The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-17
NEW IN NAVAL WARFARE.
VESSELS THAT SUPPLY TIE NEEDS
or OUR ETGHTING SHIPS.

Vhero are Golfers, water B0htn, Hofrfger-
ntors, Hospitals, Machine shops and
A~rsenals-Only q floating Dry Dock IL
Needed and Sampson Has His Eye on One.
The present tendency toward specialization
"a we'll oxemplined by the special vessels which
have come TO be regarded IS more or less neo-
easary adjuncts to O feet OF modern warships.
In warfare upon the sea the United States has
always been O ploneer-a fact which 10 thor
ouchly appreciated by tho large number Of
military and naval attaches engaged in watch
ing our operations. These foreign officers are
particularly impressed by the novelty Of some
OF the classes Of ships which have been made q
part OF the American Navy, and many ex-
haustive reports concerning the efficiency OF
our hospital. repair. supply and reserve ships
have been mailed to foreign countries.
In former days ships were built OF wood. with
ooppered bottoms. and carried large supplies
Of water and provisions. II repairs to the sails
were needed they were effected by the sail
maker and his mates; the carpenters gang
ouficed to replace broken spars and even to re-
htthe ship to a considerable extent after an ac-
ton while the rigging was kept in order by
the seamen. under the supervision OF the boat
swain. The necessity for coalinG DID not exist,
and ships were rarely locked. II the necessity
became urgent q convenient island was Sc
lected. the ship was careened. and the bottom
was overhauled with sufficient thorouRhneBs.
The consequence was that ships were not so
dependent upon navy yards, but relied upon
their own resources. and could keep the seas
for many month";, or even years, IL required.
To-day it becomes necessary, after 30 many
days, to renew the coal supply. or the power to
proceed Is lost. An effort is being made in
the American Navy TO maintain what might
almost be termed q floating base. A host
Of GOLFERS accompanies the feet. and as soon
a. one collier discharges her coal into the
yawning bunkers OF Q battleship or cruiser
she Immediately steams to Norfolk or some
other place having good coallng facilities, re-
loads and rejolns the feet These colliers are
constantly coming and going. and the warships
are never In danger OF coal famine. Incident
ally colliers carry lubricatinG oil and waste,
both very necessary to Q modern steamer.
Among the colliers attached to the North At
lantio station are the Sterling. Lebanon. JUS
tin. scindia, Alexander. Cassius. Scipio. Leon
idas. Pompey. Abarenda. Cesar. Hannibal and
Niagara. Several Of these vessels are armed
with rapid-nre guns. to enable them to seize as
q prize q merchant vessel Of the enemy. should
one be encountered at sea- The colliers form
by far the larger number among the vessels
employed solely to supply the feet
To maintain the efficiency OF o vessel pro-
PEELED by steam machinery Il is almost. II not
quite. as necessary to renew the fresh water
lOT JHe pOileTS dS IL ID 70 Supply COA1 lOT Tic Iur-
naces, II is generally known that In the equip
ment of the majority Of sea-going steamships
there is included an evaporating plant. The
object Of such an evaporator Is merely to distill
fresh water for drinking and culinary pur-
poses. 1t is impracticable to make these evap-
orators sufficiently large to keep the water in
the boilers fresh. because about all the space in
a warship that can be assigned to the steam
machinery is utilized in the plant for propelling
the ship. Before leaving port all the boilers
are filed with fresh water. but In q few days.
through leakage Of steam Joints and other un>
ayoidable waste. the water in the boilers runs
low and more must be pumped in. Ali boilers
are lifted with a sea-injection. and as q last re-
source the sea Is drawn upon to keep the water
up to the working level. As this process Ii
repeated from time to time. the water becomes
intensely salt, scale Is deposited. and rapid
deterioration is inevitable. finally resulting In
leaky tubes. falling crown sheets. and the ruin
OF the boiler, unless repairs can be had. The
necessity for the care and preservation OF the
boilers is very urgent. and the problem Of keep
Ing up the fresh water supply has been solved
by our naval engineers. who have designed a
dlstiling ship. the Iris. which is fitted with q
monster evaporating plant, capable Of convert
Ing hundreds OF thousands Of gallons Of sea
water into fresh water every week. The Iris Is
ntted with powerful pumps to enable her rapid
~ to transfer the fresh water into the boilers Of
any vessel. that require renlling. When Watson
visits Spain to lombard the coast cities and
thereby impress upon the Dons the folly OF
their further c%ontendlng with the United
States. his feet will be accompanied by the
Iris whatever other vessel may be lett at home.
The care of the wounded In battle has always
been an important problem. Before the out
break OF the present war the Surgeon General
OF the navy. DIR. Van Reypen. determined to
spare no expense in providing q hospital ship
WIN this end In view, the Solace was purchased
and transformed into a floating hospital. This
snip is eQuipped with the most approved operat-
Ing tables. and every appliance known to mod.
erh surgeryis included in its outfit. The decks
nave been partitionedo of into wards. In which
are arranged long rows OF cool and inviting
looking beds. Everything likely to conduce t.
the comfort OF the sick has been thought Of
Electric ians To keep the air In circulation, Z
laundry 10 insure q constant supply OF clear
linen, aud a refrigerating machine with {
capacity OF several tons OF ice a day
ina personnel includes a large corps o
surgeons under DR.. Thomas II. Streets, u. 8
NJ ana q number OF trained nurses. After thu
commandment OF San Juan. the wounded OF
BOARD The American ships were transferred u
the solace and tenderly cared for. Since he
arrival at Santiago she has been constantly II
use ana many OF our soldiers wounded in &c
uoh nave undergone successful operation OIL
BOARD The army is also provided with O hos
pi"l SNIP the Relief. designed to accompan!
'no transports. but this vessel has not yet ar
rived, The Solace is painted white. with a YER,
broad green stripe running fore and aft
marked contrast to the dull fighting gray O
the war vessels. She displays at the fore trucl
'he lied Cross flag Of the Geneva Convention
ana Is Immune from capture. The Solaoe ma
Deen warmly praised by foreign experts. an,
VIII serve as II model In future wars.
me heet's stock Of provisions is kept re
renlshed by the Supply and the Celtic. vessel
~atype uniquein naval warfare. and fitted u
Tor the sole purpose OF mlnistering to tho com
iofto oil our sailors. They may be described a
vast uoatlIig refriRerators. the interiors bein
modelled after the monster cold-storage room
'1a'arc TO be found In large cities. Thousand
" IONS Ol beef and yepetablea ara stored In IN