The San Francisco call., 1897-03-18
The Gunboats Wheeling and
Marietta to Be Launched
This Morning.
To Be Sent Into the Water at
the Same Moment From
D fferent Slips.
Ladies' From the Respe ctive Cities
for Which the Fighters Are Named
Will Christen TIL m.

The gur boats Wheeling and Marietta
are to be slipped into the water this
morning at the Union Iron Works, at
6 minutes to H.
The occasion will no doubt attract
large crowd. The christening will be
done by ladies representing the respec-
tive cities after which the fighting boats
are named.
Hon. J. r. Butts, Mayor of Wheeling,
has delegated Miss Lucie S. Brown 10
christen the Wheeling. Miss Brown is q
native of Wheeling and is now visiting in
California.
Mrs. H. Clifford More of Naples, Cal,
formerly of Marietta, Ohio, will christen
the Marietta. She is the daughter OF
Brlgadier- General T. c. II. Smith.
The gunboats which are 10 be launched
together, Belong TO a group OF SIX author
lied by the act making appropriation for
the naval service for The fiscal year ending
June 30, 1886.
These SIX gunboats are designated as
ilght-draught composite gunboats OF ABOUT
1000 tons displacement.
Provision was made that not more than
two would be built in one yard or by one
contracting party.
Four of these gunboats were fitted with
single screws and rigged so as 20 carry
considera bic spread of canvas. The Whee.-
ing and Marietta were 10 be fitted with
twin screws and have a very small amount
of canvas.
The trials of these two vessels, each
having boilers representing a distinct
type, on the merits of which many heated
discussions have been going on lately in
engineering circles, will give splendid
opportunity to establish the efhclency OF
| the two types of boilers and the two
different methods of applying forced
draught. The result of the trials of these
| two vessels will be looked forward to with
great interest by leading engineers en-
gagged in marine engineering
They are required to develop speec of
| II knots on their trials. and it is aniici-
pated that they will very materially ex-
ceed the speed required by the contract.
These vessels. considering their small
Displacement are being fitted up in the
most elaborate manner. Nothing that
| finds place in first-class war vessel will
| be omitted.
Their composite character-that is, the
| steel framing and plating, being covered
| to above the water line with four-inch
| planking. partly of pine and partly OF
teak, with an outside sheathing of cop
| per-wiu enable these vessels to remain
| at sea or occupy foreign station for q
| long period of time without the necessity
| of docking.
wardroom officers, l25 men and marine
guard OF ten men.
They are fitted with electric light plants
in duplicate. They will have coal ca
pacity of 200 tons and will carry on their
trials weights in addition to the weight OF
the completed hull and machinery and
spare parts which will represent dis
placement of 1000 tons.
The engines for these vessels are built
from designs by the Union Iron Works
and approved by the Navy Depari ment
and are of the triple expansion, verrica,
direct-acting type. High-pressure cylin-
der, 12inches; acknowledgements cylin.
der, 1SZ incnes; low-pressure cylinder,
2 inches; the stroke of all pistons being Is
inches. At full power the engines are in
tended to make about 200 revolutions per
minute. with a steam pressure of $50
pounds in the boilers.
TIE engine frames are entirely of bronze,
including the condensers, and are very
compact.
1t is expected that these vessels v i'll be
ready in about sixty days after launching,
as q large portion of the machinery is al
ready In place, and the boilers being on
board and fitted in each of the vessels.
The fact OF both of these vessels being
laun ched from different slips at exactly
the same time will be matter of consld-
era bic interest to technical men who are
interested in these matters, as there is no
record OF two vessels being launched from
the same yald at the same instant OF time
from diffe rent ways. and it will be mat
ter OF considerable speculation among
those present as to which of the two, re-
leased at the same time, will reach their
element first. Their behavior on reaching
the water will no doubt be taken as an in
dlcation of how they are to behave them
selves after they get there.
The entertainment committee has re-
ceived an invitation from the officers
of the Union Iron Works to have
the visiting delegates of the Rail-
way Mail Service Mutual Benefit As
sociation and their ladies witness the
launch. They will take the Tbird-street
electrician (green carl at the corner of
Market street, not later than 10 A. NJ, and
tran sfer at Third and Townsend streets to
the PoIero cars for the Union Iron
Works. Their badges will admit them TO
the works
Through the courtesy OF Captain 81. l..
Howison of the United States stea mship
Oregon an opportunity to visit and in
spect the battle-ship this afternoon has
been afforded. They will assemble at 2
P. NJ. at Howard-street wharf No. 3, where
the tug Vigilant-very kindly furnished
for the purpose by the firm of John D.
Spreckels & Bros-will convey them to
and from the Oregon.
A .'recent visitor TO the drawing-rooms of