Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-11-19
To be known as the Ammen
Ram, and VIII be Practi-
calIy Inyumerable.
She VIII Easily PlOw Her Way
Through the Enemy's Big
War Ships.

machine for the new navy is now in
process of construction at the iron
works in Bath, Me. Nothing else of
earth, or air, or sea very much resem-
bles this new demon of naval warfare,
for she is neither gunboat cruiser nor
torpedo boat She is, in fact, ram,
a ponderous steel boat of high engine
power and very little exposure above
water, the intentions of the creator
being for her to jab her pointed PROV
clear through the mailed or unprotect.
cd sides of any possible enemy she
may encounter in the defense Of the
American coast line.
The new vessel is called the Ammen
defense ram, after her inventor, and
is the first Of her type ever construct
cd. She is not yet finished, but is well
uLder way, and could put to sea in
a very short time If eXigencies of ma
tional relations demanded.
In designing her every feature that
would tend to adapt her the better to
her single mode Of attack was careful
ly considered and developed to the
highest practicable degree. Other war
slips. it is true, have powerful ram
bows, and the reader has doubtless
not failed to observe the dangerous
spurs projecting from the bows Of all
our new cruisers. The value of ram
ming in modern naval warfare is not
overlooked in any of the vessels now
built. But other wa ships also carry
powerful batteries of guns, and, as a
rule. torpedo outfits. The gun, the tor
pedo and the ram are the three great
marine weapons, the greatest import
ance being usually attached to the
gun.
The Ammen ram, however, will have
no torpedoes, nor will she carry any
guns. save four small, rapid firing
pieces, added to her equipment as an
afterthought with a view of aifording
some protection against boat attacks.
She is a ram, pure and simple, ana
nothing else. She is not intended To
cruise o. to capture prizes or to bonn
bard cities and forts. Her single mis-
sion is to sally forth from n threatened
hCme port and to attack the hostile
vessels. sinking them by means of
blows from her deadly beak. Lying
low in the water she offers a poor tar
get to the enemy's guns, and, even II
struck, she is impervious to projectileS.
which would be harmlessly detected
from her curved turtle back deck,
clad with thick steel aruor Upon
sighting the enemy the captain of the
ram would enter his coming tower,
the walls of which are formed of eigh-
teen inches Of solid steel, and in this
safe retreat he would direct the move
meutS of his destructive craft, his at
tention undiverted by guns or torpe
does. and his confidence and GOODNESS
strengthened by the knowledge that
his vessel is practically invulnarable to
hostile guns. He would dash Mt his
foe releutlessly, seeking to strike him
a fair blow, which, when properly de
Iiyercd, would almost surely disable,
if it did not at once sink, the most
powerful battle ship.
1t is. Of course, not to be expected
that a single ram like that just launch
ell could dispcrse . whole fleet. She
could undoubtedly create considerable
havoc single-handed, but it must not
be forgotten that She is herself liable
TO be rammcd or tOrpedoed, and, while
she is so constructed that injury sus-
tanned in that way would probably be
less serious than in the case Of ordin-
airy vessels she is nevertheless exposed
" these dangers.
The tactics suggested by Admiral
kmmen with these rams IS to send
them forward at the beginning Of the
battle. letting them bear the brunt
and take the first shock Of the con-
fict. When they had performed their
mission-that is, when they had sunk
or disabled as many of the enemy
ships as posSible-the reserve squadron
Of battle ships and large cruisers would
come up and complete the victory.
1t is the admiral'S belief that 1t would
be much more economical and sensible
for the United States to construct a
fairly numerous feet Of such rams for
purposes Of coast defense than to make
heavy oUtlays for the larger and more
costly battle ships, although he con
cedes the necessity for a certain num-
Der Of the latter. lie holds that five
rams could be built FOR the cost of
three large battle ships, and, for re
polling an attack from hostile ar'Hor-
clads, they would be quite rs efficient,
If not more so. He thinks that a given
number Of runs of his design could
defeat twice hat number Of an enc
mv's battle ships The contract price
of the ram is S020.00O; the cost Of q
frst-class battle ship is over 100000.
to which must be added an expensive
armament Of guns and torpedoes The
rams are comparatively cheap to main-
tain; the battle ships extremely ex-
peDSive.
Yet, on the other hand. the rams
have brit one sphere Of usefulness.
They are useless for cruising purposes,
for bombarlment, for commerce de-
Sfr71rtion The battle shinS are not on