Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-30
A GALA DAY.
Visitors Galore at Launching
Of Cruiser Cleveland.
Miss Ruth Hanna Christens Largest
Vessel Ever Built In Bath.
Whistles and Bells Salute Cruiser as She
Glides Into Kennebec.

Il
gala day in the history of the ship
building city. rendered memorable by
the successful launching Of the Unit 4
States cruised Cleveland from the
yards of the Bath Iron Works at noon.
The Cleveland is the largest vessel
ever constructed in this city.
The weather was ideal for the season
of the year. and an enormous crowd
representing every CtiCn Of New
England was present to witness the
launch
The gates Of the yard were thrown
open at 1920 O'Clock and a large crowd
was in line to secure the best places
long before the time appointed.
a few minutes before noon the chris
tening party. including Miss Ruth
Hanna, Senator Hanna and Senators
Frye and Hale and Congressman Lit
tl"tield of Maine. mounted the platform
at the bow of the cruiser and just on
the stroke Of noon Miss Hanna with "A
daintily mounted silver Ratchet, cut the
cords. releasing the keyshores, and as
the big craft began to slowly glide
down the stanch ways the sponsor
gracefully broke a bottle Of American
champagne over the bows and chris
tened her cleveland.
Whistles and bells salutcd her as she
took her maiden plunge into the blue
waters of the kcnnebec.
At the conclusion of the launching
an elaborate lunch was served by the
company.
The cruiser Cleveland is one Of the
six sheathed protected cruisers author
lied by an act of Congress approved
March 8, 1899.
The principal dimensions are as fol-
lows: Water line length. 292 feet; over
all length. eos feet, 9 inches; beam
nodded, 10 feet. 3i4 inches: beam ex-
IRENE. "A feet: freebcard forward 90
feet. freeboard aft. Is feet. 6 inches;
frceboard amidships, Is feet. inches:
mean draft in normal condition, i feet.
. inches: corresponding displacement,
300 tons; speed. 1s1a knots.
Her armament will be much more
formidable than those Of the Raleigh
class of cruisers. as very effective
secondary batteries are provided for.
5-nch rapid firing guns. the same as
on the Raleigh but while the latter
has no small calibrc guns at all. there
will be on the Cleveland class eight g.
Founders, two 1-pounders and four
Colt automatic guns.
While the Raleigh and Cincinnati
were designed to develop great speed.
the cruisers of the Cleveland class are
to have less speed, but they will ue
mere serviceable in other respects. She
will have but $500 horse power, as
against the Raleigh's 10000. The Cleve-
land machinery will consist Of two 4
cylinder triple expansion engines with
high pressure cylinders IS inches in
diameter. intermediate % inches in di-
ameter and low pressure of 352 inches
in diameter. with common stroke of
80 inches There are six RabCock &
Wilcox water tube boilers constructed
for a working pressure Of 215 pounds
per square inch. The total CRATE sur
face will be about 800 feet and the to-
tai heating surface will be about 1900
square feet There will be two smoke
pipes. the top of each being 20 feet
above the water.
The bunker capacity admits of the
stowage of 700 tons of coal. which at
the most economical speed will admit
of steaming 1000 miles without recoal-
ing.
The wooden sheathing of Georgia
pine 4 inches thick, is secured to the
plating by composition bolts. The stem.
stern posts. shaft struts and rudder
are of manganese bronze.
The outside plating is of 15-pound
plate ga inch thcD per square foot.
as are also the inner fiat and vertical
plates: the outer flat keeel is to be of
2O-pound plate.
Three complete steel decks are fitted.
the beams being of angle bulb section.
inches by inches. of 1871 pounds per
lreal foot. and the deck plates vary
ing in weight between 10 and 20 pounds
per square foot. "a
The protective deck iSis9ne half inch
thick throughout, and in addition two
inches of nickel steel plate, eight feet
in width. is fitted on each slope for
length of 1O5 feet in the wake of the
machinery. Forward and ahaft of this
ore-half inch plating is of double
thickness.
Only the main deck is planked with
wood The use of wood is in all parts
reduced to a minimum, corrugated
metal being substituted where feas-
ible. The ram bow has been entirely
omitted. the vessel having great
stem. This is another distinctive fea-
ture of this class of cruisers.
Eight Of the 5-inch guns will be
mounted on the gun deck in recessed
ports, while the two remaining are to
be mounted behind shields on the spar
deck. one forward and one aft. Quar-
ters are provided for the following
crew: One commanding officer. II ward
room officers. 10 junior officers. four
warrant officers. eight warrant ma
chinists. 23S sailors and Is marines, a
total of 29S men.
The contract for the Cleveland was
signed Dec. IA. 1899. and her keel was
laid Friday. June l. 1900. She is the
Continued on page 81