The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-22
MARE ISLANDS NEW TUG
The UnadilIa Launched and
ChriStened at the Navy
Yard.
A Stanch Craft, With Steel Hull,
Designed for Deep-Sea
Service.

VALLEJO, CAL, Sept. 21.-The hand
some steel tug Unadilla was launched at
Mare Island at P. NJ. to-day before large
crowd of spectators, the officers, sailors,
marines and mechanics of the navy-yard.
She dropped away from her dry moor
ings without a hitch and slid rapidly down
into the water gracefully, and then it was
seen that the Unadilla was a comely vessel.
She was the first steel or iron vessel ever
launched from Mare Island, and for that
reason alone her entering into her new
home was cause of ceremonious observ-
ance and great reioicings.
Shortly before the appointed hour de-
tachments of marines, headed by the In
dependence band and field music, marched
to where the hull stood, near the ferry
slip, on the island front.
Then the workmen swarmed from their
many quarters until 1900 of them sur
rounded the lines of marines, and the peo-
pie from Vallejo added to the enthusiastic
gathering.
Miss English, the daughter of Congress
man English, named the boat and pres
emily the UnadilIa slid away from her stays
into the channel. There was a prodigious
noise from the naval and other steam
whistles, and loud cheers also as she
dipped into the waves.
The band meanwhile played the ''Star-
spangled Banner" and the crowds looked
on admiringly while two tugs caught the
boat in the water.
The Unadilla is intended to be a first
class ocean tug that will transport men
and supplies to any port along the coast in
all kinds of weather. She will also assist
in moving the large ships of the new navy
at Mare Island. Her designer was the
chief designer of the navy. The keel was
laid April %. and when she slid into the
water to-day her hull was practically COM
plete, and meanwhile the machinery has
been erected in the shops and is ready to
be placed on board.
The hull is of steel throughout and
made exceptionally strong, with seven
watertight bulkheads, while for one-third
of her length the frames are closely spaced
eleven inches apart, SO as TO give this
staunch boat ability to break her way
through the ice-felds of the Behring Sea
whenever she may be needed for service in
the Arctic
The Unadilla is 121 feet long over all,
with a beam of % feet, and draught of 10
feet at her ordinary displacement OF 345
tons. A triple-expansion engine, with
three cylinders furnished with steam of
100 pounds pressure by one boiler, will
drive her slngle-screw propeller. Her
deckhouse is of steel, calculated to be
strong enough to withstand heavy seas.
She is fitted with two masts, the foremost
having a derrick and a steam wench capa-
bile of hosting 80 tons; also large cast
steel towing bits at the end of the deck
house and smaller brass bits along the
rail.
When finished she will have two tanks
in the bow with a capacity of 10000 gal
Ions; adjoining them will be the crews
quarters, then the forehold fitted for Sleep
ing quarters for use when many men are
aboard. Next in order will be fireroom,
with the boiler pumps and forced draught
fan, the engine-room, with coalbunkers on
each side of these compartments, further
aft the officers staterooms, then another
space for freight and finally the after tank.
In the deckhouse will be the large mess
room for the crew, a galley and the Off
GERS messroom.
Above the deckhouse the captain will
have his stateroom with a large pilothouse
in front, while on each side will be a stout
boat Is feet long.
The vessel will carry 65 tons of coal, and
be able to steam 10 days continuously at a
speed OF 260 day, so she will make a voy-
age of 2600 miles without recoaling. Her
constructor says that she is so strongly
built and so cleverly designed she need
not fear the toughest weather on the seas.