Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-27
A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH.
The Cruiser Pirate" Catcher OF Grey
Hounds, Now the " Columbia"
inv teleeraDh 10 the Dlspatchl

fBytelegraph TO the Dlsps,ch.l
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, July 26.-Under a
sun the intensity of whose rays seemed to
make her metal sides almost vibrant,
Cruiser No. IL, or, az the vessel has been
popularity known. The Pirate" was
launched here this afternoon from Cramps
shIp-yard and named the Columbia by
Miss Edith Morton, daughter of Vice:
President Morton. In consideration of
the time of year and with q view
TO just such weather As the coun-
try 10 suffering under now. the
Messrs. Cramp decided some time ago not TO
issue any invitations TO the launch to-day,
and in consequence there was a marked
difference III the size of the crowd present
in comparison with that of previous
crowds at launchings in the yard: Prob
ably not more than a thousand people
were present beyond the yard employees
and those officially present to particip ate
in the ceremonies.
The launch was entirely successful.
Among the prominent persons present
were Secretary Tracy, Vice-President Nor
ton, MISUNDERSTANDING the Navy Solev,
Commander John Solely, Congressman
John Il. Fellows, Commander Allibone,
ex-United States Senator Chiffon and As
misunderstanding of-State Grinnell.
POINTS ABOUT THE Snip.
II Is claimed that the Columbia will be one OF
the swiftest and most destructive boats In any
water. She Is designed especially for destroying
an enemy's commerce, and to accomplish that
purpose her builders intend that the boat shall
have high speed and plenty Of space for large
supply Of coal Her tonnage will be 1000, her
length Is 400 feet on the load water-lne, she IL
IS feet In beam, aud Will have draught OF -
feet. The contract requires that she shall MAKE
twenty-five knots an hour on her trial trip,
otherwise the ship will be rejected or
her builders will have TO pay a heavy
penalty. The famous Teutonic last year
made 21.08 knots, but the cramps think
the Columbia can be made TO register ~
knots for twenty-four hours, or 526 miles
for a days work. The Majestic at pres
ent has the best record for speed for twenty
four hours. For every quarter of a knot OF speed
over the 5l2 knots contract limitations the
Cramps will get $4,000. The ships coal-bunk-
ers will hold 1000 tons-a supply larger than
that OF any steamer or naval vessel now aioat.
This would be sufficient, at the rate OF 10 knots
an hour, 20 allow the cruiser 10 remain out OF
port for 100 days, or radius Of action OF 26,24O
knots-nearly tho circumference OF the globe.
Fourteen knots will be the usual speed OF the
cruiser except when she is on pressing bus'-
ness.
IL is estimated that rs matters now stand on
the South Amerc IN coast 10 would cost $50, 900
20 coal tho Columbia there II her supply should
run out
THE TRIPLE-sCREw FEATURE.
The ship viii have three triple expansion en-
gines, each working n seperate screw, one on
eltner SIDE OF the FuuQtT anu OiAt uDONe IL iut
horsepower Of the engines under forced draught
will be 20,J50 The engines all have the some
stroke, AZ inches. and the diameter OF
tho high intermediate and low pressure cylin,
inches. Under full pressure each OF these
three screws should turn at the rate OF l25
revolutions per minute. On the City OF Paris
80 revolutions per minute was the maximum
In her record-breaking trip.
The three-screw Idea originated with Chiei.
Engineer Melville with view TO avoiding, II
possible, the heavy shaftng which would have
been necessary had only two screws been USED.
In the latter case 10,000-horse power would
have been transmitted by single shaft, while IN
tle three-screw arrangement only b,sJO-horse
power passes through each shaft. The strain on
the heavy shsftlng 10 tremendous, and the con-
sequences OF a breakdown are dreadful
There are ten boilers. Six OF these are
double-ended, 15l1 feet In diameter by 2l4 feet
long. Two others are 11Sb feet In diameter by
1874 feet long, and the remaining two, which are
single-endod, are 10 ieet IN diameter by feet
long. These boilers are made OF steel and they
carry pressure OF 100 pounds Eight oil the
largest boilers are built IN air aud wator-tignt
compartments, into which there is forced
draugnt OF 2l6,500 cubic feet OF air per minute
when running at full speed.
ARMAMENT AND GUNS.
The vital portions of tho vessel arc protected
by an arrnored deck inches thick on the
slopes and ~ inches on the fiat. The
space between this deck and the gun-deck
will DO infinitely suDdiyided by coal-bunkers and
store-fooins. In addition there Will DO q conel-
dam . feet wide, running next 10 the ships
side throughout the whole length OF the vessel
In the bankers not used for coal this will be fied
with patent substance OF such soiidity as 10
form wall feet thick. having all the adysn-
tages OF an Inner and supplemental armor In
the event OF al emergency this patent substance,
the nature OF which IL Kept secret, can be taken
out and used for fuel Forward aud abatt tho
coal-bunkers the co1er-dam will be filled with
water excluding substance slmiiarto woodite.
The Columbia wilcarry no big guns The uses
for which she - intended Will not require any.
Not a gun will be Ia sight and the battery VIII
be abnormAly light. There will do one o-inch
gun as Dog-caa5er. This II expected 70 play
the principal part IN the cruisers csrcor should
she ever get 70 chasing TIE merchantmen OF any
OF the nations across the pond. Besides this she
Will carry four tinch breech-ca ling rides, eight
4-inch brooch-oading rifles, twelve ravid-nr.ns
6-poundeIs, six RAPID firing 1-pounders, Two
rnachIne guas, one held gan. aud SIX torpedo
tubes. The armament OF thecruiser Ia designed
for rnpid firing. and the cruiser Will be eneetive
more Tor Tits reason than by reason OF fremea-
dous broadsidc. In the wake OF the eight
4-inch and machine guns the ships side VIII %
armored with a. and 2-Inch plating. The b-incn
guns, which are tour in namDer, viii DO mounted
IN the open deck, projected By neavy shields, AZ
tached, as In tho other new ships, 70 toe gun
caffiegeH.