Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-27
OUR CRACK CRUISER,
Yclept the Pirate, Now Formally
Christened the Columbia, by
THE VICE PRESIDENTS DAUGHTER.
The Most Formidable Fighter of Merchant
Ships is Launched.
an INNOVATION In NAVAL WARFARE

the intensity of whose rays seemed to make
her sides yibrate, Cruiser No. II, or, as the
vessel has been popularly known, the
pirate" was launched here this afternoon
from Cramps shipyard, and christened the
Columbia by Miss Edith Morton, the
daughter of Vice President Morton.
In consideration of the time of year, and
with a view to just such weather as the
country is suffering under now, the Messrs
Cramp decided some time ago not to issue
any invitations to the launch to-day, and in
consequence there was q marked difference
in the size of the crowd in comparison with
that of previous launchings at the Cramps
wards. Launching Day" at Cramps is
always observed as holiday, apd with the
exception of the gang Of men at work pre-
pairing the cruiser for her passage down the
ways, the army of loborers that early
throng the yard were absent this morning.
The business of getting the cruiser ready
for her dip into the river was not an envia-
BILE one The sun shone with q tropical in
tensity and the ships, standing in their
stocks, and the iron lying around the yard,
seemed to act as a magnet to draw its full
rays down upon the painting, perspiring
The Distinguished Persons Present.
Although the launch was not to take
place until 4 O'Clock, by 1 o'clock men and
women had begun to gather around the
gates of the ward. At 3 o'clock, when the
gates we're thrown open, the crowd had in
creased to about 4, 600 people, and this num-
Der was doubled by the time set for the
launch.
Secretary of the Navy Tracy, Vice Presi-
dent Morton, Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Soley, Commander John Solely, Con-
gressman John r. Fellows, Commander
Albion, United States Senator Chiffon and
Assistant Secretary of State Gumnell
reached this city at / o'clock from Wash
ington Mrs. Morton and her two daughters,
Miss Edith and Helen Morton, arrived at
1:30 o'clock from New York. The two
parties were met at the station by Henry
Cramp, and taken in carriages to the ship
yard. The distinguished party reached the
yard about $3.50. The Miss Mortons were
presented with bouquet upon their arrival,
and then the entire company was escorted
to the christening stand beneath the bows
of the awaiting cruiser.
The great length of the cruiser was es-
pecially noticeable as she hung out over the
river and in comparison to her the carovels
of Columbus would hardly have served for
long boats
The Ceremony of the Launching.
While the christening party had been
taking their stand upon the platform, the
busy workmen below the keel were pre-
pairing her for her journey down the ways
The sheeIings were struck down and tim
bers sawed through.
At $50 the crashing sound of breaking
planks was heard, and Miss Edith Morton
was handed the bottle of champagne and
told to prepare herself to break it as soon as
the cruiser started. The noise of the crack
ing wood ceased, and Immediately the
cruiser started on her downward sweep to-
ward the river. As the vessel began to
gather headway, Miss Morton crushed the
bottle against the keel and said, 81 chris
ten thee Columbia
The cheers of the crowd and the footing
of whistles greeted the "Coiumbia" as she
passed from the ways and sat upon the
surface of the water as true as the spirits in
level After the launch a luncheon was
served to Secretary Tracy and Vice Presi-
dent Morton's party, at the conclusion of
which they were driven to the railroad
station and returned to Washington.
A Description of the Destroyer.
The cruiser launched to-day is essentially
a commerce destroyer and not a fighting
vessel, within the accepted meaning of the
term. Her designers drew their plans with
two main objects in view-speed and coal
carrying capacity. To obtain these the
cruiser was given a tonnage of $500 tons,
far greater than would be necessary in a
fighting vessel of the same dimensions. Her
lines are finer than those OF the great trans
atlantic passenger greyhounds, which, Tor
stability, are required to have much greater
beam.
The dimensions of the cruiser are 400 feet
in length on the load water line, IS feet
beam and "a feet draught. The contract
calls for speed OF p knots an hour on the
trial trip railing which the builders are
liable to money penalty or the absolute re-
lection of the vessel by the Governments
Some idea of the speed that will be re-
Quired of the cruiser may be obtained by
comparing it with the championship record
OF elo6 knots for an hour, held by the steam
ship Teutonic. For every quarter knot of
speed obtained over the contract limitations
$4,000.
the three screws of the vessel. The three
screws are an idea of Chief Engineer Mel
Vile. The Chief Engineer believes that by
the use of the three screws the tremendous
strain to which the shafts of a twin-screw
steamship are subjected will be divided, and
So lessened, and the liability of breakdown
greatly reduced.
The Triple Screw Experiment.
The use of three screws is in the nature Of
an experiment. At trials In France the CEN
ttI SCToW WdS lOuuO W nave only u minimum
propelling power. At the French trials,
however, the three screws occupied the same
vertical plane. To overcome this difficulty
and to get the maximum amount of power
from each screw, Mr.. Melville has placed
the side screws Is feet forward and above
the centre one, so that the water flowing
from them does not interfere with the water
flowing into the periphery of the center
screw.
To obtain the speed of % knots an hour the
cruisers ten boilers are expected to develop
20, 500 horsepower. The hnnkers of the YES
sci will be greater in capacity than any
steamship or naval vessel in the world
When full they will hold 1908 tons of coal
and at a rate of 10 knots an hour the cruiser
will be able to steam "a 240 knots, or nearly
around the world, without reconling. The
English cruiser Blake, which is recognized
rs the finest naval vessel af1oat, can carry
only coal enough to steam Is 900 knots with
out replenishing.
The vital portions of the cruiser will be
protected by an armored deck, 4inches thick
on the slope and ~ inches on the fat. The
bunkers not used Tor coal will be filled with
a patent substance of such solidity as to
form a wall five feet thick, having all the
advantages of an inner and supplemental
armor.
The Guns the Cruiser VIII Carry,
The armament of the vessel will consist of
one eight-inch gun as a bow chaser, four
six-inch breech-loading rifles, eight four
inch breech-loading rifles, le rapid firing six
FOUNDERS six rapid firing one-pounders, two
machine guns, one field gun and six torpedo
tubes. No big guns will be carried, as the
81. y