The sun., 1893-07-29
THE TORPEDO boat ERICSSON.
A Contribution to the New steel navy IRON,
tho Workshops OF tho Interior.

| A Contribution to the New steel Navy from
| tho Work shcps OF tho Interior.
WASHINGTON. July 2a.-The first steel vessel
ever built on the Mississippi for the United
! States Navy 10 now getting ready for her
launching 1t is torpedo boat No. 9. to be
| named the Ericsson. and her builders. the
Iowa Iron Works OF Dubuque, propose to
| invite tho Governors OF all the States In the
Mississippi Valley to be present when she
takes to the water. This will be q suitable
recognition OF the fact that interior waters. as
we'll as the seaboard may and should have
their share In the building up OF our navy. The
iron works and machine shops>of tho interior
have for some time furnished important ma
terial to tho new steel ships. under contract
with the builders: but the Ericsson is a COM
pietc vessel built on the Mississippi. What is
more. she is guaranteed to have the highest
speed ever eSacted OF any vessel. small or
large. made for our navy.
Her predecessor the Cushing. originally
called torpedo boat No. ]. and built By the
Herreshoffs. was required by her contract to
make an average OF 22 knots II she exceeded
70 knots she was to have certain premium
for every quarter knot Of such excess. She ac-
tually developed. as the mean OF three hours
run. 22.52 knots. But the Ericsson is guar
anteed to make "a knots. which is doing
pretty well for start In tho Mississippi VAL
ley's contributions to the new navy. The Gov
ernors and all the people of the valley
may well tako a local as we'll as ma
tional pride in the launch OF this
boat which. to use Secretary Tracy's
words. represents a new and important step
In the development OF the resources Of this
country for purposes OF naval shipbuidinR
Hitherto this work has been doue almost
wholly on the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards.
Many rolling mills and shops in the Interior
especially In Pennsylvania Ohio. and Illinois,
have performed share Of the work. but the
shipbuildng has been done on the coast The
construction OF a torpedo boat on the upper
Mississippi. however. opens up great possibil-
tiles for development in this direction in the
heart OF the country" The hoped for success
OF the Ericsson should certainly stim ulate this
development
The contract for this boat requires that she
shall be delivered at the Pensacola Navy Yard.
In the Gulf OF Mexico. and the risk OF getting
her down the Mississippi is therefore assumed
by tho builders. As her normal draught amid
ship Is only AZ feet. there will be no difficulty
about getting water enough. especially by
choosing the right time Of year for the voyage.
More trouble. It is thought may result on the
ssharp bends OF the upper Mississippi from her
difficulty on that score.
June 30 1890 which fixed her speed at. a |
apGf sna me SSss ns Of hah er hull and
some foreign torpedo boats seemed toe@ to make Rs
this demand not excessive. Tho first bidding
d1r nh her nu called out proposals. from two firms
proposed one soat Of i46 tons for si25. oo0.
but with an addition for Ralyanizinn the bot
act of Congress- while their other bid bid was vas
Tor ll2.ton boat, to cost $4,000 with
ehssa tomb.ny ST Il Tsf oTss
$sson s.fiPsS nss si,1eS'
but instead increased her size and otherwise
changed "a her plans, New biIs , we're called for
submitted. both on the department plans.
The IN G9yes sSo COMPANY offered to build vessel
sl13 300 70 the latter aecordngIy hes the c61. 5Dr
tract was duly awarded; The vessel was. to be
Sn Whoy OF bd0msstic material and
of the contract, or on Oct. s. 1852. SO that she
The enssh ai thi. boat on normal load water
Inc Is $50 feet; ita extreme BREADTH 1850
srseen%sMn IiS nSMsr fnos ss 'Pssd Pred
;ision b s1n, is made M 4 for premiums ranging from
he guarantee, with corresponding deduc.ionss
Deficiencies IN The motive power
wo screws. one slightly In. advance OF
he other though not overlapping. and
Ictuated by two, vertical. inverted four
ylinder qundruple-eypanson. direct. acting
o. III. and 80 inches respectiveiy. " with n
common stroke OF 10 inches. The .propeiiina
nd circulating pump engines will have about
ngines making about 412 revolutions Der
minute The main valves will be Of the piston
ri be fitted with. slide valves. The two
olers will each be In wat er- tight compart,
nent Will consist OF one fixed tube in the bow.
wo dlvereing tubes in training circle aft. and
re for the new 1S-inch Whitehead torpedoos.
In giving these details, Mr.. Wilson. formerly
hief Naval Constructor adds that he ICON. |
iders, 1t a source Of congratuation that it
houid be possible to build vessels OF this class
point so far removed from the seaboard |
nd where In time OF war torpedo boats
], nder % construction would be safe from the
he whole. 10 one Of the chief points to observe
regard to the Ericsson.