The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-14

The United States torpedo boat Rowan.
which is now receiving her finishing
touches at Moran Bros. Company's yard.
In this city. Is closely guarded day and
night Since the launching last Friday
the vessel is even more Closely watched
than while she was on the ways She
s row tied up to the ruins Of Kerry's old
mill, and the chance for an enemy of the
government or OF her builders TO do her
harm is even greater than when she was
inside the yards. There she was under the
watchful eye CT the shotgun guard that
has been on duty ever since the night
that the model shop was discovered ON
fire.
Crowds Of people flock down to the old
mii.site every day after reading the war
news TO see the only war vessel on the
Sound. They are, as a rule, intensely
patriotic AS they look at the long, low
BIT Of steel. with her razor bow and three
red smokestacks. they figure on the DAM
age she could do to 4 Spanish batt.eship.
This arouses still more the war spirit. and
the man who has not implicit confidence n
the ability Of the American navy to whip
any other navy that sa-.s the as Is liza
bic TO get into trouble.
After looking over the Rowan from the
lumber piles, nearly everyone decides ~
go OH board and have a look at the in
side of a real torpedo boat. After Climb
ing down on a float they run against a
sign which reads, Visitors positively not
allowed on board" This will not stop
some, bur they do not get very far on
the Rowan before they are met with the
gruff demand for theiS pass from the
office. Ii they cannot produce this
they are shown the ladder In a hurry.
Even the pass from the Office does not
admit a visitor to anything but the upper
deck, There are too many mer at work
down in the narrow engine rooms and
cramped quarters forward and aft for
visitors 10 be welcome.
At night Waterman with a loaded gun
patrols the deck of the new torpedo boat.
There are too many things about the craft
that could be seriously injured, without
much danger to the persons doing the IN
jury, for the Rowans builders to take any
risk. As the war situation becomes more
interesting the watch will be doubled for
fear that some patriotic Spaniard might
try to do something for h.s country by
doing up the Rowan.
Work Is being rushed on the numerous
miner details that come after the launch
Ing. Yesterday fire was started under two
Of the Rowan's boilers and a low pressure
OF steam kept up during the day. This
pipes for leaks or other weaknesses In
the officers quarters in the stern several
clever woodworkers were putting the An
.sning touches on the cabins. In q few
days the upholsterers Will take hold of the
cabin and make IL as comfortable as
possible for the officers who are com
PEELED to make its narrow confines their
home for the greater part OF the year
Life IN torpedo boat Is at its best a.
sorry one. 1t VIII be decidedly a Wash
inglon ship, The cabins are being fin
ished in highly polished native woods.
The blankets will be made OF Washington
wooi, and In several other ways viii. the
Idea be carried Out.
The Rowan VIII be given her trial trim
early next month. I, viii take place on
Puget sound before a board of engineers
OF the United States navy Secretary
Long has not yet appointed the board that
viii see that the Rowan's engines behave
according To The government specifications
To do this. the Rowan must dsvelop n
speed o; not less than twenty-ssx knots
an hour. Her machinery must run like
clockwork and her boilers work 10 per-
fectlon. No pains have been spared from
the start TO make the Rowan perfect in
every way. and II would nog surprise many
OF tile authorities who have seen her If
she runs faster than the soat~ac; calls
for.