The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-07
TWO SHIPS NOW OURS
BUT ONCE WERE SPANS

amazed at the poor showing she made
in the fight outside Santiago harbor.
The Cristobal Colon is an armored
cruiser and was originally the Giuseppe
Garibaldi II. Her displacement is g.
$40 tons and her indicated horsepower
$4,000. Her main armament consists of
two 0-inch runs and 10 6-inch, and six
4.7-inch and four torpedo tubes, so that
she is powerful in this respect. She is
provided with a 6-inch belt OF Harvey
lied steel and her guns are similarly
provided. Her deck plating is ~
inches thick. Her normal coal supply
is 1000 tons. She was launched at SEES
tri Ponente in 1896.
The Infanta Maria is also an armored
cruiser of the Vizcaya class. She was
built in 1891 at Bilboa. Her displacement
is 1000 tons, her length $40 feet, breadth
Go feet and maximum draught Il feet 6
inches. She is propelled by twin screws.
her engines developing $4,000 horsepower.
Her normal coal supply is large. namely,
200 tons, sufficient to take her nearly
5000 miles at 10 knots.
These vessels have armor belts IL inches
thick extending from bow to stern, but
tapering of at the extremities: their big
guns are protected by 1917 inches of ar
NOR and the deck plating is 3 inches thick.
Such are the vessels that will next be
added TO Uncle Sans navy. Sailing in
good company, under a flag that inspires
fear instead OF ridicule, their decks trod-
den by men of the old hearts of oak va
riety. their guns manned by crews who
are expert m~arksmen. a very different
story will be told of the next naval fight
In which they tax part. If fate DEGREES
that they shall be used against Spanish
ships before the war is ended the dcps
will be afforded an opportunity to judge
of the vast Importance Of the man behind
the gun in the naval warfare of the day.
As to the plans of Lieutenant Hobson
for saving the two cruisers, he realizes
the difficulties before him, but has
thought out an ingenious method of over
coming them. The work must be done at
once. for the vessels are in such posi-
lions that a severe storm would damage
them past all possibility of redemption.
In outlining his plans while in Washing
ton. Lieutenant Hobson said:
1.-THE work Of raising the Maria Teresa is
simple, although she is not in as good
conditinn as the Colon. Pontoons will be
run alongside of the Colon. submerged.
chained to the cruisers hull and then
pumped out. At the same time we will
endeavor with air pumps to force the
water out of her air chambers and wafer
tight compartments. If many of these
compartments are found to be intact the
combined force from inside and outside
ought to be sufficient to raise her several
feet. The rest of the work will be done
with air bags. which will be placed in
the hold ana tneh lhHaled win compress
ed air. 1t will take about 1900 tons OF
buoyancy in addition to that already sent
TO Santiago by the Merritt company to
do the work.
Every time the ship is raised a few
feet she will be towed inshore as far as
possible. Eventually we hope to get hel
so far out of the water that the 1eces'
sary repairs can be made. We do not
think the Colon's hull is leaky. but tha'
she was sunk by the opening of the sea
valves. Once we get her afloat she car
be towed here. placed in a dry dock snc
put into shape.
'"The pontoons will be ready in about
three days. and IL will take several day
to tow them to Cuba. II the water /:
smooth We can 20 right ahead with thu
work after we get there, but IL not W.
will have TO wait. for pontoons cannot b.
worked in rough weather.
VILLARS.