Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-11-01
UNCLE SANS PET DESTROYER
Biggest WarShD Owned by the Government
Launched at San Francisco.

SAN Francisco, Cal, Oct. 26.-Sho,tlv
before noon to-day the battleship Ore
gon, the first vessel of her class con-
structed on the Pacific coast was
launched from the ways at the
Union iron works in the presence
of one Of the greatest crowds Of
people which ever assembled there
to witness similar event. Th" repre-
sentatives of the army and navy, city
officials, general government and of the
states Of California and Oregon and a
laage number of invited guests were
present in the shipyard, while on every
stand and on every hillside and house
top from which view of the works
could be obtained, thousands Of enthu-
siastic spectators were gathered.
That part of the bay directly in front
Of the Union iron works were entirely
occupied by great fleet Of steamboats,,
tugs and craft OF every description all
decorated with bunting and loaded
down with hundreds of people eager
to witness the ceremonies. A number
OF small government vessels were
among the throng in the bay, and at
the moment the last shores were
knocked away and the several thousand
tons of steel commenced to glide down
the ways, q hundred salutes were fired,
bands of music played national airs,
thousands Of spectators gave cheer after
cheer, and every steam whistle within
a mile of the works joined in the chorus.
The launch was entirely successful, and
the new battleship now lies in a little
lagoon in front Of the Union iron works
awaiting her completion which will be
pushed as raDidlv as nOSSih [n
The Oregon is what is technically
known as a sea-going coast line battle
ship and is the most powerful ship in
the United States navy. Her dimen-
6iOns are: Length over all, 348 feet;
load waterline, 800 feet; breadth, SO
feet inches; draught, "A feet; dis
placement, 10, 298 tons; maximum horse
power 5000. She will have maximum
speed of 1872 knots and will carry
crew Of 400 men. Her cost, exclusive
of armament is 100000. The arma-
ment consists of four 13-inch, eight
S-inch and four 6-inch breech-loading
FOUNDER and six 1-pounder rapid-fre
guns, two Cuttings, and also six
torpedo tubes. The 13-inch and
S-inch guns are mounted in turrets.
The Oregon's armor is very heavy.
There is a belt of steel from three feet
above the load water-line to four and a
half feet below it extending 1876 feet
amidships, protecting the engines and
boilers. Above this belt is another 5
inches thick extending to the main
deck. From the ends Of the
18-inch belt to the extremi-
ties Of the ship is pro-
tective deck 8 inches thick, and an
other armored deck q inches thick.
The turrets for the 13-inch guns are in
two parts under redoubt II inches
thick, and above this is in lined armor of
the same thickness. The 8-inch turrets
are similarly built with inclined ar
NOR varying from 81 to 6 inches
in thickness. There is also a con- plete
system Of coal protection, cellular sub
division and gun shields. Under the
engines and boilers are four bottoms,
and double bottoms elsewhere. The
capacity at the designed draught is 400
tons, but the bunker capacity is 1900
tons.