River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-04-02

II
| ear drums of everyone in the vicinity.
Tugs screeched and whistled and peo-
pie cbeered and those on the christen-
ing stand congratulated each other on
the success of the launch.
After the launch luncheon was
served i'm the Mould loft. At this lunch
con poem by Maj. S. II. NJ. Byers, of
Iowa, was presented to Messrs. Cramps.
1t was entitled: 1.-The Launching of
the Iowa."
There was no speech-making as the
crowd in the room where the lunch
twas served was so great that the formal
titles 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
tieship." Such vessel as the act author
ICED was to some extent a new departure
m the programme of our naval reconstrtie-
ton, as the ships of the Indiana class,
previously authorized, had been desig-
mated as "coast-line battleships."
While the Indiana class of ships repre-
sents the most advanced type of a purely
fighting 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 ~hs launched Saturday.
| she was known officially as sea going
| battleship No. L.
The dimensions of the ship are as fol-
lows: Length on the load water line; 500
| feet: extrsme breadth. " feet 2is inches:
mean draft. "a feet: displacement on nor
NAL drsught, 1890 tons: and, with full
| coal supply. about 1920 tons.
The motive machinery of the Iowa con-
| sists If two vertical inverted three cylin-
| der triple-expansion engines. actuating
| twin screws and is to develop II, 900 col
| lective indicated horsepower at 112 revo-
| buttons of the screws. The guaranteed
| speed is is 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
| of four Pinch b. L. r.. mounted in pairs
/ in the two main turrets: eight eight-inch
/ r. l.. r. mounted in pairs in the four tur-
/ rets at the corners of the easement, six
/ four-inch Il. J.. r. mounted in Sponsors
/ or with shields, and % rapid fire and ma
| chine guns. The axis of the forward pair
/ Of 12-inch and all of the eight-inch guns is
| IS feet, and OF the after pair of Pinch
~. lA,A Iftaa
| tnat with the stability due to her great
| beam she can fight her whole battery IN
| any weather.
NE Iowa is ~ feet longer and three feet
wTer than the Indiana. Is on the same
| dIaught ga feet). and Will displace 900 tons
| more. The arrangement below the main
| deck will be similar. but above II the super
structure is carried clear forward TO the
| bow, forming a forecastle deck 80 feet long,
| which Will add about 50 per cent. to her
| berthing space as compared with the In
\ diana The superstructure itself, aft
| of the bridge, will have skid
and bridge deck, and the main deck abaft
| the superstructure is clear. as In the other
| battleships The Iowa will have tor
| Isedo tube at bow and stern and two amid
&fps on each side. The armor belt OF ! nc
| vessel designated to protect the nun at
| the urater-line Is IA inches in thickness s.,
and seven feet six inches deep. has heay y
| backing of celluloid arranged I'm compart-
| ments. over the machinery and the mag
| azine viii curve protection deck OF SUI
Tcient thickness to defect any missile that
IS likely TO penetrate the hull
The rour-inch guns will be protected by
| four-inch shield. Seven-inch thick tube
OF steel viii inciose the telegraph and
| speaking tube.
The military mast OF the Iowa will have
three fighting tops The Iowa will have
| a ACKNOWLEDGED deck amidShips. which
| will widen out at the forward and after
ends. II win be 1lik feet above the upper
deck, which win stand az feet above the
level of the bridge deck. The forward
ta,rret on the fpwa will stand nine feet
higher than on the Indiana, IN order 10
enable the guns of that turret TO fire over
the upper deck or forecastle. The Iowa
viii have a coal capacity of 1900 tons. and
the cruising -eSius of about 1900 knots at
the most economical speed
Her full war complement will be 5l2 OFF,
GERS, seamen and marines, and at the deep
fcad draueht her coal capacity is sufficient
for about 90 miles steaming at the most
economical cruising speed. The contract
price of the Iowa is S5.01o.o00.