The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-30

hoisted to the breech by a derrick, the
powder being sewed up in burlap bags.
Armor plates are tested by firing steer
orojectiles weighing from 100 to l5Uo
lounIs at them from guns charged with
$40 poirGs of powder, and ar distance oil
about a city block,
Our battleshps have a speed OF from
fifteen to seventeen knots an hour. Crhls-
ers make nineteen TO twentyfour knots.
while the monitors can travel only five TO
seven knots
The biggest guns in the navy are forty
zine feet long, big enough for man to
crawl into; four feet in diameter at their
largest part and weigh 135. 800 pounds or
Whereabouts.
There are six rear admirals in active ser
vice. The offices OF the vice admiral and
admiral are untitled, so there is no head Of
the navy excepting Secretary Long.
Barnacles form on the hull of ship, i'm
peding its speed. A six months cruise VIII
decrease the speed OF a ship Is per cent
and it must go into dry dock.
SiXtyone merchant vessels belong to the
auxiliary navy These ships are subsi-
died. and by contract. must be given to
the United States on demand.
Some of the guns In the navy car fire
shot twelve miles, farther than man
can see, for the guns are aimed and sight
ed by machinery.
The amount expended by the navy de-
partment in 1897 was $34.56l, $40. This is
larger sum than has been expended in
any year since 1866.
In battle the woodwork and all artl-
cles Of wood are either slowed below or
thrown overheard less the men be injured
by splinters.
The origin of the navy department NAV
be said to date from October 10, 1775, when
congress authorized the equipment OF two
cruisers.
Tho fastest vessels In the navy are the
torpedo boats Porter and Dupont each
OF which can travel 81 . knots an hour.
Batteships cost from $500 900 to 49,
10000, and cruisers from 100000 to 3d.
100000. A good torpedo boat costs over
100000
Batteships are for the heavy work:
cruisers are commerce destroyers; moni-
tors are useful only for coast defense.
The Indiana could lie outside Sandy
Hook and throw 1900 pound shots into
New York at the rate OF four a minute.
Those artists who show smoke in their
pictures of naval battles are wholly wrong
Smokeless powder is used.
All of the cruisers are named In honor OF
cities, and the battleships. except the
Kenisarge, in honor of States.
The 'srog" ration was abolished in 1S63
and since then the crew has been forbidden
TO drink while on duty.
Marines are the police on board ship.
Originally they were employed 10 prevent
mutiny among the sailors.
The guns OF a battleship can carry from
six to twelve miles hurting a snot weigh
ing half ton,
only 60 per cent of the men enlisted are
Americans, and smaller percentage vet
are native born
Proiectles thrown by naval guns are
shaped much as the bullets shot by the
Ordinary rifle.
a big batteshp has on board an cleo
5pNu Inhabitants.
The boilers OF the Iowa have n heating
surface of eight acres and hold thirty tons
of water
Great Britain has 29t torpedo boats and
torpedo boat destroyers; Uncle Sam has
only eight.
Five hundred and twenty-six men and
cruiser New York.
Baiteships are covered with armor OF
nickel steel from five to seven inches thick
We have four armored batteships-the
ihatana, Iowa, Massachusetts and Texas.
!, a submarine torpedo boat 70 be known as
the llunger is now under construction
AZ present the total enlisted force Of the
naval militia is 1870 officers and mel.
Behind the heavy nrmor there is pad
oins OF either corn pith or cocoa husks.
~ costs $500 every time one nf the big
guns on board a ship Is fired.
me brooilyn and the New York are our
armor',i ciuisers
sallors are paid from $3.50 to sl2. so per
month and board
;, Al. An act OF congress in 1852 abolished fog
ging in the navy
me american navy has practically all
been built since 1854.
captain in the navy ranks with colo
built In 1894
ton
w, We have the only ram-thc Katahdin.
me ships ars painted white.
Frank Lee.
ts0Od Prlcexl for IntfIa 81