The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-10
MR.. FIryr,s TORPEDO BoAE
a Powerful sI-wnst Craft Onsrea ts the Gov.
nernmeuf.

An offer was made on Wednesday last by
Charles II. Flint Of this city. through G. ID.
Moshcr, the naval architect, to Assistant SEQ
rotary OF the Navy Roosevelt to deliver TO tho
Navy Department at an early date the torpedo
boat which Is now being constructed by Mr..
Flint nominally for a South American Govern
mcnt. Up to the present time the Navy De-
partment has taken no action on the offer. Tho
chances are. however. that In due course OF
time the vessel will he turned over to our Tow
eminent. Tho boat is 1876 feet over all, Is feot
@ inches beam. 4 feet draught, and with q dis
placement of IS tons will develop n speed Of 81
knots. Her coal bunker capacity is sufficient
for n voyage across thoAtlRntic at an economical
speed, driven by quadruple-expansion engines
OF 5000 horse power.
-Sho will have twin screws and will be equipped
with n moro powerful battery than any vessel
of her length afloat. the armament being sub
stantially the.same as the most recent torpedo
boat.destroyers of three times her displacement.
The battery will consist OF three of the largest
size torpedo tubes. two of them placed TO star.
board and port OF the forward coming tower.
and the third on the after deck. Two three.
FOUNDER rapid.fring guns on the coming or
fighting towers and four one.pounders 70 star.
board and port on deck. She will have two
coming towers. and accommodations for TWEEN.
ty.four mon. including officers. Ample pro.
vision will also be made for stores and maya
zines.
The offer to tho Navy Department stiprlates
n trial extending over two hours oyer a meas.
ured course, and tho price between $500. 900 and
100000. Provisions are also made for a sub
~stantial premium for each quarter of a knot Of
speed in excess of 81 knots. and.a like penalty
for every quarter Of a knot should the trial fail
to develop the guaranteed speed.
The rumor of negotiations for tho purchase OF
f. Burgess Warren's fast yacht Ellide by the
Navy Department for tho purpose Of transform
ing her into a torpedo boat is without founda-
tion in fact. Mr.. Moshcr. in introducing him.
self to Assistant Secretary Roosevelt at Wash
ington on Wednesday last, stated that among
the vessels he had designed and constructed
was the Ellide, of whose wonderful speed Mr..
Roosevelt had already heard. Some converse
tion relative to her adaptahility as a despatch
boat in New York harbor and vicinity brought
out the request. that Mr.. Mosher file the lines
of the craft in the Bureau OF Intelligence for
future reference. No negotiations were begun
for the salo of the.yacht. Her owner. Mr.. War.
rem of Philadelphia. is in Florida, and ns yet
has not been ad vised that plans of his pleasure
vessel arc on file at Washington.
Mr.. .Mosher said yesterday to u Sun report.
er that the purchase Of the boat by tho Gov.
eminent was only q remote possibility. and not
at all likely to be lie said, how.
ever, that tho vessel was at Nyack, that her
new boilers are completed, and she could be
fitted out In about ten days with a turtlcbaok
deck. a torpedo tube. and rapid firing gun on
the.conning tower, which would in his opinion
be sufficient armament for a vessel of her
great speed as q despatch boat around New
York harbor.