The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-03-16
Our Available Navy.

The withdrawal of ships from the re-
serve and the hurrying forward of
those under repair have now put in
readiness for any call by far the most
powerful modern navy ever under the
American flag.
To begin with, there are in North
Atlantic and Gulf waters alone eleven
armorclads. The battleship Iowa, of
II ,410 tons, with IA inches of armor on
her sides and Is on her turrets, and
mounting four 12.inch, eight 8.inch,
and six 4,inch guns, with % smaller
pieces, heads the list in size. Next
comes the still more powerful battle
ships Indiana and the Massachusetts,
of 10,2S6 tons, 18-inch armor on the
sides and 17-inch on the barbettes,
carrying four 13inch, eight 8-inch, and
four 6-inch guns, with 80 secondary
pieces. Then we have the Texas,
6,315 tons, with 12.inch armor on sides
and turrets, carrying two 12.inch and
six 6.inch guns and "a smaller pieces.
Our arm ored cruisers are the Brook
Ign of 9,271 tons and speed of 21.9
knots, with 54-inch turret and 3.inch
side armor, carrying eight S-inch,
IWclNc OluCus anu ~ ondiicI Suuo )
and the New York of 5000 tons, 81
knots, 54-inch turret, and 4.inch side
armOr, carrying six S-inch, twelve A.
inch, and 16 smaller guns. The mon
itors are the Puritan of 5000 tons, with
14-inch armor, carrying four 12-inch,
six inch, and twelve smaller guns;
the Amphitrite, the Terror, and the
Miantonomoh, of 3, 800 tons each, carry
ing 114-inch barbette or turret armor
and an average of finch armor, with
four 10-inch and s secondary guns, the
Amphitrite carrying in addition two A.
inch guns. Finally, we have the ram
Katahdin, of 2,155 tons, carrying four
6.pounders, but relying on her formid-
able underwater beak as her aggressive
weapon. The total is three battle
ships of the first class, one of the Sec
ond class, four monitors, two armored
cruisers, and ram.
The unarmored vessels in Atlantic
waters include the Columbia and the
Minneapolis, of 1875 tons, with nine
main battery guns; the Cincinnati
2l3 tons, with eleven such guns; the
Detroit, Marblehead, and Montgomery
of 2,0S9 tons, the two former carrying
nine guns and the Montgomery ten.
The Lancaster, $3.50 tons, is wooden,
but has a good modern battery. The
gunboats, including training ships, are
the Wilmington, l 1892 tons and eight
guns; the Nashville, 1871 tons and
eight guns; the Annapolis, Vicksburg,
and Newport, 1000 tons and six guns
their sister ship, the Princeton, which
is to be launched this month; the
Castine, ,l77 tons and eight guns; the
pneumatic gunboat Vesuvius and the
dispatch boats Dolphin, l, 4S6 tons
and Fern. The Machias, a sister OF
the Castine, in on the way from
Funchal to Norfolk. Works hurryine
on the Chicago, $500 tons, and The
Atlanta, 5000. The torpedo feet il
already noticeable, including the Cush
ing, Ericsson, Porter, Dupont, Foote
Rodgers, Winslow, Talbot, Gwin, Mac
kenzie, Mckee, and Stiletto. In thi
list are some not yet in commission
but none the less certainly TO be count
ed upon, while several Others are no
far from completion.
The foregoing are ships now 10 Norti
Atlantic and Gulf waters. But WI
should have the use OF the Pacific, tn,
! Aqiatic, and the European squadrons