Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-20
A NEW CHILEAN WAR SHIP.
Rapidly Finishing the Captain Pr.t A.
France.

The latest news from France concerning the
fitting out OF the Chilean armored war shin
Captain Pratt is to the effect that the workshops
will have the vessel ready for sea in thirty anys'
time. A number Of small fittings remain 20 be
placed in position, though the larger part of the
work Is what almost any wide-awake officer
would undertake to carry out at sea- Ii is even
thought probable that the Chilean commander.
now by the vessel, may take this view Of the
case, und under the pretense of a steaming trial
make or with the new ship for South America.
Among naval officers here il ia recognized
that the Captain Pratt. when fully completed,
wiz be one Of the best fitted out war ships in
tne world. Inc very fact that her construction
Is IN the hands Of Les Societe des Forges 81
Chantiers de la Mediterranee is deemed sniff
cient evidence that the workmansbip il of tbs
very best All the latest and most improved
designs Tor working batteries. assisting the fire
OF guns and enhancing this manauyrine poxers
OF the vessel have been supplied The main
battery guns are worked by electricity. npdlnst
summer Lieut.. Bradley A. Fiske United States
Navy, personally superintendent the placing of
range hnders aboard the new ship. The Capt.
tan Frat set of range finders. which are OF
flske design, are deemed the most perfectly
ntied and installed aboard any war ship.
Despite, however, the excellent accessories
OF the Captain Pratt it is pointed out here that
the Chilean craft, If she gets to sea at all, will
be manned by mongrel crew a crew made I'M
of sailors from all parts of Europe chile has
IN her regular navy a large proportion of
splendid sailors. The Chilean sailors are i'm
fact the best men of the republic. But lust
now all the regular force is manning the ships
IN nome waters. SO far as is known no draft
OF regular Chilean men-of-war's men has been
sent to France. The vessels new commander
has. however made his way to the continent
as has already been stated in The STAR.
Naval ofhcers say that even granting that
the Captain Pratt in time of war eludes the peu-
trahty laws OF France and succeeds in reaching
the high seas the presence Of q mongrel and
unframed crew aboard will make matters diffi-
cult for her officers. IL will be the case OF
placing tine tools in the hands Of men ignorant
OF their use. Lieut. Commander NJ r. 5. Mac
kenzie, the present commanding officer Of the
United States gun boat Petrel voiced the
OPINION of large number of the officers Of
the United States navy this subject when he
said recently that his ideal of a fighting shin
was craft having the simplest features pos
slble Tor working the guns, coupled with Q
highly disciplined crew. In the hands of q
well-trained force of men the Capitan
Pratt would be a formidable vessel. IL by
no means follows that she would b
formidable If compelled to fight inside of
thirty days after going in commission. II ts
believed In weiiinformed naval circles here
that Chile will endeavor TO place force Of 900
OF the best sailors aboard the Captain Pratt e.
soon as that ship reaches South Americas
waters. For the reason that Chile. in the event
Of war with the United States, viii need 70
keep her naval force well in hand az home il n
not thought that she will be able to spare any
of her present fighting force away from her
own coast. transfer Of a lot Of her picked
men to the Captain Pratt can readily DE effected
when the new ship reaches South America Az
the Pratt is designed for a nineteen-knot speed
II is thought that careful handling and good
Judgment viii enable her to keep clear Of ~
American war ships.