The National tribune., 1900-08-23
THE U. s. S. TENNESSEE.
A Very Expensive and Costly Vessel.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The bis.
tory of the Tennessee ID quite Interesting
and most illustrative. She had a short
life, but, as a consumer of money, a bril-
liant one. Her hull was built and she was
equipped in the New York Navy Yard
Her machinery was designed and built un.
der contract by the eminent engineer, Mr..
John Ericsson, costing 100000. Her total
original cost was S1,85G,075.S1. Upon
her trial trip in January, 1867
she ran about 1000 miles. She at.
tanned speed Of 16 knots and made a run
of 10 knots per hour for four hours. She
encountered perilous storm, described rs
hurricane, which continued over "a
hours. The ship suffered considerably.
The report Of her commander says:
The engines moved off finely and
worked perfectly during all the storm
. her machinery is as perfect as it
need to be. 1t has undergone the severest
test and not once found wanting. ;, She is
the fastest ship / have ever seem"
The Chief Engineer says:
''If the strength and workmanship Of
the machinery cannot be depended upon
then no reliance is to be placed upon the
performance Of any steam machinery with
which l am acquainted"
Two years afterwards she underwent
what was called REPAIRS" and the sum
Of S57G, ,799.61 was spent upon her; all but
$4,000 Of this was put on her hull and
equipment. 1t was the full price of a new
wooden hull of her size at that time. This
was from 1869 to 1871. She then made a
cruise of three months and went into the
hands Of Mr.. John Roach to enable him
to take out the machinery and boilers Of
John Ericsson and substitute others Of su-
perior character. 1t was among other
things expected to give the ship 14h-
knot speed for "a hours. When she had
her trial of this new machinery in 1875
her maximum speed was 10A knots, and
she had had put upon her an expense OF
$S01, 1850 in addition to the value of her
machinery and boilers, taken in trade By
Mr.. Roach at $65,OOO. This machinery
had cost 100000, had not been in actual
service six months, had never been sur
veyed and condemned by q board Of Gov
ernment officers, nor its value fixed by any
Government board, but 1t was sold to Mr..
Roach as old iron.
That is to say, between 1869 and 1873
the Tennessee had had three months serv-
ice and had cost In repairs and improve
ments $1,443, 3,513.21.
This was largely In excess Of q fair
price for a new ship of her character.
Twelve years afterwards ION April 4.
1880 she is condemned by the Statutory
Board as unseaworthy and not worth re-
pairing and ordered sold. having had put
upon her between 1875 and 1887 the ad-
ditionaI sum of $577, ,716.17. She brought
$34,525 at the auction sale. She had cost
the Government $500, 600 in round num-
bers and had done about 10 years of active
service, outside Of repair shops and navy
yards.
The Tennessee was reappraised and, BY
authority OF the President, and in pur-
suance of the act of March 3. 1888. sold
at public auction Sept. 10, for $34 SO,
which was $8.525 in excesss of her reap
praised value. The net amount realized
from the sale of the Tennessee, after pay
ment of the auctioneers commissions, was
$33, ,6G1 .SS, which has been deposited in
the Treasury and covered in as "miscella.
neous receipts" The New York was Of
fsred at auction at the same time. but no
bid received equal to her appraised value.
The Tennessee was a screw steamer of
2,s40 tons, % guns. She was flagship of
the Asiatic Squadron in 1877, and COM
manded by Capt. Jonathan Young.-Wur
LIAM SIMMONS.