The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1899-02-18
SHIP FOR THE CHIEF.
YACHT SYLPH IS PUT AT THE
PRESIDENTS DISPOSAL.
For Foreign GuestsEuropeau Rulers
\ Fave Costly Pleasure Craft Emperor
Williams Yacht ~ victoria's Splendid
Boat. IS

%"I washington nave Deen emnarraS-
sed by the talk of suitable govern
ment ship for the use of the President
when he desires, in entertaining dis
tlnguished foreign guests of the ma
ton, to take them for pleasure trip
OF any kind. To be sure, some vessel
OF the navy was always at his COM
mand, but no one ship could be con-
tlnuaIly kept at hand for that pur-
pose. This difficulty is to be rene
died and specially designed yacht is
to be built for the sole purpose of ex-
ecut1ve use in social functions.
When Mount Vernon has been Wis
tied by representatives of a foreign
nation here in their official capacity
II has been necessary as rule to
transport them to the tomb on some
river steamer or else by the electric
cars. Hereafter the Sylph, one of the
me yachts recently purchased for the
navy, will be stationed at Washing
ton for the use of the officials and
the President. 1t is of light draft,
last, and well adapted for outings on
the river. With this ship and the
Dolphin the President will be well
provided with official yachts.
But two rulers of great powers have
liner official yachts at their disposal
than the President of the United
States. Not even the Queen of Eng
land is carried around on the water
IN ship more sumptuous or powerful
than the dispatch boat which Presi-
dents Harrison, Cleveland and McKin-
ley have occasionally used. The Dol
phin is not only fitted for just such
cruises, but couples with it's yacht
like arrangements strong battery
of rapid-fire guns.
England for the last fifty years or
more has supported royal yachts for
the queen, and the first of the number
to be built is yet serving her majesty.
The queen has insisted up to the pres
ent on all her royal private vessels
being side-wheelers of the old paddle
wheel pattern. For twenty-five years
the queen has had four imperial yachts
for her own private use, and now she
is to have a new one, larger, more
costly, and more sumptuous than any
OF the former. The fifth vessel will
have twin screws, great length, and
be capable of fast time. Not one
of the old ships on a stretch could
make more than fifteen knots.
In designing the new ship the Brit
ish Admiralty has endeavored to meet
the wishes and views of the queen on
the general plan of the vessel as far as
possible. AS the yacht will probably
some day be the royal ship of the
Prince of Wales or some other member
of the present imperial family, there
will not be that same desire shown to
sacrifice modern ideas of architecture
in order to give the numbering type of
vessel, such as has represented the
queens ideal yacht, When completed
the new ship will cost possibly $1,000,-
900.
Emperor Williams yacht is more of
warship than pleasure craft, and at
the Kiel celebration was the most adj
mired Of all vessels except the New
York and Columbia of the American
fleet. The Hohenzollern is of COM
paratively recent date, having been
laid down in 1891 and completed two
years later. It's length is the same
as that of the cruiser New York, it
being $50 feet over all, with beam
of 46 feet, draft of 16 feet, and dis
placement of 4,1S7 TONS It's engines
have developed 5000 horsepower, or
equal to those of the New York, and
it's speed is placed at twenty-five
knots. 1t carries three 4-inch guns
and twelve 4-pounders. It's compile
ment of men is 307.
Russia has more imperial yachts
than any government of the world.
It's naval list shows that the car
has at least five, and number of
small launches designated also as roy
al dispatch boats. Many of them
are old and of little further use, but
it's latest, the STANDARD, is by far the
finest vessel of its class afloat. 1t is
even more powerful than the Hohen-
zo1lern, and carries more armament
than any other royal yacht in serv-
ice.
The STANDARD represents both the
highest idea of war vessel and yacht
yet designated. It can fight and at
the same time take the whole Rus
sian royal family on cruise around
the world in most comfortable fash
ion. No official government yacht
is so powerfully armed. None has
such speed or size. It is longer than
the Minneapolis and swifter than the
New York. It's length over all is 425
feet, beam 50 feet, and mean draft 20
feet. It's displacement is 5,557 tons
and indicated horsepower $4,000,
which gives a speed of twenty-five
knots. It's battery comprises eight
three-pounders.
King Humbert does not believe that
royalty requires an official yacht, and
therefore, has never asked the italian
people to provide him with one When
he wishes to make an official inspec-
ton Of the fleets he boards some one
of the ordinary dispatch boats. On
short cruises he has his own private
yacht, paid for out of his own purse.