The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-03-15
Our BIGGEST VESSEL
The Huge Indiana Successfully
Launched at Philadelphia.
Full Description Of Our First
Real Battleship.

The great United States pattie-snip lnoi-
ana was successfully launched at the snip
yard Of the William Cramp & Sons COM
pauy, Philadelphia. Penn, in the presence
of thousands Of people, among them tne
President of the United States several
members Of the Cabinet and quite largo
delegation Of Congressman and othera
The Presidential party came from Masn-
and Ohio Railroad. Among the visitors
were Secretary OF the Navy Tracy, fost
master-GeneraI Wanamaker, Attorney
General Miller and his daughter, Miss Js
sic, the fair christener; Senators voornees
and Turpie, Of Indiana in honor OF which
State the vessel Is named), and others.
The christening party proceeded to wnere
the battle ship lay and took positions on
raised platform at the bow.
Just as the 1900 tons OF steel started ooWn
the incline, Miss Miller broke the customary
bottle ofchampague, it being encased 10 q
beautifully hand painted aud embroidered
satin cover, across the bow and firmly SAID:
II christen thee Indiana"
Whistles shrieked. bells rang ana toe
crowd cheered and waved handkercaiess am
flags. ISIS. -, 49,
The huge coast defence ship slid down ths
well-4reased ways with comparative rapio-
ity and struck the smooth watsrs OF tue
Delaware River with force that sent waves
high into the air. Then she was tower oacx
to the wharves, and In about year VIII %
ready for service and turned over to the
Government
The keel Of the Indiana was laid on May
Z, 1891, being the first Of the three vessels
authorized BY the act Of Congress approved
June 80, 1890. The principal dimensions
are: Length of load line, 348 feet; extreme
beam, 50 feet inches; draught on level keei,
"a feet. The vessels displacement VIII Do
10. 2sS tons. She Is built Of steel and has
double bottom for distance OF l96 feet, e4'
tending for the length covred by tho ma
chinery and magazine Spaces
Thus all the vital portions are amply pro-
tected, and every feature Is provided TO ena.
BILE her to cope successfully with vesseis nc or
the heaviest armor and armsment. Inc
armament Of the Indiana is four thirteen
inch breech.loading rifles eight eight-inch
ech-loading rifles, nine ax-inch breech-
loading rifles, twenty six-pounder rapid tire
guns. four one-pounder rapid fire guns, fodr
Gatling guns, SIX torpedo tubes.
All the guns are protected by the latest
inyentions from the fire Of an enemy. The
rapid.flre guns are 50 arranged that q radi.
,tino fire Of shot may be thrown around the
vesse The four thirteen-inch and the eight
eight-inch guns are mounted in pairs within
si9 turrets. two Of which are erected upon
The main deck and the remaining four
upou the superstructure deck, the FORMER
Containing the larger and the latter the les
ser guns. The turrets are all mounted In
redoubts...
The ;armor of the Indiana, which was
made at the works OF the Bethienem iron
Company. Is the heaviest tna' was ever
The following figures show the thickness
NJ the platinq: Thickness OF the side belt Is
is inches. thickness Of end diagonal belt IA
inches thickness Of thirtsen-inch breech-
loading rife redoubts II inches, thickness
of eieht-inch breech-loading rifle redouots
inches and 10 inches. thickness OF coming
touer 10 inches. thickness Of cunning tower
tube 7 inches, thickness OF easement
inches. thickness of eight-inch 6reech-
loading rifle turrets S.5 inches ana lncnes,
thickness of sixinch breech'loading rins
local protection 5 inches. THICKNESS OF
twenty-pounder local protecIon iacless
thickness OF armor deci 2.70 Inches ana
inches. -.
In addition to the armor protection t1e
ENGINES will he protected by the coal IN the
bnnkers. measuring twelve feet on each
side hack of the side armor. Each boiler ana
engine is in a separate watertight compart-
ment in order tc localize any possible IN
jury. The engines are Of the twin.Screw,
vertical, triple:expansion, inverted cylinder
type. .. ,,,,ou,s.
High pressure, 34.5 inches; intermediate. 4s
inches: low pressure, IS inches; stroke, -
inches. There are four double ended boilers,
1915 inches in diameter, and Two SINGLE
ended boilers donkey s1xlo inches IN OIL
ameter. The normal coal supply Is 400 tons,
but a coal bunker capacity OF lSOo tons s
provided. ,.
The vessel, according to contract, must
develop speed OF sixteen knots per hour,
and thus with q full coal supply will be aole
TO steam for ten days, giving her ranlus
of action of about 1910 knots. The compie-
ment Of the vessel, officers and crew will os
46O persons. Good quarters and accommo-
datfons ara provided for them, and all tne
latest sanitary improvements VIII be placed
on the battle ship.
The Indiana Is designed especially as
yessal to fight and to do no running away at
ali. and it Is the opinion Of those acquaineea
with marine architecture as applied to war
ships that she will answer fully the purpose
Tor which she was built.