The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-18
TWO wArsHIPs PURCHASED
Our Government Secures tho Two Bra
lillian v~ss-ls-The Stars and stripes tn
be Raised I'm mediately On the AmaEonas

Washington. March 1.-THE reported
sale 10 the Uni9ed. States OF the two
Brazilian cruisers. Amazonas and Ad-
miral Abreuall. now receiving their fin
ishing touches In an English shipyari,
was confirmed here this afternoon. IL Is
learned also that Spain has not secur-
ed the O'Higgins and that Chill will not
sell her TO Spain 1t Is said Furthermore
that Spain has not. and cannot. pur-
chase ships from either chi or the Ar
gentiHe Republic.
Orders have been sent to- Commodore
Howell, commanding the European sta
ton. TO send a force OF men from the
San Francisco TO take possession and
hoist the United States flag on the Bra
lillian ship hat is ready to go into COM
mission At New Castle. This will pre-
vent any difficulty in case hostiiiiies
should break out, as the ship would be
under the flag, but lying in a friendly
harbor.N
The two vessels will be extremely use
full additions TO the United States navy
in either war or peace. in the opinion of
Secretary Long. who acknowledges they
have been bought by the United States.
They are steel. sheathed and coppered.
with twin screws. and Will be the FIRST
OF the cruisers in our navy 10 embody
that most useful feature Of naval con-
4 u1N4OIE-S lin 1ALA1
Constructor Hichborn has worked earn
estly for many years past. He finally
succeeded in having some OF the smaller
, gunboats constructed on this principle.
The Amazonas is rated at $500 tons dis
placement. with an indicated horsepower
under natural draught OF 800. which is
calculated 10 develop twenty knots speed.
Thus. while the ship is about the size OF
the Charleston. she is much faster. Her
armament is also much more formidable,
not so much in calibre. for the main bat
terry is made up of 6-inch guns. but these
guns, as well as the +1-inch guns. are of
what is known as 5-calibres length. Civ
ing them an unusua range and power.
In addition to this there are ten ~6-pound-
er quick firing guns four l-pounders.
four Maxim machin guns and two boat
or field guns. The torpedo tubes are
three in number. The, coal capacity is
so tons, giving her an effective steaming
radiuS of $3.50 knots. a most valuable
feature. inasmuCh as it would enable the
ship 10 cross and recroSs rhe Atlantic
without coaling. Such Il vessel used as a
destroyer would be vastly
more effective than what appear to be
more powerful crafts. because OF her
ability to get along on long cruises with
out touching in at neutral ports TO coal,
and thus exposing themselves 10 cap
tuTe.
The cruisers carry no armor in the
ordinary sense. but their machinery IL
protected from the fire OF guns by an
armored steel deck just below the water
line, varying in iCkne from IL TO
So inches. The battery has an unusual
train. being arrange to fire three ahead
and three astern of the principal guns.
1t is said the coal and ammunition on
board passed with the sale to the United
States. The ammunition is not all of
the kind in use by the United States
navy, so that the supply of ammunition
is a necessary adjunct TO the new SHIPS.
The other ship has been launched, but
it will take some time TO make her ready
for sea. Mr.. Lane believes, however,
that there Will be no difficulty in bring
ing her over Immediately, if ii is desired
to make the move without delay, as the
hull Of the ship is so well along that she
could be towed, and her own said power
utilized for the trip across.