New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-11
THE CRUISER CASTINE.

employments Of the greater portion OF the people
The Castine win be launched at the yard OF 'he
Bath Iron Works at TO morrow. and Miss Martha
Hicbborn. the daughter Of Naval Constructor Philip
u,chhorn assistant TO the Chief Of the Bureau OF
Construction for several years. will perform the cere
mony OF naming the vessel with the indiSpensaDie
bottle Of champagne. Miss Hichborh Is t'i anu
handsome with a pleasant charm OF manner anu I"
rrace and attracveness that necessary TO complete
the success of an occasion important to the builders
ond tho Nation II is likely that the 10000 people
of Bath will be doubled by the strangers from out
nj town. There will also be 3asge delegation from
Washington present
Tho Cas,ine is one of the two steel gunboats OF
I 600 tons displacement authorized by the act VI
Congress of March >. 1889. the contracts to build
which were awarded the Bath Iron WORKS Oh
Anrll IL 1890 at a price for huh and machinery oil
Fri : 800 each. The keel of the mo. D." or the
Machias as she is called was lad on feor"o'a T.
1891 and the laying Of the keel OF the 'aSuhc was
begun on the following day. Tho long ih'erN" NC
tween the award OF the contract and the laying o'
the keels OF these vessels was not due 10 any Ii'
of the Bath Iron Works. but WIS caused by delay
In getting the steel plates and angles. The work mas
Teen pushed as rapidly as possible, but II the steel
works had been we'll equipped wheh the con''"o,
was awarded : they are now the two 'esseis "ouiu
long ago have been put into commission Tor service
In order to build these two vessels the Bath iron
Works had to add largely to It's plant IL was year
aror that time that the contract awarded 10
the same company TO build the steel harbordeiehce
ram designed BY Rear Admiral Daniel Ammen' ana
which is now nearly ready for launching
The limit of time fol the completion of the Two
steel gunboas expired on Aprll IL laS'' o"' Us no
DELAY is not attributable 10 negligence or indier-
ence ON the part OF the builders it is likely that Con
nress will pass "a resolution relieving the contractors oil
the fines that would otherwise be charged against them
The penalties prescribed by Congress or bv the act o
authorization are SO Il day for each ana every uHs
of delay beyond the limit of time for completion Tor Inc
first three months; $50 day fr the secohu unoo
months, SIS a day for the next SIX months 9io' d
day for the next three months ana s-oo u'S io
each day of delay thereafter.
The Cs,stnc like her sister ship, Is whoIy coN-
structcd of steel Of domestic MANUFACTURE anu "'
machinery, boilers and fittings are OF nome pro'uo
ton. In other words the vessel Is American uro"Sn
out she Is built from designs OF the oncers VI .ne
American Navy After passing through inc hrs'
nrocess Of manufacture In American smelling furnaces
the material was next taken American forge and
there fashioned into plates and bars ana angles w
American mechanics. and they "crc neat transported
10 the Oldest American shipbulding works whose pres
dent is veteran soldier of the Union Army ana 'hee
formed into the perfect ship BY American "or"'
men that she may defend the American flag and protect
American homes. Her dimensions are as follows :
Length on load waterline, $50 feet, extreme pre"ul'
80 feet depth from main deck beams TO keeisoh -
feet displacement, 1850 tons. she has two ma'to'
and will have the rig OF sclOhr.. iho chr'"'"
are of the vertical inverted cylinder, directacuns
triple expansion type, the collective horsepower oi
which-with the engines. making 200 revolutions
minute-will be 1860. The engines are rights ana
lef,s and placed in a common water tight comparF
ment The original design was for two straigh'"aS
tubular boilers but the contractors submitted an alter
native design for boilers Of the locomotive type WHICH
wa, approved and these have been placed III 4 COIL
mon water tight compartment. There VIII DC one
smokevdpe only The forced draft system Will con-
ist Of two blowers which will discharge into the hc
ROOM and provision has been made whereby the supply
Of air may be regulated for each furnace The Ves'e
is also provided with steam reversing gear. steam ASH
hoist a turning engine, auxiliary pnmp enslie ~, iol
Arriving workshop machinery, a dsuullg apparatus
and other auxiliary supplementary machinery loois'
etc. a., ao..oo,o,, ,ho; the sneed
OF the vessel shall average at least thirteen Knof ana
that this speed shall be maintained succefsiuly io
four honrs consecutively. Should the vessei eAceea
this rate of speed the contractors VIII receive "
nrem,um of S5 900 for each quarter Of KIOl IN ca
cess of the speed 80 required but should she la'i
reach the speed guaranteed then penalty vi 800 1
Tor each quarter of @ knot she Is dehcchi WIN oe
dsducfed Should the vessel fail below twoive k,oa
in sneed at the trial then the Government Will reJee'
her Her armament. which Is IN course OF con',
petion at the Washington gun foundry, VIII consist ..
eight 4inch breech-loading rapd-irins guns, ioa d
6pcunders and two 1-ponnder Inpd'hrhg guns anu
al