The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-09
NOW FOR THE KATAHDIE,
The Nest Candidate for n Trial Run over
the Eonx EsIsnd Course.

The Nest Candidate for n Trial nun Over
the Long Isiand Course.
WASHINGTON, Dec. s.-The ordering OF the
ram Katahdin to the dry dock In Boston is pre-
liminary to her being made ready for her speed
test in Long Island Sound.
A peculiar interest attaches TO this vessel, as
being the first OF its type ever constructed cx-
pressly and exclusively for ramming. A British
authority has spoken of her as the pioneer Of a
class in which American enterprise takes the
lead. Her construction may be ascriSed 20 sew
eral causes, prominent among them being the
coast defence necessities pressing upon our sys-
TEN OF naval construction and the persistent
advocacy of rams by Admiral Ammen, to whose
studies and efforts the construction OF the Ka-
tahdin is so largely due. Indeed at one time
there was talk Of calling her the Ammen, but
the name of the noble mountain Of the Pine
Tree State, where che has boon built, was Sc
lected instead.
She was authorized nearly half a dozen years
ago, under the act of March g, 1889; but delay
ensued in preparing the plans for such a novelty,
and not until Oct. 1s, 1890, were bids upon her
called for. They were opened Dec. 20 following,
aud on Jan. %, 1901. n contract was signed for
her construction with the Bath Iron Works, the
builders of the gunboats Machias and Castine.
They had been the only bidders, and the price
We S"'NsVNN " tiAh ihuNliuCTls
The original design called for a vessel 243 feet
long, and of about 1850 tons displacement; but
the contractors proposed to add about eight feet
to her length. and this WAS approved by the
Navy Department, as tho additional space could
be utilized by giving her many tons more of coal
capacity at normal draught, thus increasing
her steaming radius, and also giving greater
berthing space for the crew. At the same time,
instead Of the proposed ram with q removable
head. a solid steel casting for the stem was au-
thorized, which, it was believed, would give
greater strength In ramming as well as bettsr
manuuvring qualities. The height Of the con-
ming tower was also increased.
The katahdin, us she Is now, may be described
rs a twin screw, armor-plated, steel, harbor de-
designs. She is $50 feet q inches long, with I3
feet . inches extreme breadth and 10 feet main
Her engines. Of the Vertical. triple EXPANSION
type, are designed for 4, 800 maximum indicated
horse power and a speed Of u knots: For each
two consecutive hours, with an air pressure in
the fire room not exceeding "a inches of water.
and with the vessel weighted to a mean draught
of 10 feet, the contractors will. receive SIS 900.
But, instead OF a similar deduction OF S15 goo
per quarter knot for falling below an average of
IL knots. she is to DO rejected altogether.
Here. then, are two. unusual stipulations, one
of them being a trial Of two hours instead OF
her contract speed. a third is that even the
premiums ,iSSd upon are Ts, to be subject to the
failure Of the act of March 2, 1889, to provide
for premiums. Practically, there is no doubt
that Congress Will grant any bonus that may
be earned. the omission to provide for one
being presumably accidental, and it is also prob
able that Congress would authorize the accep-
Gnce of the vessel on the payment OF penalties
for Shortcomings in speed, although no fear Is
expressed that she will fail to reach her contract
requirements.
Turning TO other features of the vessel, the
normal coal supply OF the katahdin is i75 tons
with l92. 10 rs her bunker capacity. With her
bunkers full and ready for sea, her maximum
draught aft is sixteen feet. To make her ready
Of Z f agr1,sn' s.iacS Kingston Valves one ne inc in each usS
transverse compartment, with siuice valves in
the vertical keel and also in tho longltudinals OF
her compartments
The longitudinal and bracket system Is used in
tue collision bulkhead to the stern. The longi-
tndinals and girders supporting the deck are con-
tinuous, conyerglng TO the stem easting and to
costal. 4 description OF her original plan. by
Constructor Wilson. stated that the vertical
side OF the vertical keel, are to be water-tight,
forming. transversely. y compartments. these
being divided longitudinally by water tight
frames. By this means the space between the
inner and outer skin is subdivided into 72 COM
B B%TR Psads 0e, Tne ,r inner .fIh and and iSSe esk a1mSr
a total OF lO1 COMPARTMENTS In the vessel"
Above her turtle-back deck only her coming
tower, which Is Is inches THICK, her smoke pipe
aad her yentilators. with the hatch coamlnGs
and skid beams for the boats, will show, As a
defence against torpedo. craft she will carry
four small O-pOundcr rifles. but her offensive
weapon is her ram. Her curved deck will help
To defect shot. and is of good resisting qualities.
The outside strake of the deck armor Is q
inches thick. and the next inboard tapers from
5Js 10 ~. which last is the thickness for the re-
mainder, including the lower course of plating.
The side armor is two strakes in depth, the upper
one u inches thick, and tho lower q inches. The
matches have armored plates, and the smoke
pipe and VentilatOrs u inches OF armor, that OF
the coming tower being IL inches.
The Katahdin's engines are in separate COM
partments, and each Is wholly independent OF
the other. The cylinder diameters are 20, 81,
and SO inches, with a common stroke OF 36
inches. The boilers are intended for a working
pressure OF 100 pounds 70 the square inch,
and besides two double-ended Scotch boilers,
22I9 feet long and l3l2 feet in diameter, there Is
a single-ended boiler of the same diameter and
lI6 feet long. The forced drauGht is ON the
closed hre-rOOm system. The propellers are
three-bladed of manganese bronze.
Attention has been given 10 the comfort and
convenience of officers and men, which is an i'm
engine and fire rooms exhaust the foul air,
and fresh air Is supplied from the main ven
tilator through air ducts led along the under
side OF the deck. Any apartment can DO
pumped out by the steam pumps, and the electric
lighting will be arranged IN duplicates. so as TO
provide for accidents,
When the katahdin was launched in the
presence ofnearly 10000 people there were about
a foot of snow on the ground and a brisk. wind,
and the mercury was below zero. Her trial trip
Is likely 10 come also in wintry weather,
although IL will hardly rival the Maine temper
ature OF February, when she took TO the water,