Evening star., 1896-12-23
ANOTHER WARSHIP
Successful Launching Of the Gunboat
Annapolis.
MANY INVITED GUESTS PRESENT
Christened blythe Granddaughter Of
the Late Admiral Porter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BOAT

NEW YORK, December 23.-The gunboat
Annapolis was successfully launched at the
Crescent shiryards. at Elizabeth, n. j., at
1870 I'm. today.
Despite the inclement weather fully 200
invited guests assembled at the yards at an
early hour this morning. Among them
were Commander Tilley, representing the
Naval Academy; City Counsellor Frank H.
Stockett, who represented the mayor of An
napolis and a committee of Annapolis citi-
zens, composed of DIR. Douglas G. Tuck,
James Owens, j. Edward Abbott and VIM
NJ. Holiday.
Miss George Porter, daughter of Lieut.
Theodoric Porter, and a granddaughter of
the late Admiral Porter, broke the custom
ary bottle Of wine on the vessels bow as 1t
glided into the waters of Staten Island
sound, exclaiming at the same time: Il
christen thee Annapolis"
After the launching the guests were en-
tertained at a collation. by Lieut.. Nixon, the
owner of the yard, and Mrs. Nixon. As
sistant Secretary of the Navy McAdoo, who
expected to be present, sent word that he
was detained at Washington by the press
of official business. Secretary Herbert also
d1d not attend, as was hoped.
THE GUNBOAT ANNAPOLIS.
One of the Vessels Intended for
Patrol Duty.
The gunboat Annapolis, which was
launched at Elizabethport, N. j., today is
one of six light-draught, composite gun
boats authorized by act of Congress of
March, 1895 She is one of the four vessels
rugged as bargentines. and having only one
screw, the two others having twin screws
and very moderate spread of canvas, only
enough, in fact to keep them steady in
seaway These vessels are intended for
patrol duty on stations where small, eco
nomical craft Of good speed can be depend
ed upon for instant service. They are de-
signed especially for service In the shallow
bays and estuares of China and In the
warm and quickly foulng waters of Gen.
trail and South America. In naval archi-
lecture the term composite indicates a
mixed construction of metal and wood-in
the case of the Annapolis, one of pine and
steel-so distributed that the best properties
of each may be realized. The advent of
these composite vessels marks a new era
In our navy, and is the first move toward
the sheathing of ships SO earnestly advo-
Gated by Chief Constructor Hichbern.
In the Annapolis the frames are of Steel
with an outside plating of similar metal,
reaching from the line abreast the berth
deck up to the rail or hammock berthing
From the keel up to this berthdeck the bot
tom and bilges are unplated, being covered
instead with heavy pine planking This
planking is carried farther up and overlaps
the plating above the water line. This re-
suits in securing water line region capa-
bic of withstanding more rough treatment
than the ordinary steel work. The plank
ing is coppered throughout and fastened to
the frames in such a way as to preclude
ealvaEic action. The natural exfoliation of
sheet copper is such that aquatic growths
of all sorts peel off through the simple ac-
ton of the passing water soon after the
vessel is put In motion, leaving the cop
pered surface bright and clean and per-
mittIng the ship to maintain her speed un-
hampered with a minimum expenditure of
coal.
The general dimensions of the Annapolis
are: Length, 16S feet: beam, SO feet:
draught, II feet: normal displacement 1900
tons: indicated horsepower, 500; coal,
normal supply, 100 tons; bunker capacity
23S tons; speed, IL knots an hour. The ar
maments, which are alike for both types
OF gunboats, consist of a main battery of
six four-inch rapid-fire rifles and a second
one-pounder quick-f1ring guns. Four of the
four-inch rifles are carried on the gun
deck, amidshps two on either side, firing
through open ports and with wide arcs of
lire. The two other four-inch guns are car
ried on the main deck, one forward and one
art, each gun protected by a segmerta'
shield of steel an inch thick. The six
Founders are placed on the berth deck two
amidships, one on each side and two way
forward. one on either bow. The one
FOUNDERS are mounted on the hammock
herthing, where calculated to give the
widest sweep.