The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-08-24
NEW OCEAN STEAMSHIPS.

of fleet OF ocean gong sh1pS,
capable of the highest speed, and
constructed with special reference
to government naval service In
case of war. and enacted certain
special laws on the. subject. The
International Navigation company
of Philadelphia, were given au
thority to place two of its English
built vessels, the New York and
the Paris, under the American
flag Oh condition that other ships
of an equal or higher class should
be Immediately constructed III
this country. Contracts We're at
once entered into with the Cramps
for the construction of several new
vessels. two of which. the st.
Louis and the St. Paul, are fast
nearing completion.
These are the first trans Atlantic
passenger steamers to be con
structed in the United States for a
period of over twenty years, and
it is expected that they will sur
pass in every respect those vessels
plying the Atlantic under the
English and French flags. The
engines of these new steamers
will be the most powerful quad
ruple expansion marine engines In
the world. They are each ex
pected to develop about 10000
III. 2. Arrangements have been
made in each of the vessels for
carrying about 800 first class and
900 second class passenga arS, be
sides 900 emigrants.
In speaking Of the vessels, Mr..
Charles Ell. Cramp, in a paper rea!
before the American society Of
naval architects and marine EN-
.gineers, said: Il will not venture
prediction as to their probable
performance, but will guarantee
them to be perfectly safe, comfort
able and economical ships. They
are to be closely followed by OF her
ships, which | will not now de-
scribe, except to say that they will
not shrink from comparison or
competition. The st. Louis and
ST.. Paul have been especially ar
ranged so as to be readily and
quickly convertible into armed
cruisers, carrying eight 6-inch 100
pound rapid fire guns, and the
conditions of the mail contract be
tween the United States govern
ment and the International Navi-
cation company place at the dis
posal of the American these ships,
almost instantly convertible into
commerce destroyer, averaging
greater performance than the Col
umbia, which. with the three
others that are about to follow as
quickly as the plans can be COM
pleted, will practically reinforce
the United States navy by $2l,-
100000 worth of ships, and that
not only without the cost Of build
ing. but also without the cost OF
maintenance and commission in
time of peace. In conclusion,
allow me to say that these ships
will be American tr,m truck to
keelson. No foreign materials
enter into their construction.
They are of American model and
design, of American material and
are being built by American skill
and muscle"
When these ships are once
placed on the trans Atlantic line
the event will mark an important
epoch i'll the history of American
ship building. Of late years there
has been no congressional action
that has met with such hearty ap-
prOval from all sources, as has the
passage of the law which made it
possible for United States mail to
be carried in American bottoms
With what pleasure and with
what pride will every trne Amer
ican take passage upon one OF
those superb vessels, which he
knows has been constructed ex
clusively of American material
and by American workmen. Be
sides being comfortable and even
gorgeous in all their appointments
they will fly the American FLAG
and be officered by American gen
tlemen. The officers b-ing OF
American birth and possessed OF
gentlemanly instincts, will know
to address with proper curtesy
their fellow countrymen. An
American travelling now on the
English and French liners are sub
jected to all sorts of insults and
insolence from the snobs and cads
who, as rule, officer such ships
and who are neither gentlemen
themselves nor respect the rights
nf al