The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-03

THE NEW RAM KATAHDIN, DESIG
in the world exclusively for ramming, a
great interest attaches to this huge needle
OF steel. and, not only in this country, but
in Europe. will the test of her capacities
be closely examined. A British authority
has already spoken of the Katahdin as the
pioneer of class in which America has
taken the lead.
From an unofficial trial early this week
there seems no doubt but that the ram will
more than meet requirements. Travelling
easily at eleven knots an hour, she pro-
ceeded down the river twelve miles to the
sea. No attempt was made to speed her. as
this was the first test of both hull and engines
away from the dock. 1t was quickly developed
that the ram is very sensitive 10 her helm, the
hull answering instantly to the slightest change,
and turning completely within twice its length.
So quickly would the stern swing around at
times that tie side cutting the water would be
covered with flying waves, while a solid wall OF
water followed TO fill the hollow made by the
swiftly swinging huh OFF the mouth of the
river a gentle sea was running, and into this
the ram was butted TO try her In the waves.
she sIoOd the test splendidly, her sharp nose
piercing each wave and tossing its portions
back upon her roun ding deck, whence they
slid OF as quickly they had struck. Not
wave could get within yards OF the coming
tower. Later she was turned broadslde TO the
sea, but instead Of rolling, as many expected
she would. the ram proved 10 be very steady
that ever went out of the kennebec
Altogether the ram showed remarkable !,
struciion. The forced draught was not
tried al all ana for half an hour under natural |
draugnt the ram moved at the rare of. fourteen |
and Il half knots. AT no time was the boiler |
pressure within thirty pounds of the allowed |
pressure. The passage through the water was |
clean-cut and the wake left was beautiful The |
rams bottom is now badly foul. She will be |
taken to the navy-yard at Charlestown, Mass, |
within few days, where she Will be prepared |
for the official speed trial, which will occur on |
Long Island Sound, of New London. Admiral |
will make eighteen knots.
Description of tn. Ram.
The katahdn as she lies now al her dock |
practically finished, Is 200 feet aud . inches |
long; 43 feet and inches inside at her wild |
est part, with 10 feet main dranght and hay |
Ing a displacement of 2155 tons. She Is a |
twin-screw, steel and armor plated. Her en- !
gines are Of the vertical triple expansion type,
ana are designed for 1900 max mum indicated |
horse power The normal coal supply is l75 |
tons. with 1920 as ner bunker capacity. !
With her bunkers fun aud ready for sea the |
maximum draft is 16 feel. She is designed /
when preparing for an engagement 10 be partly !
submerged by the use OF fourteen 8-inch King |
ston valves, one In each transverse comparl- |
ment, with slulce valves In the vertical Keel
and also in the longitudinals OF her compart-
ments.
The bracket and longitudinal system is used I
in the hull, with an inner bOathead to the stern.
The longtudinals and girders supporting the |
deck are continuous, converging to the Stem
casting and TO the stern, The frames and beams |
longnudinals and armor shelf on each side OF |
the vertical keel are waIer-tighl, forming
transversey, six compartments. these being
divided loDgiudinaliy by water-tight frames.
BY this means the space between the inner and |
outer skin is divided into seventy-two COM
partments The transverse and longitudinal
bulkheads between the inner skin and the deck
armOr divide this space into thirty compart-
ments, making total Of 1O2 COMPARTMENTS In
the vessel.
Above the rounding deck only the coming
tower. with 1S.inch armOr. The smoke-pipe
ventlatOrs and skid beams for the boats will
show. AS means of defense against light |.
craft, such as torpedo boats, the Karahdin will
carry four 6-pounder rifles. She will probably |
suffer but little should she ever enter an en-.
gagement, for she offers but poor target, /
being so nearly all under water as she Is ana |
with the part exposed so shaped that square !
impoct of a shot Is impossible. The outside |
stroke Of the deck armor is inches thick. ana +
the next lnbOard tapers from 512 TO 21s, which !
last Is the thickness for the remainder, includ- |
ing the lower course of plating. The side armor |
Is two strokes IN depth, the upper six inches /
thick and the lower one three inches. TIE |
matches have armOred plales and the smoke |
pipes and ventilators have 6.lnches Of armor. |
Great Powers of the Kstahdin.
The Katahdin's engines are In separate COM |
eartments and each Is wholly independent of i
the other The cylinder diameters are %, SO |
and SO inches. with common stroke OF SO |
inches. The boilers are Intended for a working /
pressure of 160: pounds 10 the square inch |
and besides two double. ended Scatch boilers,
2212 feet long and 1872 feet in diameter; there
Is a siDgle-ended boiler of. the same diam
eter and 111s feet long. The forced |
draught is on the closed" tireroom system. /
The propellors are three blaced aud of !
manganese bronze, 10 feet and 6 inches in
diameter. The quarters for officers and men
are In the stern of the ram. and everything
conditions, although the space is small. Blowers L
IN the engine and fire room will exhaust the
foul air and fresh air is supplied from the main
Ventilator through air ducts led along fhe under
side OF the deck. Any apartment can be
pumped. out by The steam pumps, and the
electric lighting will be arranged IN duplicate.
so astO provide against accidents.
The kalahdin Will be her own offensive
weapon. When she makes her impact ar sew
enteen or eighteen knots she Will strike a blow
OF 4OO, QO0-foOt tons, force. capable. her de-
signers aDd.bullders claim, of sending any craft
that floats Immediately tothe bottoms: Admiral
Ammen, IN labprihg and working so long as he
did for the construction OF this aft, always
maintained that i've such vessels could police
our coast sufficiently against any naval force
that could be Sent against-us. He alsoclaimed,
and IL Is undoubtedly true, that the i've rams
could b. maintained as cheaply as one battle.
ship. Should the Katahdln show herself enough
of a success TO warrant the construction of |
similar vessels IT not at all improbable that
attempts will. be made to tit the ram bows OF
such vessels with automobile projectiles Or the
Edison submarine gun. II
A leading English naval author ty has stated l.
that OF all Instances of ramnng in naval ell
gagements the offensive vessel has suffered at |
least as much as the vessel struck in seven out
of ten cases. But, nevertheless. England has
several vessels in her navy fitted with rams
although she has none for the exclusive use OF
ramming. aud the same Is true Of all the Davies
of Europe, many OF the leading warships being
filled with ram hnMs. infended for Use IL ar,ranr.