Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-25
The Maine May Go in Commission
in Four Months.
NEAR COMPLETION OF THE MONITORS
Preparing New Engines for the
Chicago.
THE OLD Ian AS T E R

as the North Atlantic station Is fam1harly
called by those in the service, has left
this important naval station without a
ship in commission, and yet there is work
enough on the ships building here to oc-
cupy the energies of the several hundred
workmen that make up the force Of the
yard.
The most prominent of these ships in
course of construction is the battle ship
Maine, which had her trial trip several
months ago. Since that time her gun
mounts have been put in place and the
heavy armor turrets have been nearly
completed. The Maine will probably be
ready to go in commission in about four
months
Two small torpedo boats, which she will
carry in cradles on her deck, to be lowered
over the side when needed for service, are
nearly completed, and they will form quite
an important part of her armament. When
about to engage an enemy In battle these
torpedo boats. each carrying a Whitehead
automobile torpedo ready for instant use,
will be lowered over the side. During the
early part Of the engagement they will
be kept on the lee side of the battle ship
ready to dart out under cover of the smoke
or when a favorable occasion presents
Itself, and fire their destructive weapon.
Importance of the Torpedo.
When we consider the active part taken
by the torpedo boats in the war between
Japan and China. the relative value of the
torpedo Is greatly increased, as about one
half of the large number of Chinese ships
destroyed or sunk by the Japanese were
30 destroyed by the use of the Whitehead
torpedo. Many ships in the foreign navies
carry small torpedo boats, but the Maine
and the Texas of the same date. now build
ing at the Norfolk navy yard, will be the
first so provided in our navy.
A constant complaint advanced by older
officers, who have served much Of their
sea duty in the roomy old wooden vessels
Is the lack of room for quarters, both fer
the officers and men. in the new steel ships,
where everything seems given over to the
tangle of machinery that gives the great
speed constantly demanded. But this OBJ
lection will not be made to the Maine for
her'large width of beam makes it possible
to give plenty of room to all.
The Two Monitors.
The other ships building here now are the
double turreted monitors Puritan and Ter
ror. OF these the Terror Is nearer compile
ton, as her four great guns are mounted.
two in each turret, and the armored tops
to the turrets are nearly completed. These
harbor defense monitors have been expen-
sive to our government and the labor and
material used in their construction would
have built several fine cruisers-which most
naval experts agree in claiming to be much
more effective. They are poor sea boats,
and their principal use will be found in
harbor defense. In fact, the principal rea-
son for furnishing them at all seems to be
that too much had already been expended
upon them to be thrown away. The only
one completed so far is the Miantonomoh,
which was kept in commission for nearly
two years. but was not found to be adapted
to the cruising duty demanded of a man-of-
n q n hn ar1lfc fN1
force allowed by law were needed for the
new cruisers, she was put out of commits
sion and laid up at the League Island
navy yard, ready to be manned II war
should make it necessary.
The ones now building of approximately
the same type as the Miantonomoh are the
Puritan ana Terror, at this yard, the Am
pfitrite, at the Norfolk yard, and the Mo-
Eadnock on the west coast, at the Mare
Island yard. When these are completed it
is not likely that any more of this class
will be built.
Building the ChicnSO's Engines.
In the engineering department Of this
yard the new engines for the Chicago are
being built. The Chicago, 1t will be re-
membered, was one of the first ships Of the
lew navy and was built by John Roach, at
Chester Pa. Her engines were even then,
over ten years ago, OF an old type, and,
though the ship has done much good ser
America and Europe, it has been decided
that her speed and efficiency would be
greatly increased by replacing her old pat
tern engines, with the latest variety Of
triple expansion engines. The lines of the
ships are good for speed, and it is thought
that with new engines and boilers she can
make nearly twenty knots per hour, where
as ~her present speed is not much above
fourteen knots. She has been for two years
on the European station, where her cap
tain and officers were feted and dined al
most every place she went, especially in
English ports. She was relieved a few
weeks ago by the San Francisco. and
after the board of inspection has visited
her. she will probably be put out of COM
mission, and her crew transferred to other
ships.
The Lancaster to BE RecomBlissiOned.
Since her return. six months ago, from
duty as the flagship Of the Asiatic station.
the old Lancaster has been tied up along
side the dock here. Her hull and decks
have been thoroughly overhauled and 1t is
intended to mount modern battery on
her and put her In commission again for
service in the tropical climates, where
wooden slips are more comfortable and
economical than iron ones. or else 10 use
her as a gunnery ship for the naval ap-
prentice boys at Newport
The Old Portsmouth.
Another old ship which has seen her
last service. in all probability, under the
stars and stripes Is the old sailing ship
Portsmouth, which went out of commits
sion several months ago here, and since
then has been tied up, waiting to be
sold, probably, or she may be loaned to
some naval militia organization for drill
ship, as has been done with several other
Old ships OF the navy.
The Zig Dry Dock.
Since the ships have left for the annual
winter cruise in the tropics of the West
Indies and Central America, more atten-
ton Is paid to the various improvements
projected In different parts Of the yard
OF these the most important is the big dry
dock, which has been under construction
for two years, by private firm. that took
the contract to complete it some months
ago. The work has progressed slowly, and
1t now seems that it will be over year be-
fore the dock will be completed. The i'm
portance of this dock viii be appreciated
when it is understood that the government
has at present no dry dock large enough
to dock the Oregon, Massachusetts, and
Indiana, the big battle ships now rapidly
nearing completion at Cramps ship yard
in Philadelphia. AS it now looks. the bat
tie ships will be completed long before the