Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-28

Ing Conpany's yards almost ready for
tho launching. The vessel is about eighty
nor cent completed. and will slide from
the ways next month, although the exact
date for the launching has not been fixed.
The massive hulk rests almost under
the shadow Of the Confederate Soldiers
and Sailors monument, whose graceful
shaft sur1nounts the crest of Libby Hill,
10 commemorate the vaiorous deeds upon
the deep OF that hastily constructed but
destructive Confederate navy.
Captain William II Curtis. the popu-
Iar old salt of Church Hill, who rendered
distinguished service in the Confederate
navy en- the Tuscaloosa. and other YES
sais stood near the steei-clad hulk of
The Galveston yesterday, and turning his
eyes from the frame-encompasse cruiser
TO the monument on the hill nearby.
rnid: ''If we could have had a ship like
that during the war, we would have
steamed down the James and cleaned up
everything in the United States navy
that could have been foated on the bosom
OF Hampton Roads
Looking backward.
I'VE are coming back to the old-fash-
Ioned things" said the Captain. Before
he war the United States government
used TO sheath its wooden vessels with
roper, and when they cruised in tropi-
raj waters they didn't lay UP in dry
Docks 20 have their bottoms scraped on
account of The barnacles that chung to
The bottom. The new navy did away
with This plan. and when the steel-cov-
a-ed vessels get down into tropical wa
ters now they collect SO many barlacles
On their sides that they can't make East
dime. and they have to be tied UP to get
Ecraped. Now the Navy Department, as
you can see in this vessel, is going to
sheath the sides and bottom with copper.
OF course, the vessel is steel-plated, but
oyer that there is a covering OF wood,
and upon that the copper sheathing is
placed The metal is specially treated,
and the barnacles will not cling TO it as
!hey would TO steel"
Captain Curtis gave his unqualified ap-
pfoval of the Galveston as she appears
on the ways to-day, and there was a
ylcam in his eye as he recalled the night
when on the Tuscaloosa he steered
through the Federal blociading feet off
Wilmington TO the open sea.
Day of Galveston Disaster.
r Is a coincidence that the first plate
Of the Galveston was laid on the day
that the destructive storm swept over
the Texas Island City for which the YES
sci is named. The delay in constructing
the Galveston has been due 10 the Glfil-
Guilty in getting the plate necessary tor
the vessels covering. fhe same cause
has DELAYED other ships now on the
wavs. The special nature Of the plate,
md the rigid test that e has to undergo,
has postponed the completion Of the Cal
weston beyond the eXcs;ted time X
was thought that the ship could be
launched by September 10Th, but IT is
LOT likely that it viii dip int, the James
tcfore late IN October.
Tho contractors estimate that within
six months after launching the Calves
ton will be ready for her trial trip. and
later for her visit to the city OF Calves
ton. where a suitable testim onial from the
CITY will be conferred upon her
The Galveston is the largest vessel that
has ever been constructed in Richmond
She has been built by the energy OF the
same man who constructed the engines
of the Texas that sent that good ship
hurrying through the waters OFT SAN
uago in chase of Cervera's heet-
Four Sister Ships.
Her sister ships are the Des MONIES.
Chatt2nooga Denver, and Tacoma IL
the Galveston could be set down on Main
STREET her how and stern would touch
the intersections of Ninth and Tenth
streets. respectively. One could step out
Of the fourth story window of the Dispatch
building upon her deck, and cross over
10 the opposite building to the cores
pcnding floor II the United States were
covered with a sufficient depth of water,
the Galveston could steam at ten mlies
an hour from Newport News 10 san
Francisco and return without stopping
for coal
Richmond Is looking forward to the
launching of the Galveston next month
as a great event in the commercial pros
pcritv of the city The Trigg Shlpbullo-
ing Companv is already preparing the
programme for the entertainment OF the
Galveston delegation, and the IeXas Con-
Erassional delegation at the launcnlhs-
President Roosevelt, the Secretary OF me
NAVY. members of the Committee on Ma
val Affairs from the House OF Represen-
tatives. are expected to be present. and
he social official, and commercial life
OF RichmCnd will take prominent part
In the AGAR.
A Minute Description.
The Act Of March ard, 1889, provided for
g-x protected cruisers of $500 tons trial
disrjsoaroe,,t TO be sheathed and copper
ed and 10 have the highest speed COM
patible with good cruising qualnes, great
radius Of action, and to carry the mos.
powerful ordnance suitable to vessels OF
this class
The Galveston will have a steamlng
radius under full speed. OIL slAteeii a."
onc-half knots per hour. OF 25eo knots.
and an economical steaming radius. al
len knots per hour, Of 1909 knots.
The frames Of the Galveston are spaced
three feet apart throughout length tie
inner OF the double bottom, a4 ieet III
length being divided into twenty-nlne
Compartments. Between the inner bottotn
and the protective deck, there are Sixty
seven water tight compartments; anu
above the protective deck there are thlrts :
nine. making a total of 1S5 separate wafer
tight compartment in the Vessa.
The Protective Deck
The protective deck is covered with one
half inch steel throughout. and IN aooiuoi,
will have two inches Of nickel steer eishe
'eet wide on each slope, for iensth VI
US feet Forward and abaft TINS cover,
Ing On the slope, the one-haf men stee,
4 Sdoubled Over the protective deck ~
H along the water line, a cofferdam Is WORK.
Cd which is to be filed with nreP'ooA
corn pith as celebrating material.
There is little woodwork about the YES.
ser corrugated steel being used aittios1
4 entirely.
The armament of the Galveston Is pow
M tr'u considering her size and tonnage.
a Ia. main battery consists Of ten b-inch
g fspc-lre rifles OF SO calibres length. Inc
So secondary battery consists Of eight D.
81 Founders, two l-pounders. four Colt su
'onauc guns and one 3-ineh field piece.
Experience In Late War.
The location OF these pieces has pee =
sssst upon the experience of the fsvy -
Asasn4sh-AInertcan wax ana VA.