Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-25

sheathed with wood and coppered, that
she may have that independence of dry
docks so characteristic of wooden ships.
Her principal dimensions are: Length
on water line, ITS feet; maximum beam
at water line, 81 feet; draft, forward.
Is feet 6 'inches; draft, aft, II feet 6
inches; draft, mean, 16 feet inches;
displacement at mean draft, 100 tons.
The frames, beams and outside plat
ing will be of steel. The bottom and
sides will be covered, in addition, with
heavy planking of fine Georgia pine,
reaching up to general height OF
twenty-six inches above the water line.
At the bow and" stern the sheathins
will have an added sheer of several
inches. This planking will be careful
ly fastened to the metal work beneath
by means of composition bolts, and
every thoughtful precaution will be
taken to offset the chance of galvanic
action and it's corrosive effects. This
planking will then be coppered up to
within three inches of the top edge,and
the well known exfoliation of that
metal will prevent the harmful accum-
ulation of any sort of aquatic growth,
thereby promising clean bottom and
an efficient ship at all times. There will
be a false keel of wood which will take
the wear and tear in cases of ground
ing or passing over floating matter.
AS can be seen, the ship carries no
bow spirit in the usual sense of the
word, the stem being run up and out
to the point where the bow spirit cap
would be-the bulwark plating round
cIo ~,
jibboom. BY this arrangement a very
clean and pretty stem is secured, while
doing away with the bobstays and
other hamper tending to foul or break
inoppOrtunely. 1t is also purposed to
make the lower masts and lower yards
of steel for the sake of strength and
comparative lightness. The rest of the
spars, however, will be either of yellow
pine or spruce The ship will have a
flush main or spar deck which, aside
from the advantages of structural
strength and 'tween-deck space, will
afford most desirable room for handl-
ing sail or for open-deck instruction.
There will be accommodations for
captain, ten wardrOom officers, two
warrant officers, $50 cadets and work.
ing crew of ninety blue jackets. The
captains cabin,w a spare staterooni,
will be aft on the gun deck, while for
ward, on the same deck, the major part
of the cadets will swing in hammocks.
The wardroom officers will be aft on
the berth deck, the cadet officers just
forward of the wardroom, and the crew
of seamen just forward of the cadet
officers. The officers quarters will be
{, Gv,;c sv,, 10 hot n
the sick bay will be model of modern
convenience and sanitary fitness
Everything that can contribute to the
reasonable comfort and convenience of
officers, cadets and seamen will be in
stalled.
Two boilers will be carried for gener-
ating such steam as may be needful to
run the windlass, pumps, ventilating
fans, electric lighting plant and the
distilling and the refrigerating appara-
tus, besides heating the ship by steam
if necessary.
The wide-open ports and the blowers
promise supply of fresh air and sun
light not akin to the old practice ship
Constellation and her kind, while the
system of electric light will make study
oil easy tHiHS DIT night Vi OH TIE udi N
est days. Aside from constant tank
supply of $4,000 gallons, the distilling
plant is equal to the daily provision of
1000 gallons of fine potable water, and
the refrigerating arrangements will
keep fresh for many days the proven
der stored away in the cooling cham
bers. BY the presence of these few
mechanical facilities the scope of the
craft is materially widened, and the
chance of visiting European ports on
the practice cruise becomes an assured
and much desired accomplishment.
For the purpose of gunnery drill the
ship will carry main battery of six
4-inch rapid-fire guns on her gun deck
three in each broadside-and Sec
ondary force of four 6-pounders and
two 1-pounders on her spar deck. The
ightness of the guns in both batteries
makes them susceptible to easy handl-
ing by the cadets, while affording them
all OF the practical instruction for
heavier ordnance.
The vessel will carry a spread of