The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-08
A FOREIGN MAN-oF-WAR.
Austrian Gun Boat Saida to Visit
Portland.
A Description Of the Craft to Arrive
Here Tonight.

Sometime tonight the Austrian man-of-war
Saida will probably arrive at this port from
Boston. She will leave Boston this after
noon, being under sailing orders for home.
The Saida is an armored ship of 245O tons,
built In somewhat antique style. She is a
Iull rugged screw steamship. She carries
eleven breech loading rifle guns. casting rs
pound conical shell. Ten of the guns are in
position at the port holes on the gun deck,
five on either side. The batteries may be
exploded by an electric spark. operated eth
er on the upper or the gun deck, thus render
ing the firing off of a broadside absolutely
instantaneous and saving great deal of
time and labor. The eleventh gun, long
range breech loader, is fixed at the bow, and
Is made to revolve on pivot. At the stern
she carries a mischievous looking little
mitrailleuse, that at close quarters could
pour shot upon the enemy's deck. She has
also small cannon at the bow, that can be
made to work on either side of the ship, or
in an emergency can be taken ashore on
gun carriage. Along the sides of the slip on
the gun deck the breech loading rifles and
Droadswords are kept. On the upper deck
two immense electric search lights stand
ready to cast their brilliancy over the waters
and dispel the darkness of the night.
The Saida is not provided witch the iron
turret. to serve as lookout for the captain,
such as we find on some modern ships. This
we consider no great deficiency, for we have
been assured by distinguished Commodore
of our own navy that it is unnecessary and
altogether impracticable in an engagement.
Neither has she wheel house. Everything
on board is kept neat and clean, and there
is evidence Of great activity among the men.
Smoking is only allowed to the sailors at
stated times and in certain places.
The sailors and cadets sleep in hammocks
on the gun an berth decks. During the day
the hammocks, as on most war ships, are
stored away in an opening on the bulwarks
of the ship and covered with a tarpaulin.
The officers and commander have their quar-
tiers on different decks at the stern. The
mess room of the officers is in the cabin in
the open space between their rooms. The
cadets have their mess room forward of that
of the officers on the side of the ship. The
Saida possesses complement of three hum
dred and twenty men in all, including the
cadets. In Austria the duty of military SER
VICE Huot pc luiulleu personally Dy every
citizen capable of bearing arms. In the navy
the period of service Is for ten years, of
which three years are active and seven years
reserve service. The CONSUMPTION for the
navy is confined to Dalmatia and the coast
districts. One-third of the full complement
of officers and men required to man the fleet
In time of war is kept continuously afioat
when peace reigns.
The principal language spoken on board
the man-of.war is German, but there are
also Bohemians amcng the crew. The pro-
visions, such as sailed meats, and the am
munition are kept below the berth deck.
Water is procured by a chemical process from
the salt sea waters. The discipline on board
is very street.-The officers wear blue or white.
The latter color seems to be favorite in the
Austrian service and is certainly Ut great adj
vantage in summer.
Although a training ship, the Saba has no
chaplain, as in the case in other nayies. Only
the fagships are provided with these func-
ti6naries, who, of course, in the Austrian
navy are Catholic priests, as the Catholic is
predominant religion of Austria. seig sfAssi
The Saba compares favorably with vessels
Of other navies, such as those of Great Brit
ain, France, Spain, Denmark and Holland.
1t is true she cannot boast of the
more modern improvements of our new steel
cruisers, such as the Boston and Chicago.
but 1t must be remembered that she is sever
al years old.