Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-03-31

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sEAsGoING BATTLE SHIP IOWA.
witnessed the event from various points
of vantage. The weather was delight
fully bright and warm.
A few minutes before one o'clock the
hurly-burly of sounds that had been
arising from beneath the keel of the
vessel ceased. Then period of COM
parative silence and anticipation fol-
lowed. Mr.. Henry Cramp, as he has
done on many another similar occasion,
recited his last admonitions to Miss
Drake as to the best means of shatter-
Ing the bottle upon the ship. Then the
peculiar Kissing sound made by saw
cutting through wood came up from
near the ground and in brief space
the "shoe piece" was cut through and
the big hull started down toward the
river.
AS it began to move, at ia o'clock,
Miss Drake swung the bottle by it's
streamers and as the glass crashed
against the keel moving above her head,
and the champagne despatched the
side, she exclaimed: II christen thee
Iowa."
The hull slipped smoothly and gently
into the river, and as it foated out on
m even keel, the big siren whistle Of
the Massachusetts was turned loose and
made din that was exceedingly eff
fective, but still more trying on the
ear drums of everyone in the vicinity.
Tugs screeched and whistled and peo-
pie cheered and those on the christen-
Ing stand congratulated each other on
the success of the launch.
After the launch luncheon was
served in the Mould loft. At this lunch
con poem by Maj. S. II. NJ. Byers, of
Iowa, was presented to Messrs. Cramps.
It was entitled: 1.-THE Launching of
the Iowa."
There was no speech-malsing as the
crowd In the room where the lunch
was servcdwas SO great that the formal
tiles had to be abandoned.
After the luncheon the Washington
party returned to the capital in their
special train.
Description of the New Battle Ship.
The construction Of the Iowa was au-
thorized by congress in July, 1892. In
The act authorizing its construction the
vessel was designated as "a sea-going bat
tleship." Such vessel as the act author
ICED was to some extent new departure
In the programme of our naval reconstruc-
lion, as the ships of the Indiana class,
previously authorized had been desig-
mated as "coast-line battleships."
While the Indiana class of ships repre-
tents the most advanced fvna of a ,,,,raly
lighting vessel, the design of the Iowa en-
bodies not only the ability of the ship to
give and take hard blows but also that Of
The steaming capacity and power to keep
The sea of cruiser. While the Iowa is
larger than the Indiana, her armor and
armament will both be lighter than those
Of the latter vessel. Despite this when
completed, the Iowa will be the most for
midable fighting machine afloat from her
all-round capacity as an active ship of war.
After the authorization of the building Of
The ship the bureau of construction of
The navy department prepared the plans
and specifications of the vessel, and the;
contract of her construction was award
ed to the Cramp company on February II,
1893, and, until she was launched Saturday,
she was known officially as "sea-going
battleship No. IL
The dimensions of the ship are as fol-
lows: Length on the load water line, 800
feet: extreme breadth, u feet 21s inches;
mean draft. "a feet; displacement on nor
NAL draught, 1890 tons; and, with full
coal supply, about 12,2OO tons.
THE motive machinery of the Iowa con-
sists of two vertical inverted three cylin-
dor triple-expansion engines, actuating
twin screws, and is to develop II. 900 col
lective indicated horsepower at 112 revo-
lutions of the screws. The guaranteed
speed is 1e knots per hour, under the usual
four-hour trial conditions, with premium
Of $4,000 for each quarter knot excess Of
speed above the contract guaranteed.
battery of the Iowa.
The main battery of the Iowa consists
II four Pinch B. L. r. mounted in pairs
In the two main turrets; eight eight-inch
B. L. r. mounted in pairs in the four tur-
rets at the corners of the easement. six
eour-inch B. L. r. mounted in sponsors
OF with shields. and 20 rapid fire and ma
chine guns. The axis of the forward pair
pf Pinch and all Of the eight-inch guns is
es feet, and Of the after pair of Pinch
guns il feet above the load water line SO
that with tho stability due to her great
beam she can fight her whole battery in
any weather.
The Iowa is IL feet longer and three feet
wider than the Indiana, is on the same
hraught Ca foeD, and will displace 900 tons
more. The arrangement below the main
deck Will be similar, but above It the super
structure is carried clear forward to the
bow, forming forecastle deck SO feet long,
e.
berthing space as compared with the In
diana. The superstructure ITSELF aft
of the bridge. will have a skid
and bridge deck, and the main deck abaft
the superstructure is clear, as in the Other
battleships. The Iowa will have q tor
psdo tube at bow and stern and two amid
ships on each side. The armor belt of tn,
vessel designated to protect the hull a
the water-line is IA inches in thickness
and seven feet six inches deep has heay,
backing of celluloid arranged in compart
ments. Over the machinery and the mag
azine will curve protection deck of sui
nclent thickness to defect any missile tina
ID likely to penetrate the hull.
The four-inch guns will be protected b,
eour-inch shield. Seven-inch thick tub
OF steel will inolose the telegraph ant
speaking tube
The military mast of the Iowa will hav,
three fighting tops. The Iowa will hav,
q narrow-bridged deck amidships, whicl
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