Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-09
Our Navy in a Nutshell.

The nIted states Is the hfth naval
power in the world. The naqics a
Great Britain. France. Russ "a and ItaJ
rank ahead in the order named Ger
many ami the United States ar, af,out
tied.
our present effective fighting forec
consists Of four hattlcships Of the fryi
class, one battle ship Of the scrond
| class. two armOrod cruisers eighf4na
cruisers, fifteen gunboats six dout1a
tuffeicd monitors. one ram one dyB4-
init" boat, one dispatch boat. one trans.
/ port and eight torpedo boats
The Iowa weighs rcar.y z HA Ion.
ana as twenty tons is the average IoaJ
ri freight car ana twelve cars is
good load for locomotive engine ;
would take nifty locomotives ~ haul IL,
great steel structure
The powder used is brown and in
chunks the size Of caramel A eharg,.
Tor tho biggest guns weighs 5Na pounds
an IS hoiSted To the breech by Il d.
rlck. the powder being sewcd up in bur-
Armor plates are tested by firing steel
projectiles Weighing from 100 10 I5n1
pounds at them from guns charged with
800 pounds Of powder ana at d distance
Of about d city block.
our battltships have Il speed of from
fifteen to seventeen knots an hour
Cruisers make nineteen to twenty-f0t,r
knots. while the monitors can travel
only five to seven knots.
feet long hjsr rnoI,e,b for =. ~, -, [r,,1I
into. four feet in diameter af ibofr I,r,-
est part and weigh Ia 5t0 tons ~, t4,a.[
abouts.
There are six rear admirals in active
service. The offices Of vice admiral ana
admiral are untitled so ,berc il ma, A.,,G
Of the navy rxcort Sgrrttar,. o,,,
Barnacles form on the nun of a shin
impeding its spred 4 >;iv tronth+'
oruise will decrease the speed Of d ship
Sixtv-one merchant vessels bnlcnc To-
the auxiliary navy, These shfp- ar.
subsidized and by contract must h. civ
en- TO the United states on demand.
Some of the gums in th, navy ran fire
Il shot twelve miles. farther than a mn,
can sec. for the guns are aimod uuI
sighted by machinery.
The amount expended by the navy de-
nartment in 1891 was s34 .56l.JlG. This is Z.
larger sum than has been ,.xnrnd,.i IN
any year since 1866.
In \ battle the woodwork and an ar-
ticles of wood are either slowed below
or thrown overheard lest tn. men be, in
iurcd by splintors
The origin Of the navy department.
may be said to date from October L:
i275 when congress AUTHORIZED The eaui,..
ncnt of two cruisers.
The fastest ypsa,,s i'm the navy arr. the
1nrn.1n hoats Porter and Duuout. .ach
of which can travel - knot, an hour.
HattIeshins cost from - I,ai ulA f., ST.!
10 o1n and cruisers from $500 oen to 81 uo
0Ho. A good torpedo boats costs over
$1nd nA
Eattieshins arc fnr.. tho heavy work. -
cruisers arc rnmnlarc.. dns,rnyeTs moni-
tors are useful only for coast dcfrnS.
Thu In Ijan3 coiIid liz o1fside SANDY
IInot, ana throw f9tM-no,,nG shots into
\.nr Work 4t inc rate of four = minute.
Tho4n artists Who show smoke In their
nirturrs Of naval battles are wholly
wrGng. Stcokrloss noN,lrr is used.
An of Inc, cruisers arc named in honor
nf rities ana Tho hattleshfns cycent th,.
X cars1rra in honor of states.
TN .'Trna'' ration was abolished in
f~;2 and since fhtn the crew has been
forhiddon tn drink whilr on duty.
Marines are the nnIjr. ON bo;ira SHIN.
priginaIl,- thrv were ,rpnlnvrd In urc-
.,rnt r,,,tin, ,n,ong Tho sailor.
Tho nnns Of = bottleship can carry
f,,n, siv "a twelve mics hurting u SHIT
y,.,iahi,,,r ,alf =, ton
nniv f1 I,er conf Of she enlisted 1r,u
..ra Americans and = smaller prr cent.
", arr. naive horn
I.rn;a,tilns throvn Inv naval guns are
sh.nGd ,nnrb IS Tho hulIe,s sh,,t bv IN.
ordinary ritle
RIO hattIesbin has on hoard an
.,1ant,iS Non, con1bla nr Iis-ntints u town
of -aon in NAH ahitants
v,ha bniiors ~ tbc 1nvo have - heat
io., s,,rf,na If eiyht a.,es and nod thirty
tnHs Of yy.,tsr