The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-02-04

of wooden shipbuilding, and now that
through the enterprise of Gen. Thomas
| W. Hyde of Bath, steel shipbuilding has
been Sc successfully inaugurated in our
midst, the proud motto of "Dirigo'' on
the States escutcheon has been vindicat-
| ed, and Names supremacy in the ship
building industry should be maintained
for all time.
The first ship of North America of 30
tons has been followed by the Rappahan-
mock of B, 053 $500, the Shenandoah of
3, 253 HOO, and the Roanoke of 3, 400 49,
100 tons. AS the shipOuilding interest of
Bath developed the town saw some of its
palmiest days, and the presence of its
ships on all the waters of the globe has
given it an extended fame
Bringing these figures down to the cen
sus year, summary for the 10 years
from 1871 to 1890, inclusive, gives the total
number of vessels built in Bath during
that time as 3, 421, with tonnage of L.
55332, 81 15-1O0 The total number of yes
sells classified as to their rig is as follows:
Ninety-six steamers aggregating 81, 40S 81
100 tons; 1913 ships with an aggregate of
40, 7113 9S 100 tons 2SS banks aggregatino
1876, 1870 6l-100 tons; 673 briggs aggregating
12S, 0S9 tons; ], 3}337 schooners aggregating
215, BIB 23-l0O tons; 1876 sloops aggregat-
ing s, 355 A 100 tons, and eight barpes
| aggregating 3, $50 81 100 tons
In the years that have elapsed since
1890, wooden shipbuilding has shown
decline, the record in the Bath district
being "A, 0Ol tons for 1884, II 500 for 1892.
1918 for 1888, II, 627 for 1894 and 1855
for 1895.
1t is of some interest historically that
I fbp first naval ynSSa1 launobol
Bath shipyard bore the name Katahdin.
and was launched in 1863
Later, in 1864, there was built in Port
land an ironclad vessel for the govern
ment. She was single turreted monitor.
and was christened the Wassuc. She
could not like those of the modern navy.
be called an iron vessel, but she was an
ironclad, the iron being laid in plates out
side of the heavy oak planking
In 1881, when it was clear that Bath. if
she would maintain her high place among
the shipbuilding cities of the world, must
be able to produce machinery as well as
the hulls for steam vessels, the people met
together in consultation, and the result
was soon made manifest in subscription
of 500, 600 for the establishment of shops
for the produc ton of marine engines and
| boilers
In the fall of 1882 work upon the foun
dation was beg un, and the middle of De-
cember saw the large buildings of the Goss
marine iron works standing where before
were the neglected ruins of burnt saw
mill. Feb. % the engines started and i'm
1885 the entire plant was in full operation.
Two years later these works passed into
the hands of the New England shipbuild
ing company, to be in 1888 transferred bv
them to their present overs, the Bath Iron
+ Works, Gen. Thomas W. Hyde, president.
| In location, the Bath Iron Works are es-
pecially fortunate, the natural facilities
j being unexcelled, if, indeed, they are
equaled anywhere. Situated II miles from
the sea and ID miles from any water where
a stranger would care to venture without
pilot these works in time of war would
be absolutely secure.
1t is noteworthy fact that the first
Triple expansion engine built on the At
lantic seaboard was produced here in
Bath.
The first government contracts secured
by the Bath iron works were for gunboats
Nos. 5 and 6, they being the lowest bid
ders, the figures being $637, 600 for the
two vessels. The contract with the gov
ernment was delivered upon April -,
1890, upon plans and specifications fur
nished by the U. S. naval department.
The principal dimensions are as follows:
Length on waterline, 100 feet; extreme
breadth, 80 feet; depth, about 2S feet, and
draft IL feet of water when ready for sea,
with her crew, guns, ammunition and other
supplies on board. The Machias is small
twin-screw gunboat of the cruiser type,
carrying on small displacement pow
erful battery of rapid fire and machine
guns, and manned with crew of $50 men
and officers.
The coal capacity of her bunkers is 25o
tons, which is very large for vessel of
her size. Upon this amount of fuel she
can steam 2, 452 knots at the rate of IA
knots per hour, or 4, 66S knots at the rate
OF 10 knots per hour. She has the rig of
a two-masted schooner, with foreyard
and square foresail, and spreads about
$500 square feet of canvas. The arma-