave doubts as to her safety as a sea-
going vessel.
In the recent trial trips the Dolphin
has done her very best She has heen
driven at her utmost speed by the hest
engineers, some of them acting as sto.
kers, who could be had. She has not
once come up to the terms OF the con-
tract. The report also points out that
the contract violstes the law which re-
quires fifteen knots sea speed, and it is
the opinion OF the Board that the Gov
ernment Is not bound to accept the ves-
sci, even II tae contract l. complied
with. on the ground that the Govern
ment cannot be bound by the illegal acts
of it's subordinates The report is sad
story OF an inefficient Adv;s nv Board
and OF cunning shiphuilder who was q
week too late in asking for the accept
ance Of bis vessel. II Mr. Roach had
been q week earlier, Mr.. Chandler could
have tied TO the wharf Of the Brooklyn
Navy Yard a grsceful addition to the
useless hulks OF our navy