The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-31
a NoHBB wan sTElHEE.
she wss Built at Perth A,eoy sd Theu
Take 90 Pieces and Will ne shipped
IN boo Parts 60 ne Fat ToEethsr when
she Renehes Tier n~estiaatlon.

IN 500 Parts 60 ne Fat Together wheu
shs Reaches Her Destisstios.
Perth Amboy, which at one time thought
u Was going 70 be the rival Of New York city
az the great seaport Of the Atlantic coast, sol
aces itself In these days by building war
vessels for South American republics. The
steamship South Portland. now at ramsey's
shipyard at Perth Amboy, IL taking on board
more than Ave hundred parts Of the transport
General Nerino, which has been building
there for six months past for the Government
OF the United States OF Colombia. The vessel
was built and put together and taken apart
again, and 10 now TO DO taken south and put
together once more 90 stay. The building OF
the vessel has excited q great deal Of curl
oslty, not only In the neiRhborho od Of Perth
Amooy, but also In New York city. and
wherever there have been Cuban -ympa-
thizers. For people have been told that the
General Nerino was to be q nlibuster.
The Colombian Government some time ago
gave an order 10 Hugh Ramsey for the con-
s~truction of a transport ship for use on the
Magdalena River, and for the reconstruction
of an American ~fruiteT, which used 70 be
called the Neptune. and ran between this
port and the West indies. The order also In
cluded q steam launch. The Neptune was
made over into a vessel sorviceable as q
cruiser In the river and harbor waters Of
Colombia and YVES christened the Cordova.
As q seaeoinR vessel the Cordova drew 10 her.
self q great deal OF attention. Punors spread
that she was for service in Cuban waters.
When she was finally cent 20 the United
States of Colombia, the rumor mongers turned
their attention to the General Nerino. That
their guesseJ had been wrong in the case of
tho Cordova did not interfere with their sus-
picion that the new vessel was TO be sent to
Cuban ports. The report reached the Spanish
Government, and Plnkerton detectives, acting
for the Spanish Consul in this city, were sent to
Perth Amboy to watch events.
The Colombian Government sent Capt.
James 7. McGauren, an American engineer,
to Ramsey's yard to oversee the building of
the General Nerino. and TO familiarize himself
with the construction of the vessel, so that
after It had been taken apart and shipped
south he could supervise It's putting together
again at Baranquilla. which he will do now
probably in a fortnight. It might perhaps be
more accurate to describe the vessel as de-
signed FOR the police service. rather than for
use in war. for 1t certainly would not with
stand bombardment from any modern vessel.
But the Colombian Government has TO de-
fend itself from revolutions which are some
times called elections. as a man who has been
there says, and a vessel IS needed to transport
troops along the rivers for the preservation of
order and the maintenance Of the Government
that ts. Because Of tho shallow waters of
the Magdalena River. only a vessel, OF. very
light draught can he used there. So the build
i fas n a ve sseGre w KEN should lns PIG be secure GU e0n AGAINST
the attacks Of rebels. II need be. and at the
same tim sS could be used In navigating those
feet long. Of 10 feet beam, and 80 feet in
width over the outriggers. has z draught Of
stesl .een rSssi f@s q and %isS " msnS SF1 wste =.
ttight bulkheads. There Is a fore-and-a aft hulk
boiler behe room rss"a' and Go continuing iHi~", again Raft from the
after end Of the engine room to tho stern of
the vessel. There are eight transverse water
wheels have diameter q, 1a feet, and She is
has Q water.tube boiler. Roberts patent. tested
to 25o pounds pressure. Her engine is an in. |
fns Ses sfiDl Is T.sni1eS. 1 TSs 81 sn = no Of Tt tSe
tSlin ntInt. are a. go 1a5s; aoh' and SO inches and
The Vital parts Of the steamer are protected
by nickel, steel: The house is Of steel plates
and, all the outer doors are of steel and are
Back of the pilot house there Is to be a mill:
tSry mast, or fghting top; similar to those Of
sas G ns1si Service. Ssw i0f TX s ans a GsRif xe; sSp. OF OF
fSsrse' /. there prete as q 'su Ps.i sss The the crows S%n . nsfs
main deck. and various rapid nrine guns will
be mounted along the sides. What the arma-
supplied by the Columbian Government.
Tha vesiel has q full electric outfit. She is
one aft. and viii be lighted BY eiectricity. She
carry about 500 men At transport work;
There I nG, i are S1sSTt fH, for for the officers. The vessel
the General Nerino IS that she Is the largest
ner in which she was constructed. 1t has al
been stated that the work Of con-
OF the Colombian Government. the vessel
built under the supervision of the Gov
agent in such a WY that 4 might
:tructed and fitted for service at BaianquilIa.
More than 2 1000 Of these were required. and
a, she will stand when ready for service
N South, American waters, except that then
luiner CT bolts used In no way represents the
number OF rlvets that will have to be put in,
In parts OF the ship that are curved. for In
in the middle would serve the purpose of
the parts together. II, was necessary
in all corresponding pieces and the
orings, justified 50 that there could be no hitch
when ' Saot the work OF putting together tho vessel
Some OF the parts OF the vessel have been
tyeted together here: This has been done
ether at BaFanquilla it is faId that double that
'orIland, assisted BY Mr: Ramsey. men. have
The South Portland will probably get away the
OF the week, and II is expected will ar
i've at Baranquilla in about ten days.
The paddle wheels OF the General Nerino are
{ the feathering-blade type. The joiner work.
{ hard wood, has all been made at the Ramsey
ard. but was not put in there. Neither were
he engines. Ali this work will be done at Baran-
uilla. The vessel is said to be the largest
( the kind ever built, taken apart and shipped
gain, in this country, although similar work
'as done in England for the Nile service during
he last Egyptian disturbance.