Evening journal., 1892-08-11
UNCLE SAM S new BOAT
Marblehead to be Launched
at Boston To-Day.
sHEHAs PLENTY OF STEERING GEAR

The First Auspicious Launch in Boston
Wife to Break the Bottle-Dim en-
sions of the Vessel.
BY Telegraph to the Evening Journal.l
BosToN, Aug. 11.-Cruiser No. II will
be adopted into the United States Navy
to day under the name Marblehead and
will be christened by Mrs. G. +. Allen,
daughter in-law of President c. H. Allen
of the Home Savings Bank and the Cen
tral National Bank
The Marblehead will be the first large
vessel of war launched in Boston harbor
since 1S4s. Her dimensions are Length
on mean load water line, PSF feet extreme
BREADTH 81 feet depth of hold to under
side of spar deck plank amidships, 10 feet.
q inches; draft of water, mean normal IA
feet, 6 inches displacement in tons to
load water line, 900; area of immersed
midship section, 665 square feet; indi
Gated horse power, 8, 400; maximum speed
per hour, Is knots, in smooth water
She is twin. screw protected cruiser,
with poop and forecastle decks and an
open gun deck between, fitted with water
tight deck of III pounds plating at til e
sides reduced to IL pounds in the centre
and extending the entire length Of the
vessel this deck being below the water
line at the side 30 inches Below this
deck will be placed the machinery, maga-
zines and steering apparatus.
Among the notable improvements will
be an increase of speed, Encouragement
OF battery and a Golfer dam protection
extending through the entire machinery
space The torpedo outfit will consist
of six torpedo guns for launching torpe-
dos There will be an electric
light plant on board The bat
terry will consist of two six-inch breeoh
loading rifles, eight hve-inch breech load
ing rifles mounted in sponsons four on
each side Of the cruiser; six six-pound
and two one-pound rapid firing guns and
two gatling guns.
Means are provided for securing nat
ural and artificial ventilation in the
living and storage places by utilizing
frame spaces Automatic valves are
fitted in ventilating pipes where they
pass through water tight bulkheads to
prevent the flood of water from one com
partment to another
The motive power for the twin screws
will be furnished by two triple expansion
engines of the vertical inverted type, one
on each side of the vessel, 6, 400 horse
power, with cylinders of POT, 80 and 63
inches diameter and a stroke Of 33
inches The engines and boilers will be
placed in separate water tight compart-
ments. They will be OF steel, five in
number, of the return fire tubular type,
and designed for a working pressure of
1S9 pounds
The steering apparatus will be amply
protected In times OF peace she will be
handled from a wooden pilot house on
the forcastle bridge by steam gear. Ii
the event of that being disabled there
will be both hand and steam gear on tho
gun deck, and just forward of the mair
mast. In case of an injury being sus
tanned the vessel can be controlled from
the berth deck. Additional steering
gear can be found in case all the abov'
give out, below the water line at thl
rudderhead
The Marblehead was designed by Chic
Contractor Theodore B. Wilson, of the
United States Navy. The machinery
which is to be placed into position a few
months after the launching was designed
by Engineer-in-chief George w. Melville
of the Navy department.