Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-01
THE INDIANA LAUNCHED
The Worlds Greatest Battle Ship
Takes TO the Water
ANOTHER BENDER FAMILY
The Senatorial BaNota-Jennie Mouch
Arrested Disastrous Floods
on the Danube
BENDER FAMILY


ship Indiana was launched today at
Cramps shipyard in the presence Of
President Harrison and members Of
his cabinet. The vessel was christened
by Miss Jessie Miller, daughter of the
encouragement.
In the launching Of the Indiana Sec
retaTy Tracy has seen one OF the desired
objects Of his administration accom-
piished. In his first report after ac-
eepting Office, Mr.. Tracy proposed
new departure in naval construction, tO
consist Of building battle ships, armored
cruisers and fast unaTmOred commerce
destroyers far larger than any ever
before contemplated in this country.
One Of the first fruits of this policy was
the authorization by congress Of the
Indiana and her two mates, the Massa-
chusetts and Oregon, under the act of
June 80, 1890. With an energy and
despatch wholly Unprecedented in this
country, the general designs for these
three steel ships, although 50 far in adj
vance of anything known here, were
ready on the very day the act author
izing them was approved, and on the
day following, July /, 1890, the adver-
tisements inviting proposals for their
construction were issued.
The Union Iron Works, of San Fran
cisco, offered TO build one for 50, ,240 900,
or two for s., 400, 600; the Risdon Iron
and Locomotive Works, also Of sam
Francisco, TO build one for $3, ,275, 600;
the Bath ifOn Works, one for %, l49, 900;
the Cramp d Sons Company, Of Phila-
delphia, one for 5000 900, and the
other two for s., 5,7SO,00O. The latter
also bid So, 10000 for ship twelve feet
longer than in the departments plans,
which were followed exactly by all the
preceding bids, and S6,OiD,00O for the
other two. This last bid being lower
than that of any Other bidder, was ac.
cepted for the Indiana and Massachu-
sets.
The Indiana is a steel coast.iine bat
tie ship, having a length of 34S feet on
the load water line, and extreme
! breadth Of 69i aud mean draught of
"a, while her displacement is 10000
tons. The advance made in this re-
spect is visible on noting that the dis
placement of the Texas is $500, and
that of the Maine 6,6iS. She is de-
signed for sea service in all weathers,
while her draught is suited to work in
our shallow harbors.
The armament consists of four 13-
inch 35-caiibre breech-loading rifles,
eight S-inch bFeech-lOading rifles, four
6incb breech-loading rifles, twenty o.
FOUNDER rapid-fire guns, six l-pOunder
rapid-tire guns, two Gattlings, and six
torpedo tubes or guns. This represents
a weight Of armament superior 70 that
of any Of the latest battle ships laid
down by foreign powers. The l3-inch
guns are l7S feet above the water, and
have great arcs of train. The 6-inch
guns are ii feet 10 inches above the
water, and all fire across the center
line. The 6-inch guns are mounted
"a feet above the water, and can fire
over the tops Of the l3.inch
guns, having train of IA degrees
across the middle line. These guns can
pierce at two miles the armor of many
Of the modern armored cruisers Of
great coal endurance. They can be
brought into action early in the en-
gagement on account OF their great
height, and can be used with great
effect against the lighter armored and
unarmored parts Of the heavier battle
ships. Special attention has been paid
TO the ammunition supply, and a rapid
efficient and thoroughly protected sup
ply has been secured.
OF the Indiana and her mates Secre-
tary Tracy said, in his report for 1880,
that ain these battle ships the depart
ment confidently asserts that the
United States will become possessed of
three vessels of the highest power,
whose equal as fighting ships does not
exist at the present day" Since thooe
words were written the defensive eff
fectivehess of these vessels has been
greatly increased by the application of
the Harvey process to the armor TO be
used in their construction. Ii is sub
ject Of congratulation that the first of
their class will now soon be afioat.