The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-30
THE LAST RIVET.
The Olympia IS Nearly
Completed.
ONLY HER BATTERY WANTED
The Arnor Plate Inquiry Is
Causing Delay.
BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR FINISH.
The New Cruiser Will Be the Pride
of the Pacific Built
Squadron.

whether she will be sent to Mare Island 10
receive her guns. or whether the work will
be let TO tie Union Iron Works.
The cruisers turrets have not yet been
armored, aud some delay has been eX-
perienced on account Of the aFmor-plate
investigation that is now pending.
Barring the plates, condition OF her tur-
refs and the mounting Of her battery, the
Olympia is practically finished vessel
She can truthfuIly be pronounced the most
comfortable ship Of all tie tine heet turned
out by the Scots.
The Olympia has received a coat of fresh
white paint and looks as pretty as young
girl in a spring costume She Is now ready
10 become an active member OF the white
SQUADRON, ana will in the near future
have an opportunity TO show how easily
she can reel of tWenty-ODe knots, ana Keep
Ii up. when pursued by anything that
enters with her in race.
TIE Olympia, like all modern warshlpS,
is q cumpl Gated mass OF intricate mdcniu-
erV. So numerous are the many mover
appliances for working the cruiser that Ii
would require columns uf space TO describe
each IN detail. II VIII be sufficient 10 give
some idea OF her interior finish.
Starting on the port side JUST aft OF the
gaugWay that leads from the dock 10 the
vessel the first thing worthy OF noLice Is
lie galley Never WAS q u5 HliuS-SIIp W.
piled with such q galley as that on the
Olympia. 1t actually makes one hungry
10 look at it 1t is situated on the main
deck amidships, just under the super
structure, and consequently is conspicuous
t. person entering from this deck.
Jacks pea SCUM CaldrOn Is 10 ordinary
affair, hut a big polished kettle that is
securely fastened q place by polished brass
IlX!ugs An omen ireWOTk structure sur
rounds the forward part of he cookTOOm
and insures the cook and his assistants
plenty of fresh air and freedom from
Odors that might arise. All the galley
cables, sinks and water faucets are finished
in brass and copper, and Shlna like new
dollar. II may seem like nautical
sacrilege to mention the cook before speak
Ing o. the admiral. but most men consider
their stOmachs first, be they seamen or
landsmen. The prospective admiral OF The
- Olympia will pardon any seeming disregard
Tor MS importance.
Lieutenant j. y. Jordan. the Govern
ment inspector Of steel fittings, ana
the gentleman who has charge Of the
electrical work on the ship, courte Ously
showed The reporter through the OlyH pia
and skillfuily explained every detail Of her
etructIOn.
The admirars and captains quarters
are On the main deck under the after part
the finish of these officers quarters how
careful have been the builders 10 render
them substantial and handsome. The
woodwork is ali of polished hardwood
that resembles antique oak. Il IS beautl-
fully joined and gives the different rooms
an air Of elegance and comfort.
The captains and admiTaps rooms are
on the starboaTd and port side Of he ship re-
speciively. their separate messTOoms lying
- between, ana can be divided al will by a
set of folding doors. The messrnoms are
each provided with an elegant sidebOard
manufactured OF the same material as the
surrounding woodwork.
Forward of these several apartments are
bathrooms, the commanding officers
pADtrIes and engineers office that Is con-
nected with the desk OF The master of arms
. on the protected deck by a telephone.
Between the admlTaPs and captain s
section and the galley are two elevator
tubes for hosting ammunition to the main
deck guns. These will be worked by
electric motors. There are ten 5-inch
guns Oh this deck to be supplied.
The fire and water alarm board is lust
forward Of the galley and VIII be USED IN
case Of an alarm Of fire or an intrusion Of
wat ter into any part OF the ship.
Down the COmpau ionWay to the berth
deck; here in the part of the ship about
under the forward end of the superstruc-
tire and On the star5oard and port sides,
Is where the bluejackets will sling their
hammock hooks. and arranged all along
the main deck are braces ready for the
sailors sleeping bags"
The quarters of all the officers, except
that IF The admiral and captain. are on this
deck There are sixteen stalerOOms in all,
ranged eight on a SIDE aud teTmIn atlng al
the after end IN spacious wardroom.
The line officers are on the srarboerd
quarter and the commanding officers on
the port.
Lavatores, pantries and other minor
compartments must be mentioned, as all
are fitted in the same handsome manner
as are the rooms on the main deck. Every
stateroOm is, Of course, furnished with
electric lights, stationary basins and big,
wide berIhs.
There are two portable blowers on the
berth deck that can be moved 10 any part
Of the ship and used for ventfallng pur-
poses. Receptacle pipes for the blowers
are connected al over the craft.
Still another descent TO the protective
deck. Here the cellu!Ose armOr defend,
the vItals Of the great war engine on both
sides for some distance below and several
feet above the water line.
The after tOTpedO-TOOm has two tubes,
one On each side The after paSsing-roonI
Is connected with the after turrets and the
central station" by telephone.
Central station is Oh the starbOard side
on the machinery deck, and is similar, on
small scale, TO the central offices of a
telephone company. From the coming
tower the admiral gives all of his orders
Il central station during action, ana the
man on duty there repeats them to the
dluerent gun captains and other officers al
their respective posts.
On tue deck below the protective one
finds himself confused by the complex
machinery that is TO work the ship. The
place Is study in Itself. The main en-
glnes, o0iler-rOom, gear that reyoIyes the
tuTTets and the dVnamO-room are All worth
special inspection.
Lieutenant Ordan takes particular pride
Ia the dynamo-room, which he prononnceS
''as pretty dynamo-room as can be fonnd
in the service"
There are four siXteen-kiIo Watt dvna.
mos IN the place. Nearly six miles OF wire
Tadiate from the switchboard. all formin 9
pulling system that IS operated NV the
electrician in charge.
On the extreme after end of this dec, is
situated a supplementary steering gear
that can be worked by hand or hy steam,
The gear is below the water line. and viii
be nsed in the event of all the gear above
deck being shot away. In this submarine
pilOt-house the helmsman enjoys safety
from everything but torpedoes.
Ascending from the bowels of tn,
olympia TO the superstructure deck twt
box-lIke structures with polished brass
covers are noticed on either side abreas
the coming tower Under the brass lid
are the control boards for the amidshil
searchIights, Which have to be maniDu