Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-08-04
HAIL COLUMBIA
A Splendid Addition to the
American Navy Launched
at Philadelphia.
Columbia the Name of the New
Formidable Battleship--A
Gala Day.
The FIeetest and Most Destruc-
structive War Vessel
Owned by Uncle Sam.

At the ship yards of the Cramps in
Philadelphia occurred the launching
of another splendid addition to the
American navy, the fleetest, most
destructive and probably the most
dread inspiring warship yet built in
the United States. This is the ship
which has been known as the Pirate,
but which Secretary Tracy rechrist-
ened the Columbia. The event was
made a gala day at the yards. The
builders made every arrangement for
the reception of many visitors from
Washington, New York and else
where. Secretary Tracy and a party
were present from Washington and
gave the new bCat an inspection.
As a destroyer of commerce the Col
umbia is intended to surpass any YES
sci heretofore constructed. Neither
England nor France, nor indeed any
Of the other great naval powers, pos
sesS such a sea terror. The Columbia
and a sister ship now being construct
ed by the Cramps are destined to he
feared than the most formida-
BILE of all the sea kings owned by the
belligerent nations across the big
pond. When the contract was let for
the Columbia in October, 1890, the
Cramps agreed to produce a vessel
which would sail around the world
without recoaling in 100 days. The
plans called for a ship 400 feet long on
the mean lead line beam; nodded,
So feet; draught, mean normal, %
feet; extreme normal, "a feet; dis
placement, normal about 1900 tons;
speed sustained, 81 knots; indicated
horse power, 20, 500. The ship was to
make - knots on her trial trip. Fail
ing in this she was to be rejected and
made subject to a heavy penalty.
The Cramps predict that TIE Column
bio will excel in all points the require
ments stipulated in the contract;
that she will beat transatlantic
g~reyhounds like the Teutonic, Males
tic, City of New York and City of
Paris out of sight, and that she will
keep up her % knots for twenty-four
hours at a stretch. Her coal bunkers
are to hold 1000 tons, or much more
than those of any other steamship in
the world. There are ten boilers.
Six of them are double-enders, 15i
feet in diameter by SIT feet long.
Two Others n IL % feet in diameter
by lSt feet in length, while the two
remaining are 10 by s. All the boil
ers are Of steel and can easily sustain
a pressure of 100 pounds.
There are three triple expansion
engines, each of which work a screw
one on either side OF the rudder, and
the third just above it. These screws,
under high pressure, are expected to
develop 12S revolutions per minute.
This rate exceeds that of the City of
Paris screws by thirty-eight revolu-
tions per minute. Chief Engineer
Melville originated the ~three-screw
idea with the purpose of avoiding the
tremendous weight of shafting which
would have been necessary for two
screws. Each of the three shafts is
so equipped that one, two or three
screws can be used at once.
The Columbia is protected in her
vital portions by an armored deck 4
inches thick on the slopes and q
inches thick on the fiat. She carries
no big guns; those used are to be of
light caliber and out of sight. A sin
gle S-inch gun is to be utilized as a
boat chaser. Besides this the Column
bia is to carry four 6-inch breach
loading rifles, eight finch of the
same character, twelve rapid firing
six Founders, six rapid firing one
Founders, two machine guns, one
field gun and six torpedo tubes. The
6-inch guns are to be mounted in the
open deck protected by heavy shields
attached to the carriages. The arma-
ment is intended to be effective for
its rapid firing features rather than
by broadside- The officers and men
will have splendidly equipped accom-
mOdations. The most modern inven-
tions are to be employed for yentila-
ton, and the ship is to be lighted
throughout with electricity. The
Cramps get s2,275,O0o for building the
ship.