The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-02
The war-snip Maine.

The War-Ship Maine.
In naming the six-thousand ton cruiser
which is TO be one of the two heavily armored,
modern war vessels of our navy, the Maine,
the Navy Department has paid long de-
ferred compliment TO the State that has pre-
eminent claims TO the honor of naming a
man-of-war Our navy has had Tennessee,
Nevada, an Ohio, Michigan, but never a
one named after the State that has sent keels
to ride on every sea, and whose coasts have
been nurseries for the United States navy
since the foundation of the government
There has been at least one man-of-war
named for each of the other New England
States. At the first of this century there
was the Connecticut, then old, sailing ves-
sci of 492 tons and carrying "A guns The
old Connecticut was sold in 1901, and not for
sixty years did another war vessel receive
the name. In 1861, paddle wheel steamer
Of 1900 tons and five guns was built for SER
vice against the Confederates, and named
connecticut. She was sold in 1866. The
name OF Rhode Island was given to another
paddle wheel steamer of 1917 tons and seven
guns, bought for service in the war. After
Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hamp-
DhAAOf ahOiC lulpOLAdub ftoS6lo were udUltu.
In 1S4S small war steamer of 765 tons wac
built and named the Massachusetts, Dutlater
much larger vessel, the Passaconaway, a
steam vessel Of 2107 tons and forty guns,
was re-christened the Massachusetts. The
old Vermont built in 1S4S and used as re-
ceiving ship as late as 1874, was large sail
ing vessel of 1888 tons and carr, ing sixteen
guns New Hampshire obtained her man-of-
war second hand. In 1918 large man-of-
war was built and called the Alabama. She
carried fifteen guns. During the war,
either to distinguish her from the famous
Confederate cruiser Alabama, or to give the
name Of loyal State, the name of the old
Alabama was changed to New Hampshire
1t has been quite common to give to war yes
sells the names of cities, towns or rivers and
New England names have been used quite
literally. The Hartford, Admiral Farragut's
flag ship, is one of the famous naval vessels
of the world. There was Merrimack from
1798 to 1901, a man-of-war Of twenty-four
guns: but the famous Merrimack, of 1900
tons and 40 guns was not built until 1856.
She was captured az Norfolk by the Confed-
crates, and, armored with railroad iron and
re-christened the Virginia, fought the mem
orable naval duel with the Monitor in Hamp-
ton Roads. There was still another Merri-
mack, built in 1868, a small paddle wheel boat
of 6S4 tons and six guns. She foundered in
1862. Boston has been a favorite name in
our navy. In 1889 sailing war ship of IS
guns bore the name until burned in 1914
Another Boston, carrying eighteen guns, was
built in 1926, but was lost in the West Indies
in 1S46. The last Boston, the new steel
cruiser of 5000 tons, sister ship to the Allan
ia, is one of the finest vessels of our new
navy, and will it is to be hoped. enjoy more
fortunate career than the other Bostons.
There have been two Portsmouths, one of
twenty-four guns, an old sailing cruiser,
built in 1898 and sold in 1901 the other
sailing vessel of fourteen guns, built in 1S43
and turned into receiving ship in 1874.
Maine names have also found their way
on to the sterns of our war ships, though it is
probable that in some instances the sugges-
lions did not come from Maine. The famous
Cumberland, sunk by the Merrimack in
Hampton Roads, and the Augusta, four
teen-gun sailing cruiser bought in 1899 and
sold in 1901, bore names familiar in Maine,
though probably the county and city did not
GhSSCot buCu1. out DdLlco uuQu6S-
tionably were those given to fleet of small
vessels used during the civil war, the East
port Katahdin, Kennebec, Penobscot and
Saco. There was also Casco, small iron
clad of GA tons and two guns, built in 1864.
She was renamed the Hero in 1874 and
broken up the next year. Indeed but for the
proneness of the Navy Department to change
good names for poor ones, names familiar to
the people of Maine would have distinguished
some of the proudest American men-of-war
There was an Agamenticus the name of Old
York. an ironclad Of 1886 tons and four guns
but they changed her name to the common
place Terror; there was Piscataqua, a
large screw-vessel of 2490 tons and twenty
one guns, built in 1864, which soon became
the Delaware; and there was Madawasca,
great ship of 2S40 tons, twenty-three guns,
and symmetry of hull and spars that greatly
delighted the people of Portland when, as the
Tennessee, she brought Admiral Luce to our
Centennial. But the vessel to which the
name Of Maine has been given, will be more
than twice as large as the Tennessee and
capable Of knocking out in short order the
best men-of-war yet constructed in this
country, not excepting the crack cruisers
Boston, Chicago and Atlanta. The Maine is
one Of the two 60O0-ton ships which will be
the only armored battle ships of modern
design in the navy. The Boston and Atlanta
are Of only 5000 tons displacement and the
Chicago only 45o0. The largest guns carried
by any one Of these vessels will be the eight
inch guns of the Chicago; but the Maine
and her sister ship will carry one Of them,
four ten-ineh and six six-inch guns; the
other two twelve-inch and six six-inch guns.
Each of them Is expected to have speed of
sixteen knots. high rate for a heavily
armored man-of-war. There will be nothing
second class about the war-ship Maine, and
in this respect she will be just like the State
Of Maine.
NJ CyapdalI and the High SchooI