The San Francisco call., 1895-08-02
NEW SHIPS IN THE NAVY,
Within a Week the Texas and
Maine Will Be in
Service.
Interesting Descriptions of the
Armed Monsters to Join
the Fleets.

NEW YORK, N. Y, Aug. 1.-Two new
ships will be added to the navy within the
week beginning to-day. They are the
Maine and the Texas, which have been
built, the former at the Government works
in the Brooklyn Navy-yard and the latter
at Norfolk, Va. They are second-class
battle-ships of very formidable powers. In
addition to them the old Lancaster, which
has been built over and win do duty as a
gunnery-ship, will be fioated about the
same time. 1t is the wish of Admiral
Bunce to get the new boats in the forma.
tions of the North Atlantic Squadron
maneuvers, as he will be short of battle
ships without them.
The retarded completion of the Maine,
due to the delayed delivery of armor, has
resulted in making the ship finer vessel
than was contemplated in the original de-
sign, and the cause of this betterment is
the direct result of the introduction of
nickel steel and the development of the
Harvey Surface-hardening process. Her
principal dimensions are: Length on load
water line, 31S feet: breadth, extreme, 81
feet; draught, mean, 21 feet inches; dis
placement, normal, 6648 tons; indicated
horsepower, estimated, 5000; speed, esti-
mated, II knots.
The commander of the Maine will be
Captain Theodore f. Kane, with Lieuten-
ant-Commander Adolph Mark as execu-
tive officer. The Texas will be commanded
by Captain Mortimer l.. Johnson and the
Lancaster by Captain W. B. Hoff. One of
the prettiest incidents connected with the
Names going into commission will be the
presentation to her of beautiful set of
silver, consisting of soup tureen and two
entree dishes. They are really the gift Of
the ladies of the Pine Tree State, who,
after the men had given up the task of
raising the funds, got up meetings and par
ties and raised the necessary money. As
the Maine was launched as far back as 1892
the women have had plenty of time to get
the money together.
part of the Maine, though somewhat
smaller. Her length on the load water
line is 301 feet inches, her exreme breadth
Ga feet l inch, her mean draught % feet
inches, displacement $500 tons, maximum
indicated horsepower 5000, speed IL knots,
coal-bunker capacity $50 tons. Her cost is
$634, 800. Her keel was laid in 1889 and she
was launched three years later. She is the
finest ship built at Norfolk since the war
and is singularly suggestive of the historic
Merrlmac.
The Navy Department has refused per-
mission to the japanese Government to
have one of its officers witness the man.
euvers of the North Atlantic Squadron.
This request was preferred by the Japanese
Minister some days ago, and his legation
here has just received the reply containing
the refusal. The Department authorities
state in this communication that the man
euvers will be extremely simple in charac-
ter, and will be simply preliminary to
others to be held in the future,
Japan is not the only nation which is
interested IN the coming naval maneuvers
of the North Atlantic squadron. Other ma
tions have intimated that they would like
to have an officer witness the maneuvers,
but none has gone to the length which ia
pan took. Besides informing the Japanese
Government of their refusal in this con-
nection the reply states that they will be
glad to have japanese officer witness the
maneuvers of squadrons when 0Gr navy is
more familiar with drills, exercises, etc.
Great interest is being manifested in the
maneuvers, and considerable benefit is ex-'
pected OF the result.