The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-07-27
THE COLUMBIA.

| THE COLUMBIA.
bia will not only be swifter than any other
war vessel afloat; the Teutonic, Majestic,
City of Now York and the other trans
/ atlantic greyhounds will be entirely out
classed by this fighter. The contract with
the Cramps calls for vessel that can sail
around the world without recoaling in 100
days. She must go twenty-five knots an
hour on her trial trips.
If she cannot do this she will be subject
to rejection or penalty The Columbia,
her builders are confident, will surely reel
off twenty-five, and they are equally con-
| fdent that she will bo able to keep it up for
twenty-four hours, making distance of
52S knots. For every quarter knot of speed
over the 512 knots contract limitations the
Cramps will be given 0,o0O.
The coal carrying capacity of the cruiser
will be greater than that of any steamer or
naval vessel in the world. The big bunkers
will hold 1900 tons. This would be suf1i-
cient, at the rate Of ten knots an hour, to
allow the cruiser to remain out Of port for
los. days, or radius of action of %, 240 knots,
or nearly the circumference OF the earth.
The ship is 400 feet long on the mean load
line; beam nodded, 5S feet; draft, mean
normal, % feet; extreme normal, "A feet;
displacement, normal, about 1880 tons;
speed, sustained, 81 knots, and indicated
horse power, 2O,500
Her Intricate Machinery.
The machinery Of the cruiser will be more
intricate than that Of any steamer in the
world, There will be three triple expansion
engines, each working q separate screw, one
on either side of the rudder and one above
| IL. The horse power Of tho engines under
forced draft will be 20, $50. The engines
nll have the same stroke-forty-two inches
and the diameter Of the high, interme-
einte and low pressure cylinders respective
ly are forty-twO, lfty-niue and ninety-two
inches. Under full pressure each Of these
three screws should turn at the rate of 12S
revolutions per minute.
Each of tho three shafts is fitted with a
disengaging coupling, so that the propellers
may be free to revolve when not in use.
Thus the vessel may be propelled at slow
speed OF fourteen knots by the center screw
alone, at amedium speed Of seventeen knots
by the two side screws and at high speed
of from twenty to twenty-five knots by all
three together. This arrangement allows
tho machinery to be worked at its maximum
and most economical number of revolutions
at all rates Of the vessels speed, and each
engine can always be used for propelling
the vessel.
The vital portions of the vessel are pro-
LcGLeu ny an ueCA lOuF lilCubS tnlCk
on the slopes and two and one-half inches
on the fiat. The space between this deck
and the gun deck will be infinitely sub
divided by coal bunkers and store rooms.
In addition there will be a cofferdam five
feet wide running next to the ships side
Throughout the whole length of the vessel
In the bunkers not used for coal this will be
filled with patent substance Of such sol
idity as to FORM q vail I've feet thick, hav-
ing all the advantages Of an inner and sup
Elemental armor. In the event of an emer-
gency this patent substance, the nature of
which is kept secret, can be taken out and
used for fuel Forward and abaft the coal
bunkers the cofferdam will be filled with
water excluding substance similar to wood
lite.
Not q Gun viii BE In Sight.
The Columbia will carry no big guns. Not
a gun will be in sight, and the battery will
be abnorinally light. There will be ono
S-inch gun as bow chaser This Is expect
ed to play the principal part in the cruisers
career Besides this she will carry four g.
inch breech loading rifles eight 4-inch breech
loading rifles. twelve rapid firing 6-pound.
ers, six rapid firing 1-pounders, two ma.
chine guns, one field gun and six torpedo
tubes.
The armament of the cruiser is designed
TO De fApiu nTlnS, ana tHe CRUISER VIII Do
effective more for this reason than by any
tremendous bIoadBides In the wake of the
eight 4-inch and machine guns the ships
sides will be armored with four and two
inch plating,
The Columbia Is to be ready for service
by Oct. /, 1888. The contract for her con.
struction was awarded to Cramp 8 Sons
on Oct. A, 1890, their bid being %, 725 900.
Add to this the cost Of armament and
equipment, and the vessel will have cost
about So, 100000. 1t was stipulated in the
contract that the entire vessel, in all It's
parts should be Of domestic manufacture
Mashoupa was once the residence of q
missionary, but the church is now aban-
doned and falling into ruins, because
when asked to repair the edifice at their
own expense the men OF Mashoupa
waxed wroth, and replied irreverently
that God might repair his own house,
and one old man who received blanket
for his reward for attending divine
seryice is reported to have remarked
when tho dole was stopped, mo more
blanket, no more halleluiah." fear me
the men of MashoGpa are welded to
MISUNDERSTANDING Review