The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-10-23
THE DAY is NEAR.
Preparing to Launch the Battle-Ship
Oregon.


ship Oregon when viewed from the
platform surrounding her ponderous
frame, about which circle swsrms Of
mechanics too busy to stop to talk and
too intent upon the work Of preparing
the big vessel for her first dip in the
waters Of the bay of San Francisco.
Planted firmly upon the stocks some
thirty feet above the surface of the
ground, the Oregon looks like monster
turtle lying upon its back. There are
no graceful lines or sweeping curves to
admire. Simply a broad expanse of
rlveted iron plates greet the eye, i'm
pressing the sight.seeker with the
enormous strength and solidity of the
auleship. Viewed from a distance
the Oregon assumes a most attractive
appearance. Strength and speed are
examplifed in every detail of her con-
struCtion.
The day of the launching of the
Oregon is drawing near. 1t has not
been definitely determined upon, but
it is not very distant. Two of the fairest
daughters Of the Webfoot State have
been selected to press the button that
shall send the big ship slipping down
the ways and to christen her in the
name of the people of the Pacific
Coast.
Pretty Miss Eugenia Shelby, daughter
of Eugene Shelby, assistant superinten-
dent of Wells, Fargo & Co.'S express at
Portland, will press the button, and
Miss Daisy Ainsworth, daughter of
Captain Ainsworth of the Ainswcrth
National Bank, Portland, will do the
rest.
As a fighting ship the Oregon will be
capable of defending herself in any
position. She can concentrate the fire
of six heavy guns on any point of
attack, and her supplementary batteries
are sufficiently powerful, if focused
upon a given point of attack, to crush
in hve-inCh armor.
Naval experts claim that the S.inch
and 6-nch rifles of the battle. ship will
do more execution in an attack on
fort or earthwork than her I3inch
guns. The reason for this suppositon
| is that stone or metal cannot resist the
constant concentrated fire of an S-inch
h-nfNC nc inns al
the defense to recover from the shock
of a broadside from such a battery
before another round is fired. The
rapidly with which battery of light
rifle guns can be handled offsets their
lesser penetrative power.
The British gunboat Temeraire
silenced tine Citadel at Alexandria by
the concentrated fire of its 6 and s inch
guns in a few hours bombardment.
This same stronghold had been sheled
for twenty tour hours by some of the
heaviest guns in the British squadron
without any apparent effect.
The battle-ship Oregon is built to
make rapid fire at close range, and
will also be equipped to stand off an
enemy at long range. The Oregon's
II3-inch guns will be mounted in bar
bettes, and all four of these can be
fused for either a starboard or port
broadside. Secondary batteries of
rapid-fre Hotchkss and Gatling guns
are mounted in the military top and the
superstructure. About dozen Hotch
kiss rapid-lire cannon can be brought
to bear simultaneously upon AN ap.
proaching torpedo boat or boarding
crew, a Hotchklss rapid-fire gun
throwing 6 or II pound conical bullet
can, in the hands Of an experienced
lgunner, be made to shoot with the ac
curacy of an ordinary rifle in the hands
of hunter. -Four men usually consti.
tute the crew of a. rapid fire gun, and
these can load, aim and fire the piece
at the rate of about thirty shots q
minute and do good execution.
At Taltal, Chile, during the recent
revolution, the fourteen-pound rapid.
fire guns of the torpedo cruiser AL.
mirante Lynch silenced a land battery
Of twenty four and sixty Founders il
fifteen minutes.
The Oregon can have every availabl,
structure above her deck line ano
superstructure, not including her bar.
bcttes, shot away and be in as good
fighting trim as ever
A special committee from the Port
land Chamber cf Commerce will b,
present at the launching. 1t is tn,
intention Of this b. dy to donate
suitable sum e money for the rurchas,
of an elegant souvenir for the cccasic
: on behalf of the people Of Oregon.
"The launching tf the FIRST battle
ship ever constructed on the Paci6,
Coast will be an event for specia
notice." said Mr. Scott. "OregoI
people intend to lend hand to max,
t it SUCH Call.
A bottle has been found on the coas
of Brazil with a paper inside whicI
says that the NaTonlc loundered in tn,