The evening times., 1896-06-18
WAR SHIPS IN MINIATURE
Models Of Marine Monsters
Cost a Pretty Sum.
COLUMBIA ON EXHIBITION
Latest Addition to the Naval Force
Z Has Been Placed In the Navy De-
partment-Larger Than AlI-Great
Cure Used In Their Construction.
Attention to Detail i.

The model OF the United States ship Co
lumbia, named after the District, has Just
been put on exhibition at the Navy Depart
rDent. There are dozen or So other mod
els of cruisers and battlesiips. rams, moni-
tors, dispatch boats, ETC., In the hall lust
above the main entrance. on the east side
of the War. State and Navy building, but
not one of the Whole lot equals IN size or
finish that OF the Columbia, now put before
the public for the first time. The ship was
put In commission two years ago, but tue
model has just been completed. fsf
These models cost great deal of labor
In the Words of naval officer who was
admiring this masterpiece of marine con-
struction in miniature yesterday, there's
lots of good work put on that thing; no one
would believe it," The expense in dollars
and cents is not easy to arrive at. Tie guy-
crnment keeps employed here a force of
model makers. but they are not busy ex-
c!usively upon this service. so that their
pay only in part forms a basis for caicula-
ton. All the models built for the govern
ment are made by the navy yard force. and
by Mr.. AiarceroD at the department, but
they do not know closely what the expense
is. 1t is estimated the model OF the ColuIn-
bia cost over 5000.
It is set on the right hand side of the
transverse hall at the head of the stair
aud Immediately opposite the model Of the
battleship Maine. The case is larger and
more elaborate than most OF the others.
The cherry floor upon which the ship is set
is carved so as to represent the ripping
waves. of the sea, and there are other
touches which indicate the greatest care
in finishing. The model is ten feet long and
shows every detail OF the boats construc-
ton.
The lower part of the hull below the water
line is painted red, the upper part white.
The guns and enginery are, of course, all
of the natural color of the metal of which
they are made The woodwork OF the deck
is of the light yellow familiar as the color
of maple, While the pilot station is brown,
to represent walnut
FAST CRUISER.
The Columbia is Of a type known as
u protected cruiser, an uDarmoFed steel
vessel. intended in case of war to chase
the merchantmen of hostile nations, and
drive them from the seas. Her rig is that
OF q twU-masted schooner. She is 412
feet long, nearly eighty feet mere than
the battleship IndiaDa. Her width is 5S
feet Ia, and mean draft 22 feet 6 l-2
inches; her displacement 1875 tons. The
maximum indicated horse power OF the
engines used to drive the Columbia is / g.,
50S, while that required for the batt!eships
is only 10000, but she goes at the rate Of
twenty-five and four -fifths miles an hour
while battleshps make only sixteen. The
Minneapolis, a vessel Of her own type, and
almost exactly OF the same dimensions, is
the only faster ship in the whole navy.
Both have the latest improvement in en-
gines, the vertical triple expansion. and
carry three screws, but the Minneapolis
has the advantage OF 1888 greater horse
power, her total being putat 20,s62. With
this great addition Of power the Minneapolis
is only able tu steam Il little more than
fifth of a mile faster.
Both these ships were built by the
Cramps at Philadelphia. the Columbia he
ing commenced and finished atfHt-afx
months before her sister. Their cost was
very-nearly the same, in the nei ighborhood
OF S3.G00,000 when Complete, and both
are stationed on the North Atlantic. Their
armament is exactly the same. On the
bow is huge eight-inch rifle and at the
stern two six-incli, while intermediate
from the port holes swing eight four-inch
guns. Then placed about at the most ad-
vanta geous points are twelve SN-pound-
ers, four one-pounders and four Gatling
guns, the smaller cannon making up sec
ondary battery OF twenty guns. while there
are in all eleven of the main battery. The
complement OF men required to man her
Is 429.
VESSELS WELL EQUIPPED.
These ships are fitted with the latest
appliances known to naval construction.
The searchlight is placed up alongside OF
the pilot wheel, while on the lookout at the
bows is rangefinder which tells all the
guuners by signal the cxactanele at Which
they must aim. The hinnacle is fitted with
q new invention consisting of steel hall
on either side which work something like
the governor of q steam engine, and are
used to correct the magnetic variations OF
the needle The balls are both perIna-
nent magnets and the correction IS a sim
pie matter, comparatively.
Also there is lferaft, which Is in
diSpensable when the ship is driven into
shallow water, where the lifeboats and
launches cannot operate. There are steam
launches and lifeboats in abundance, aud
1t is understood an electric launch is 10 he
added TO her equipment. THE iiferaft's
use was exemplifieI recently in the case
of the going ashore OF the Kearsarge. when
many of her crew must have been lost
without it.
Another addition to the Iife-saving ap-
paratus is device by which the life-pre-
server is automatically lighted With colored
lamps, which are kept burniug for five or
six hours, SO that it is now rare thing
for man to be lost. The preserver is
dropped a. soon as the cry.'man overheard
is heard II drifts as the man drifts, and
in a few minutes he is safe upon it till
the crew can pick him up So little danger
is now felt in such an emergency that when
a man dropped over in the Straits OF Ma
gellGn at the latest passage OF war ship.
the crew ''guyeG'' him as he hung TO the
life preserver Some one raised the cry of
SHARKS to see him climb as high up as
he could on the float.