, 1892-07-30
THE GREATEST SHIP.
Uncle Sans Most Powerful
Cruiser Columbia.
This Formidable Destroyer OF
Ocean Commerce Is 400 Feet
Long, with a Tonnage OF 1900
and Coal Capacity of 5000 Tons.

Long, with a Tonnage OF 1900
and Coal Capacity of 1000 Tons.
PHILADELPHIA, July 9O.-The Columbia,
or cruiser No. 12, just launched, is the
swiftest and most formidable destroyer Of
ocean commerce in the world. compan-
ion ship, No. 13, is now building. The pair
will be the fastest ships in theiworld. The
contract calls for a speed Of % knots an
hour. The great Greyhound the Teuton-
ic's best work is 22.06 knots. The cruiser
is designed with two objects in view
speed and coal-carying capacity. The
tonnage is 1900 and the coal capacity will
be larger than that Of any vessel aAoat-20OO
tons. She can remain 100 days at sea with
out repenishing her stock of coal. The
vessel is 400 feet in length on the load wa
ter line, So feet beam and "a feet draught.
The machinery is intricate, and on a
novel plan designed by Chief Engineer
Melville. There will be three trple-ex-
pansion engines, each working in sepa-
rate screw, one on either side of the rudder,
and one above it. The horse power, under
a forced draught, will be 2O,55O. Under a
full pressure each screw can attain a rate
Of 128 revolutions per minute. The City
Of Paris only averaged ninety revolutions
on her record breaking trip.
Some engineers have doubted the efflci-
ency of the three-screw system, on the
ground that in certain trials in France the
screw was found to have only a minimum
prOpelling power. This, however, was
when the screws occupied the same YER
tical plane. To obviate this difficulty, the
side screws in Mr.. MelYille's plans are sit
uated fifteen feet forward and above the
center one, so that the water from the side
screws does not interfere with the water
flowing into the periphery of the centre
one. Each of the three shafts is fitted with
disengaging coupling, so that the pro-
pellers may be free TO reYolve when not In
use.
There are ten boilers. These boilers are
made of steel and they carry pressure of
100 pounds TO the square inch. Eight are
built in alright and Watertight compart-
ments, into which there is forced a draught
of 2l6,500 cubic feet Of air per minute when
running at full speed.
The vital portions of the vessel are pro-
tected by an armOred deck four inches
thick on the slopes and two and one-half
inches on the fiat. The space between this
deck and the gun deck will be minutely
subdiyided by coal bunkers and store
rooms. In addition there will be a Golfer
dam 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 used for patent substance
Of such solidity as to form wall five feet
thick, having all the advantages Of an in
ner and supplemental armor. In the event
Of an emergency 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 Golfer dam will be
filled with a water-eXcluding substance
similar to Woodite.
The Columbia will carry no big guns,
The uses for which she is intended will not
require any. Not a gun will be in sight,
and the battery will be abnormally light.
There will be one 8-inch gun as a bow
chaser. This is sexpected to play the princi-
pal part in the cruisers career should she
ever get TO chasing the merchantmen Of
any OF the nations across the pond. Be
sides this she will carry four 6-inch breech-
loading rifles, eight 4-inch breech-lOading
rifles twelve rapid firing 0-pounders
six rapid firing l-pounders, TWO ma
chine guns, one field gun and six torpedo
tubes. In the wage Of the eight 4-inch and
machine guns the ships sides will be arm
ored with four and two-inch plating.
AS a whole, this vessel will represent the
largest idea of powerful, economical, pro-
tected cruiser, embOdying the highest, re-
suits Of the naval knowledge Of the world,
with improvements designed by American
Ingenuity nc aCcoh hlhouhllOiis LOT OLuCeIb
and crew will be spacious, well ventilated
and lighted. The subdivision Of the hull
is such as to form a double hull below the
water, and will offer as great security
against damage from torpedo attack as can
be given in a vessel Of this class.
When the Columbia was launched she
left standing in the stocks her sister,
cruiser No. 10, the construction Of which
was awarded to the Cramps on August IL,
1891 at their bid Of So 745, 600, less $4,000
which the contractors thew off. Both Ves-
sells are identical in character, but cruiser
No. 18 is destined 10 carry heavier bat
NaW