Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-28
NOVEL CONSTRUCTION.
New Ram That VIII BE Watched With
Great Interest.

The next warship to be added to the
United States navy is the ram Katahdin,
now being prepared for her official speed
test in Long Island sound. Special inter-
est attaches to the approaching trial in
view of the fact that the Katahdin is the
first vessel of its type being constructed
expressly and exclusively for ramminS.
Because of this fact, she is referred to
as the pioneer of a class in which Ameri-
can enterprise has taken the lead. Her
construction was authorized about six
years ago, but there was a delay in the
preparation of the necessary plans be-
cause of their novelty. and it was not un-
til January, 1891, that the contract for her
construction Was entered into with the
Bath iron works, builders of the gun
boats Machias and Castine. The cost of
hull and machinery was fixed at SG50,OOO.
New Model.
The Katahdln may be des cribed gener-
ally as twin screw, armor-plated, steel,
harbor defense ram. She was built upon
designs submitted by Rear Admiral Am
men, She is go feet inches long, 43 feet
inches in extreme breadth, and 15 feet
main draught, with a total displacement
OF 2,l55 tons. Her engines, of the vertical,
triple-expansion type, are designed for
4,So0 maximum Indicated horse power, and
a speed Of seventeen knots. For each
quarter knot in excess of that speed rate
the contractors will receive $4,000. But
instead of a similar deduction of $1,000
per quarter knot for falling below an aver
age Of seventeen knots, she will, in that
event. be rejected altogether. This last is
an unusual stipulation, and another sngu-
lar thing about the contract is that even
the payment of premium is subject to
the approval of Congress. This provision
Is due to the failure of Congress to provide
for such payments.
Partly Submurged.
In order to put the ram in fighting po-
sition she has to be partly submerged, and
this will be accomplished by the use of
fourteen S-inch Kingston valves, one in
each transverse compartment, with sluice
valves in the vertical keel and also In the
longitudinals OF her compartments. The
longitudinal and bracket system is used
in the hull, with an inner bottom extend
ing from the collision buIkhead to the
stern. In describing her original plan
Naval Constructor Wilson said: ''The
vertical keel, two longitudinals, and ar
NOR shelf on each side of the vertical keel
are to be water-tight, forming transverse
ly six compartments, which are divided
longitudinally by water-tight frames. By
this means the space between the inner
and outer skin is subdivided into seventy
two compartments. The transverse and
longitudinal bulkheads between inner skin
and deck armor divide this space into thir-
ty compartments, making a total Of one
hundred and two compartments In the
vessel"
Experts Interested.
She has q turtle-back deck, above which
is a coming tower, eighteen inches thick,
smoke pipe and ventilators. with the
hatch coamings and skidbeams for the
boats, and nothing else. AS a defense
against torpedo craft, she will carry four
small six-pounder rifles. Her great ram,
however, is her only real weapon Of Of
fense. Special attention has been given
to the comfort and convenience of Off
GERS and men, which are matters of great
consderati ton in a vessel of this descrip-
ton. Her trial trip will be awaited with
considerable interest, not only by our own
naval officers, but by the constructors of
engines of war in all parts Of the world.