The evening times., 1899-08-26

]. Harvey Ladew. Of the New York
Yacht Club. has just inaugurated a plan
which will probably be followed by nu-
merous patriotic Americans who are able
to afford private craft for pleasure pur-
poses. He has had built yacht for his
own use but has designed it to carry, with
out alterations. a fine battery of guns
should 1t at any time be required in his
country's service. The new vessel is being
completed at the yards of Lewis Nixon,
in Elizabethport. 1t is on the lines of and
nearly faithful counterpart of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey steam
er. the Pathfinder.
This new yacht Is 168 feet long on the
water-line. and 1876 feet over all, with an
extreme breadth of 33 feet inches, and
mean draught of water OF 10 feet, it's dis
placement being, with coal and stores
aboard S75 tons. A triple expansion en-
CINE, having cylinders Is, 27. and A inches
in diameter by 2S inches stroke, will give
the yacht 99o-h horse power, with natural
draught, which can be increased to 200
when occasion requires, by forced draught.
The coal bunkers accommodate $50 tons of
coal, and will give, at an economical cruis-
ing speed OF 10 knots an hour, a radius
OF over 5000 miles without reflling, as the
coal consumption at this speed is only
about nine tons day
Besides steam power the yacht is fitted
with two masts. brigantine rigged, and
spreads sail area of 4,500 square feet
which alone 1t is estimated will give tha
vessel speed of eight and a half knots an
hour in fair breeze. An auxiliary boiler
furnishes steam for a complete electric
plant OF sufficient power to thoroughly light
the vessel throughout, and for the operation
of twelve-inch searchlight, as well as
pumps and other auxiliary machinery. A
distilling plant furnishes fresh water fol-
the crew, and the boilers, and a cold storage
room OF a size to hold twelve tons OF ice is
also provided
Should the needs of the country de-
mand il, arrangements have been made
and extra strength built into the hull to
accommodate two 4-inch rapid fire guns
mounted on the centre line of the vessel.
one forward and one aft and six 6-pound-
ers, three on either side. arranged to fire
over the rail and clear of the arc of fire of
the 4-inch guns. The Pathfinder, of which
Mr.. Ladew's yacht is a duplicate in hull
as above mentioned was designed under
the immediate supervision of Rear Admiral
Philip Hichborn, the CHIEF constructor of
the United States Navy, to fulfill conditions
requiring strength. stability. and good sea
going qualities. The vessel is fully up TO
the navy standard, with its system of wat
er-tight compartments, longitudinal stiff
eners. coal protection. plated decks, and
double bottom and the yacht, incorporating
these, can be converted at once into
man-o war. even 10 details of magazine
arrangements.
II is Mr.. Ladew's purpose to start on an
extended cruise around the world, visiting
India, China, and Japan, when the interna-
tional yacht races for the Americas Cup
are ever in October In such a voyage the
yacht will be fully tested as to its seago-
ing qualities. and, it is expected, will COM
pletely fulfill Admiral Hichborn's predic-
ton that it can breast any gale that blows.
Before having the design for his yacht
prepared, Mr.. Ladew presented his views
to the Navy Department He urged that
large yachts built in the future by private
American owners should have the decks
crr