The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-11-22

| festivities OF tomorrow and several news
| usDsr men, who went cut on the Whining
| Ton and Northern II H. Co. tug Laur
B during tbs afternoon the floating for
was looked npon by large number
people The description of the boat:
| The Wilmington was authorized by al
| act Of Congress approved March ., 1879
The building contract was signed Jan aE.
| 22 1874, aud the vessel was launched a
| Newport News on October ~, 1885, a lafg
| delegation from this city being present
| This dimensions OF the Wilmington are a
| follows; Length on loal-watcr line, 70!
feet 8 incbess moulded beam, 40 feet IN
| ches; beam at formal water line, 80 feet
| Inches, normal draught, 8 feet IL Inches
free Loard a. how, u feet, Inches; free
| board at stern. II feet inches; normal dis
| placement, 1873 tons, coal carried at nor
nal displacement. 100 tonsi total coal GA
Pacity, ga tons, Her contract speed ID /
knots.
Tho hull 10 CONSTRUCTED OF steel, A
water.tight deck Is placed over tho regloi
occupied b. Vie machinery and magazines
The deck Ia placed about the Lowell OF thu
wnter. Inns, and slopes TO the sides below
the water line. A double bottom is work
ed below the mack.nery and magazines
both Of which mast be pierced before
water will flow into the hold.
There are two engines of the vertical In
verified direct acting triple expansion type
The diameter OF the cylinders Is A.6 inche
20 inches aud So 10 inches respectively
with an ls-inch stroke, designed for 1901
horse. power, with II piston speed Of So
feet lninuts ard boiler pressure OF Isl
pouhda There are six horizontal return
tIbular boilers IL two water.tight com
partments to maintain working pressure
Of $50 pounds. The boilers are 8 feet
inches long by feet inches in diameter
They have about 100 square feet Of CRATE
surface and i7D4 feet Of heating surface
Provision Is made for forced draught on
the closed fire.room system.
Common to all naval vessels the VII
mington Is lighted with electricity, and
Is provided with refrigerating plants and
other accessories which contribute to
health, comfort and efficiency.
Aside from the Customary exhaust sys-
,sIu Of ventilation tLs Wilmington Is pro.
v.!ed with fresh air throughout by ays-
TEN CT supply mali taincd by electric fans
p hoed IN numerous ventilAtors running
from the main dsLk 10 the spaces below,
MA farther supplemented by u nulnDer Of
portable electric fans. In hot weather, or
10 u wst season, owing to the special ar
iaLgslnent OF the awnings the main Hsok
can Ls utilized for bsrthing the men.
Owing to this light dIaught oftae WA.
mibstun the use Of twin screws, aud the
SPECIAL river service for which she was de-
signed tho hull Of the Wilmington is of
unusual shape aft That part OF the vessel
10 followed out In two tunnels to admit an
easy flow of water to the screws. The wa.
ter-iinH breadth is maintained over nearly
the fun length Of the vessel, aif0rdng pro-
lection to the screws against river banks
and against injury by other crafts In 4
lf.A ptr tl,,,, MT al
great beam provides large borhing space
for the Crow, Tho space is augmented by
covered deck extending aft for about
two.thtds the length Of tho vessel.
The Wilmington has twin rudders, her
lgE dtaught netessitat.ng a departure in
their location. One rudder will be placed
forward of tbe other, and SO arranged that
both viii! respond readily to either the for
ward o. back ward action OF the screws be.
tore the vessel has acquired Roadway. Tho
tuHhrrs are protected strongly against
damage when backing
The Wilmington, although having no
sun power. has u military, mast with two
tops In the uppor top there are two gat-
ling guns aud in the lower two six pound.
ct Hotohkiss guns The mast Is largo
enough TO admit Of spiral stairway from
below to the coming tower, which is To-
Gated just beneath the lower top. In the
mast is tho ammunition hoist through
which charges for the rapid.hre guns will
be raissd to tho tops
The arrangement Of the destructive bat.
terry Of the Wilmington Is as follows: -Four
tnrr.tnch guns mounted In pairs, two fer
ward and two aft those aft being piacet,
on tho main deck. and those forward on the
forecastls deck, without other protection
than the usual gun shields four four.inch
guns mounted In armorei sponsors on the
gun deck, two on each side amidships two
six-p0unders mounted in nrmored bpOn.
sons on the gun deck, one on zach side
am!dsE'ps, two six FOUNDERS noun ted for.
ward on the forecastle deck two six pound.
ers mounted on the lower top, two six
Founders on the bridge and two Gatlings
in the upper top OF the military mast All
the guns are Of tho rapid firing, type, and
arrangement Is made for carrying an am
pie supply Of ammunition. The yInboat
has no torpedo outfit NJ
The armored Sponsors, or gun shields,
are so arranged that the guns are entirely
within the side line Of the ship, while they
can BIO trained upon the prospective target
at any angle Boing designed for service
in rivers and in crowded harbcys, every
precaution has been taken to prevent foul
ing with other craft, and but few oh.
strurtlons appear upon this sides of tho
gunboat's frce.Doard
ON BOARD THE BOAT
The committee left King street wharf
at 10 o'clock aboard the tug Laura B.
Those on board were Chairman Morrison
Representatives, Hazel and Donaldson,
William Lawton, Samuel H. Baynard, W.
Scott Vernon, Lewis b, Morrow, John H
Dandy, w. g. r. Colquhoun, Jesse X.
Baylis; Col. Letoh, Mayor Mclean, H. w.
Zrbley. i. G. Bertolotte, Edgar NJ Hopes,
A. &. McCausland, John NJ. Whittord,
Thomas Russell and representative, CT tho
local pnpors.
The tug reached the gunboat at lo.29
o'clock and the party was soon aboard
Col. Letcl was tho frat man on deck and
1uccd the officers Of the boat to tho re.
naming members of the committee Then
ans inspection Of the iron .clnd was begun,
the officers conducting it. Captain Tod d
expressed himself as being highly pleased
over tho hospitality to DO accorded his mon
and very thankful for the gifts the citizens
were to bestow
Tho Wilmington lay at the mouth of tho
creek until lilo o'clock, when tho blue
Jackets hauled In the anchor and throw
lines to tho tug ,lIaura b., and Fred Jan.
sen. The big boat was pulled around her
head lying down and the tail In the creek
begun. 1t wnI without incident until the !
lighthouse was reached.
Here the patriotic keeper how to the
breeze the cOlors Of his country. The gun
boat saluted the display With the custom.
ury whlstllng
AT the Delaware Construction Com.
pany'i plant royal welcome was extend |
ed. From half dozen Pile drivers were
displayed as many flags and the small |
craft sent up salute after salute, which |
tho Wilmington returned with whistle |
and also the siren. Farther IN three bar. |
rcls on top of which were pcrched baloi Of |
hay We're caught sight Of.
Presently there came report which |
almost Jared the big vessel. The other |
two barrels were discharged in order TIC
salute was fred under the direction OF Col. |
Ainscow. In each of the barrels was
fifty pounds Of powder.
From that time until the wharf OF th6 |
Pussy and Jones Com pany was reached |
there was continual blowing OF whistles
In which those IF the Wilmington took an
active part. Men and women lined the
creek bank and swaiycd handegchiets 40
the ship moved. At Third street bridge
three hundred people we're gathered
1t was l2.3 30 o'clock when tho gEnboat
reached tho Pu oy 81 Jones Oompany's
wharf
On board tho boat are three Whining
tpniansi Lieutenant Berto!ctte John
Foley boilcrmaker and Howard l. For.
rest n first class fireman