The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-27
1T COST MILLIONS.
THE BATTLESHIP IOWA. WHICH
WILL BE LAUNCHED SATURDAY.
European Vessels of Like sire.
Equal to Any of the Larger For
eign ships of Like Type-Wonders
Of Machinery.

~ AMN VI Nnt E0N-
eign ships of Like Type-wonders
Of Machinery.
From the Washington Star.
on Saturday next the Iowa will be
launched at Cramps shipyard. Philadel-
phia. and then. amid the mysticism Of
that ceremony. the cheers Of crowds and
the shrieking blasts of ever nearby whis-
tie, the largest Of our first-class battle
ships will glide down upon the waters
Of the Delaware, and the ship will be
one importat stage in her history nearer
the beginning Of her active service. and
that career in which she is to help main
tain the might. majesty and peaceful
dominance of our flag.
Appropriated for by act Of congress
approved July 10, 1892. the work Of her
construction was awarded TO william
Cramp & Sons on Feb. Il. 1895. for the
contract price of 100000. and on Aug
following her keel was laid
The vessel has a thousand tons greater
displacement than her prototypes. the
coast-line battleships Indiana. AiassaohG-
sets and Oregon, the difference. being
carefully adapted to The bettermsn; Of
the latter craft and she may be said to
httAA' AAN INST impress OA ItSHiNiiAAlNs
suggested by the Harveyiz,ng armor pro-
cess a method of manrfacture 10y which
the face of the steel is hardened to any
desired depth, thereby greatly increasing
its defensive properties.
The ship is 300 feet long, has a maximum
beam Of - feet 2ia inches. and VIII draw
when ready for sea triile over Y feet
of water. In all the suggestive lightness
of white paint one would hardly imagine
her a floating mass OF lao tons Ct Steel,
but such in fact she will De when fully
equipped and prepared iCr service.
The motive power and machinery of a
ship, aside from the guns and tnelr pro-
lection, are termed the ''vitals," and to
shield them from an enemy IRE Is "A
prime consideration. To that cnd, on the
Iowa, water line band Of armor. 7is feet
wide and IA inches thick feet above
and AZ feet below the load line, running
forward and aft for a distance II lS5
feet amidshp, offers a broadside protec-
ton The ends OF this belt are then Joined
| inboard by athwartship bulkheads II
| inches thick, and resting like a roof,
upon the four walls thus formed is a
protective deck Of steel, pa inches thick,
strong enough to defect any shot passing
in through the five-inch armor which re-
inforces the sides from the top OF The
| heavy band up to the main deck.
Above this roof and extending to the
sides are many feet OF coal, - wisely
disposed that its presence may give ac-
ded protection 70 the boilers. engines and
I
box of heavy steel. From the lower
edges of the thick cross-wise bulkheads,
spreading from side 10 side and run
ming thence to the bow and the stem,
are two decks of three-insn Steel the
forward one terminating at the stem ana
:1st. ing tie spine for tET ram br% ~ >.
C"rsf ..ans on each siie al 20 "ari
and at O. tire vital rsy'..i, S.'rl w.l1
"rlluluSC. substance swelling rapidly
w.ien vet ara capable Of plugging iutL-
inH;.csh. shot holes a n tt'"S Na''i,
" n give 4. dcd protef }n 70 inc par's
les heavily chielded.
Within the outer hull for a distance of
294 feet the space occupied by the vltals,
there is another or inner bottom, extend
ing up to the protective deck or armored
roof of this region, seeming, as " were,
I a smaller craft cut off abruptly at each
/ end and fitted bodily within the larger
vessel The space between this inner Dot
| tom and the outside skin Is divided into
numerous water-ught compartments, un-
! der the control of powerful pumps, having
/ individual capacities of thousands of gal.
Ions per minute. The entire interior OF
| the ship is further cut up into other but
I larger compartments, that can be filled
or drained at will to quench fire or to
! overcome a leak
Way down in the depths of the craft, be-
meath the water and under the protective
! deck and those tons and tons of coal-each
| in its own compartment, are flve ponder
| Gus boilers and two sets of triple expan-
! sion engines, which must develop the pow
| er needful to drive the ship through the
I WdltT dN tllt idLt VI SAAAtch huOio al
/ hour.
! With barred breasts and arms, a corps OF
] coal beavers and firemen win shovel fuel
/ into those thirty odd glaring mouths and
| torment with long slice bars the furious
/ masses of writing flames that the boilers
/ may be goaded to their working pressure
! of 16) pounds under the added draught OF
numerous fans. Deft engineers and as
! sistants WIN watch the intricate maze OF
pusing steam and water pipes, the light
ming strokes of shining piston rods and
r.s.1l
emulsion of oil and sea water the burden
/ ed Journals and the immense thrust
! block that bear the push OF those driving
! engines and transmit that awful power 10
| the movement of the craft.
No less than hundred auxiliary engines
steam, electrical and hydraulic will lessen
! the tax upon the muscular energies of
( the crew Of $50 souls, perform tasks be-
| You'd the power Of that whole aggregation
| considered as unit of energy, and add TO
the efficiency of the craft by lifting and
! lowering the boats, raising the anchors
/ loading coal and stores discharg-ing ashes
bringing shOr shell and powder from their
rooms below to the several gun stations,
| turning the turrets and swinging the great
rudder from side to side against the press
ure of hundreds of tons of dashing water
and that at the merest pressure of the light
est hand.
The exhausted steam is not wasted. but
| turned instead into two large condensers
where after wandering through miles OF
cooling, pipes, II is turned out In the form
Steam will spread its cheerful glow
throughout the living spaces and keep
them dry and warm under the hardest OF
weather conditions, and great blowers will
send fresh air into the bilge and coal
bunkers and drive therefrom the noxious
fumes and gases that may gather there.
An electric plant will develop the light
needed to shed the refulgence of hundreds
and thousands of candles within her dark
| est corners or to guard without against
sudden assault at night; distilIers, with a
daily output of 1900 gallons viii supply
plenty of fresh pure water; large galleys
will cook in ample bounty wholesome food
for the crew; a refrigerating plant, with
a daily capacity of a ton of ice. will grant
that comfort and preserve unspoiled the
fresh prOvender, that home food may well
come the sharpened appetites and replace
the "salt horse and hard tack of former
times when far at sea.
The miles and miles of rope which form
ed the rigging Of our ancient craft have
a modern substitute in the thousands and