, 1892-11-05
OLYMPIA LAUNCHED
The Pride of The United States
Navy.
Appropriate Ceremonies at the Un-
ION Iron WOrks--DetaIIed Des-
crIptiOn of The Handsome Uruis-
err, Named After OLYMPIA,

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5.-The new and
handsome cruiser Olympia, better known
as cruiser No. 6, was launched at the yards
of the Union iron works, at noon today
The cruiser is named after the capital OF
the state of Washington, and is one Of the
handsomest and most magnificent ships in
the American navy. Unfortunately, none
of the officials from the city of Olympia
were present to take part in the ceremony.
The launching was effected by an auto
matte device that liberated the vessel
when the string was cut, At the same
time bottle of champagne was broken
over the cruisers bow as Miss Bella
Dickie, daughter of George w. Dckie,
manager of the iron works, christened the
great vessel the Olympia" The weather
was fair and the launching was witnessed
by fifteen thousand people. A large num-
ber of those included many civic, naval
and military officers and invited guests.
Among the number were Admiral Brown,
Admiral Irwin, Captain Johnson and Cap
tain Reitr.
The crowd of people which attended the
launching exceeded any which had been
seen in that part of the city in which the
Union Iron works are located since the
coast defense vessel Monterey was launched
at the time of President Harrson's visit
here in April, 1891. Several hours before
it was time for the cruiser to slip off the
ways, people began to travel towards the
scene and the streets leading to the ship
yard were filled with long lines of crowded
street ears and carriages and hundreds of
pedestrians. A great number of special in
vitations had been issued and there were
probably two thousand people in the ship
yard alone, in addition to the many more
who occupied commanding positions on all
streets and hillsides in the vicinity of the
works, as well as on the small steamers and
tugs in the bay. The platform was decor
ated with national cOlOrs and were built
around the bow of the cruiser. On this
were representatives of the navy and army
and band of admlrals, Browns tempor-
aTy flagship Thetis. The ceremonies were
brief. After a short prayer had been offer
ed the last blocks which held the cradle in
position were knocked away and as the
hull began TO move slowly down the ways
a bottle of wine was broken over the bow
and the band played national air. Great
shouts and hurrahs from the crowds of
people and noise from hundred or more
steam whistles commenced as soon as the
cruiser made the first movement and con-
tinued until after she made a plunge into
the waterand foated easily in less than two
lengths from shore.
The Olympia is the largest unarmored
cruiser ever built on che Pacific coast, and
when she was contracted for was the
largest vessel of that kind ever planned for
our navy. Since then the Columbia and
her mate have made a great advance upon
her in size.
The general idea on which the new vessel
was built was to produce a ship resembling
the Reina Regente, which at that time
was peerless in her class. The act author
izing her construction dates as far back as
September Z, 1888, under Secretary Whit
ney. Hel nominal prototype the Reina
Regente, had then recently been built by
the Thompsons of Clydebank, for Spain,
and was the fastest sea-going war ship
ahoat. She had steamed nineteen knots
under natural and twenty-one knots under
forced draught. She also had very heavy
protective deck, very large coal capacity,
and complete water line belt of cellulOse,
which was a novelty at that time. The
changes introduced into the American
vessel have made her resemblance to the
Spanish cruiser less marked.
At the time of the opening of the bids
fOt the cruiser, Secretary Tracy had come
to the head of the department, and with
his well known preference for large vessels
had authorized an increase in the proposed
displacement from $500 to $500 tons. The
only bidder was the Union Iron works,
and their bid was $1,760,0OO on their own
or $1,796,000 on the departments plans
The latter being within the limit of 81 ,8OO,-
600 fixed by congress accepted. Afterwards
Mr.. Irving Scott, the president of the Union
Iron works, agreed to make the vessel ten
feet longer, so as to make more space in
the fire room, without extra cost. She
now has a length OF $40 feet on the low
water line, with an extreme breadth of
So feet, a mean draught of 81 feet, and a
displacement of $500 tons. She is 900 tons
larger than the Baltimore and 1000 larger
than Chicago.
The noticeable feature in the Olympia
is her speed. Her motive machinery con-
sists of twin screws, vertical triple expan-
sion engines, which are to develop maxi
mum of Ii, 800 horse power. The Chicago's
engines have maximum of only 5034,
and even our fast new vessels do not
equal the maximum of the Olympia. The
Charleston's 6666 horse power give her a
speed of 18 1-5 knots; the Newark's 8069
give her 16 knots; the Philadelphia's 1915
give her 1625; the Baltimore's 10,064 give
her little over 1871 knots, and the San
Francisco's 10,400 give her 2O1-6 knots.
Accordingly, it is probable that the 13, 800
horse power of the Olympia will yield at
least the 20 knots required in her contract,
and as her builders are those who built the
San Francisco, they are likely to earn a
premium for exceeding her contract speed.
Again. the Olympia will be remarkable
for coal endurance and sustained speed.
IltI COdl GdDdClby 10 3OOO bOuof WllACu gives
her radius of action of 1900 miles, and
is much more than the average vessels of
her class. The weight of her machinery
will, it is expected, give her a sustained sea
speed of 10 knots, or at least two knots in
advance of that which is maintained in
vessels of her class. She will undoubtedly
beat anything in our navy, either built OF
projected, for long voyage, with the ex-
ception of the Columbia and No. 13, and
the possible exception of the New York.
In her main battery the Olympia carries
four eight-inch breech-loading rides and ten
| hVe-inch-rapid-fre guns. In her second.
ary battery are fourteen six-pounders and
six One-pOunder rapid fire guns and foul
Gatlings. Her defensive capacity makes
her high type of the protected cruiser, az
she has four inches of armour protection
for the guns and ammunition hoists and g
water excluding belt. She has three com
plete decks, including the protective deck
and a large superstructure amidships
which is cut away forward and aft anC
ends at the eight-inch gun barbettes. Sh
has two masts with a fighting top an,
electric light top on each, and carries sufi
cient fore and aft sail to steady her in