Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-06-18

UNITED STATES DESPATCH BOAT DOLPHIN.
1t is expected confidently, at least Mr..
Roach expects that the Dolphin will go
quite seventeen knots when she is fully linn
oered up. Moreover, there is not at present
vessel in the United States navy which
san travel seventeen knots an hour. So
much the worse for tho navy, but it is
TACT
The newspapers that slrr tho slowness Of
the Dolphin quite overlook one point. 10
get speed in q steamship, there must be
high rate of power in her engines. The
contract for the Dolphin's engines only
called for z, 300 horse power. She had to be
built according to the specifications. If
the government had wanted faster boat,
it should have ordered more powerful en-
gines
This same point is to be observed In the
construction Of the new twin steel cruisers
the Boston and the Atlanta, now receiving
their machinery.
There is not at present in the United States
navy double-screw steamer, except the In
trepid, and that is not either not as vet.
She is an old torpedo boat that is being re-
fitted with O twin screw in the BROOKLYN
navy yard. There are four new naval yes
sells now nearly complete, the Dolphin, the
Boston and Atlanta, and the Chicago. OF
the four the Chicago is the largest. She will
ba double-screw steel cruiser Of 4, 500 tons
Moreover, If we have luck, in few years
more we may have yet other steel cruisers to
tackle up our poor, shabby navy. Last
winter an act was passed requesting that
rlans be handed in for the construction Of
y,t other war vessels. Two Of these are to
DC 6olbie-screw steamers of large size-over
1000 tons. Anybody may submit plans and
compete for the contract. Some govern
ment naval officers themselves are amons
those evolving models from the depths OF
their consciousness.
A striking. story of this governments
knowledge of military arms and weapons is
toldin connection with the Hotchkiss re-
volvihg gun. Hotchkiss, the inventor, was
an American, a Connecticut man. He had
labored over this cannon, spent his best
force and means in inventing it. At last he
thought his dream Of a perfect gun was
realized. He secured his patent and laid the
invention before the United States govern
ment asking them to take hold Of 1t.
Here was his cannon, the best thing in guns
ever made. Take it, said he to his country.
Pay me for my time and labor, and the in
vention is yours, in all time to come. He
labored with the experts, the chief cooks
and bottle washers, and tho grand gold
sticks, weeks and months. He labored in
vain. The chief cooks and bottle washers
and the grand gold sticks had not clean
mother ''gumptionn enough to know
grand mt ehanical invention when they saw
It. They refused to take the splendid
Hotchkiss gun. In disgust then the
inventor sped over sea to France
French military officers knew good
thing when they had it. Tho almost dis
couraged man received from the French
government every guarantee necessary 10
proceed with this making Of the Hotchkiss
gun. He obtained capital to erect great
factory in France. England bought bis can
non, and France and all the other civilized
nations across the water, as fast as he could
turn them out. When the Russian coryette
Strelok was In port at New York The chief
objects Of exhibition on board, thu sereat
gum Of the show, 50 to speak, were three
magnificent cannon, which the Russian