The sun., 1890-01-26
THE new WAR SHIP maine.
Well Armed, Well Protected,
and Swift.
Undoubtedly the Best Ship Of Her
Size in the World.

IL Takes n Lo.S Tine TO Build EVsn .
Comparatively SMALL ship OF this Sort.
There was time curing the war of the
rebellion when the chances that the South
would succeed we'll nigh equRlled the chances
Of Northern victory. A British ship had been
oyerhauled by q Yankee cruiser. and the British
lion had he'd his nose brushed by flap OF the
wing OF the American eagle. The friends OF
the slave owners In the tight little isle were
rampant and such was the effect OF their anger
that the thinking men OF the North. who saw
and realized the peril. nerved themselves for
conflict such as the American people had
scarce dreamed Of British influence, British
mon and ships and guns, and British capitol
were all but ready to range up N
line Of battle on the side OF the
south. 1t makes the hearts Of the younger
generations OF Americans. those who were
toO!Boung then TO know what was going on.
thriiptslth thirst for war to read that those
In powerstat that time never for moment
thought opphe policy OF giving up the hight.
Along with orders to diplomats to avert the
danger. II fpossiblegMere written orders for moro
ships and more guns and more powder and
shells, 1t was In those days that the axe was
laid to the trunks OF white oak trees In their
native forests. and on the sixtoth day from the
fret stroke OF the axe those trunks were slid-
stantiaI war ships. Possibly EnRland'B aid
might have won independence for the slave re-
public, but It would have made England sick
before che was through with the Job.
That was about thirty years ago. but the
effect OF that sudden burst OF patriotic energy
on the American people has not yet worn OF.
Unfortunately. while It was then OF inesumable
benefit to the nation, the effect has come to be
at last almost as great damage as IL was then
q blessing. 1t is impossible for q vast host OF
the American people to get rid OF the idea that
IN the event Of sudden war with navy
owning nation the American inventive talent.
backed by American pride and energy. would
create fleet and arm and man 1t and put 1t
TO sea while the enemy was filling her coal
bunkers and hoisling In extra stores.
To obtain a thorough appreciation OF the
facts and conditions that now govern and
must In future govern In conflict between
the United States and any navy owning power.
the patriotic readers Of THE SUN can do no
better than go over to Brooklyn and take look
ut the first great sea fighter OF Uncle Sans
new navy-the armored cruiser MRine-as she
now stands unfinished on the ways.
Just about sixteen months ago. under orders
from Naval Secretary Whitney. the work Of
building this ship was begun. From Septem-
ber. 1888. until the present time there has
never been a work day when less than one
hundred men were employed upon her. while
for good part OF the time the force numbered
from 800 to 500 aud Is now at the highest fig
ure given. But she isn't ship yet and may
not be ready for launching even. let alone 60
ing into fight. for nine months more. And
yet she has been pushed with all the power Of
two Naval Secretaries ambitious to leave
fair fame behind them when going out OF office.
consideration OF what the Maine lie to be.
and Of what has been done on her after six
months OF labor. will help the reader to COM
prehend what sort OF q task 1t Is to build q
modern navy fit to defend country like the
American republic.
Here is ship which. as laid down. was de-
signed to be the best armed. the best protected.
and the swiftest ship OF her inches aloat. That
she was otter Uncle Sans experts had gone
over the British-drawn plans, properly de-
signed to fill that bill, is not denied by any one
who considers the date on which her plans
were completed. The fact that better ships
have since been planned In no way detracts
from her merits when her date is considered
No ship OF her size had been planned. up to the
time her plans were given out to the builders.
that could stand up before her for an hour
GENERAL OUTLINE AND DIMENSIONS.
1t 10 not such n difficult matter for even the
reader not familiar with the details OF chip
building to understand the good and the bad
points about this big fighter II he gave the
patience to consider them briefly.
In the printed reports which Uncle Sans
sharps OF the Construction Department send
through the President to Congress is found
this description of the new ship:
General dimensions-LenRth between perpendicularG
so feet; breadth. extreme 81 feet mean drauRht 2lh
feet; displacement above draught 664s tons; ind
Gated horse power ESQ
Translated. this means that the new ship. as
she appears in THE SUNS admirable picture OF
her afioat at sea, is about $50 feet long. that
she 10 81 feet wide In the broadest part that she
can swim comfortably in o channel "a feet
deep. and that. when lying in still. smooth
water her main deck. on the top OF the black
hull. as shown in the cut. Is not to exceed IA
feet above the water, while. in all probability
when she has her crew and stores all on board
that deck will be u ieet less above the water.
To an expert In such matters the statement OF
her dimensions, with her displacement. con-
veys an idea Of her form as we'll as Size
OF her form II may be said that
It is very pleasing to the eye under water. with
the exception Of one feature. and above water
It is q cross between a coal barge and Sound
steamer. 1t has series OF fight angled and
round houses built on the deck while. instead
OF the graceful overhanginR counter aft and
the clipper or swan-neck stem forward. her
nose ID enuDDeu ana ner btorh cArrleb u pueue
that is hung too low for beauty. Could the
ship be nut down In Broadway opposite tho
Post Ofioe, people on her upper deck could
look into the third story windows easily. II
her nose was opposite the Astor House en-
trance her stern would be close up to Park
place, and as 10 getting up and down town
tween her and the buildings. very narrow.
:, Standing thus It would be very easy to see
the feature OF her bottom that IL not pleasing
e, look at. She carries what are known as
bilge keels. The bilRes are the rounded angles
mp to become he side walls, Placed here and
projecting from the hull IKE pIaaks boiled SS
bllEe, 2 leet wide and l3O feet long These bilge
as she would do without them, the building
sharps, think. They will eertainly interfere
more difficult to turn around when In q hurry
70 face the enemy
The Maine Was designed in the days (the last
of theml when naval Constructors still thought
Il necessary 10 furnish war ship with sails TO
heIp her along when the wind was fair. Az the
cnf shnNR. the Maine has three masts on two