The sun., 1894-02-16
PI7TsBURG HIS PRIVATE GUyBoAE
A Light DrauKhs Steel Clad Craft 60 he
Built for Her Naval Militia.


Built for Her Naval Militia.
While q bill Is pending in Congress which
authorizes the Secretary OF tho Navy to furnish
to the naval militia OF any State Q spare vessel
for drill purposes. the Pittsburgh battalion is
taking means to supply Its own needs in that
particular.
This bit OF enterprise 10 the more n oteworthy,
not only as the first Of its Kind. but because
the Pittsburgh organization. known as Divis-
ion A. Second Battalion. OF tho Pennsylvania
Naval Militia, was only organized q few
months ago. The zeal with which It under
takes to provide itself with modern gunboat,
at an estimated cost OF $4,000. is accordingly
promising for its future. besides furnishing
a fresh evidence OF the hold which the naval
reserve organizations have upon popular In
forest.
1t is expected that the State will furnish a
part o! tho money for building and eGuipping
the vessel. since. after all. 1t IS practically O
floating armory Tor a locs! force; and tho Fed
eral Government Is likely enough to loan at
least part of the armament But this does
not detract from The merits OF tho project as
one OF private Initiation: and in fact 1t Is said
that about oEe-third OF tho amount required
for constructing the gunboat 10 already In the
hands OF tho Pittsburgh Organization. The
iron. steel and coal men OF tho place have also
Indicated purpose to see the project carried
through. and 1t is OK xpected that the vessel will
be ready for actual use during tho coming
season. Meanwhile. weekly infantry drills are
held ashore.
The proposed boat will be adapted OF course.
for service In the shallow waters about Pitts
burgh. and will accordingly be novel In char
acteE II will necessarily he OF very light
draught with bottom almost nat. and II will
and ar protected. The nath on on load i' wafer line
will he 100 feet. the extreme breadth 30 feet,
the draught forward about feet . inches. and
Pittsburgh D,sDd,ch:
hs HnsSinsy III nslgss . % rSpdsn,ins % den
iyIe ana the supplementary boiler wI be OF the
rec! ON framing. below the water line Ihe boilers
viii be proIseisl BY the coal which will be banked up
ne m.1 battery wiz sOnsi:. OF .,,lnsh Srsech
uemiiT anu arranged to ire over q low bAIbette Of
Sh BE- sP s aa
9 nsIry abSS on Soa 1aSs shf sIAnns a.. beng
one rapid IRE gun mounted on the spar dseg aud two
mAEa1,ne situated forward under the bArUetts below
Soy:I%s WI! ?: Of ,:. The hun vii, .: divided
T%GS: ana SsTa .%On; are situated sis "SS w -
ahcsrs anSrlsrs VII Ss nnsSsd M ysow DiSs. sse
where ssa.Tliy q .;: !aaisS IN; S.sii@s IN Ss
g%:g ms :sSssh S IN % n sSy.I:G SH Ts O st '9s Eo
steel when will constructed that heavier plates
he built when occasion requires IT, The hight
plate simply Intended g. serve for the present ARd
will DO protection against rifle and small cannon
bans The gCnboAI Nil be built By James Reese sons
OF this city.
THIS Eunboat will prove Of valuable service In time of
riot or Invasion nthe southsrn coast threatened
1t be stationed at the mouth OF the Aississppi
RIVER 10 tue proposed Ere canal 10 constructed the
boat eOnd be sent TO the lAEss In event Of Eith
England.
The project has, in fact a double interest.
first as indicating the energy OF naval re-
serve organization In providing Itself with .
vessel where the Government could hardly
furnish one. and secondly. As an experiment
IA constructing gunboats for inland harbor de-
fence.