The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-09
The OLYMPIA OUTCLASSBD
DEWEY'S FLAGSBTP HEREAFTER
TO BE A SCHO0LSHIP.

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The Vessel That Led tle way In Victory in
Manila bay Hardly More Than q Play
thing In Comparison With the New
BatueshiDs Follows the baltimore.
The Olympia, which led in the first round
Of the fighting in Manila Bay on May 1.
1898, follows the Baltimore, which led the
second round, Into retirement as a fighting
ship, Hereafter Admiral Dewey's flagship
is to be a cruising ship for the Annapolis
middies. The retirement OF the two vessels
ia an illustration OF the rapid advance made
in the last fifteen years in warship con-
struction.
During the administration OF President
Harrison. Secretary OF the Navy Tracy
insisted that this Government should have
wanhips the equal Of any in the world.
He wanted not only size but also speed.
1t is a curious fact that the navy which
then boasted a vessel Of the type demanded
by Secretary Tracy was the one which was
to be demolished a few years later by the
help Of the vessel copied from IL.
The Reina Regente Of the Spanish navy,
whioh was built at Clydebank. Scotland, In
1885, was the vessel that suited Secretary
Tracy best. She was 800 feet long and could
do more than twenty knots under forced
draught. When Congress authorized the
construction OF the Olympia, Cincinnati
and Raleigh in 1888 the model chosen for
the Olympia was the Reina Regente.
The plans were slightly changed to allow
for improvements in warship construction
during the o u years that elapsed between
the completion Of the Reins Regente and
The beginning OF work upon the Olympia.
and for carrying out the Navy Department
plan to build a vessel that should resemble
the fleet Spaniard, but yet excel her. The
similar appearance Of the two was shown
during the Columbian naval review in
New York harbor In 1898, when the Reina
Regente came to this country towing the
copy Of the caravel Santa Maria, the flag
ship Of Christopher Columbus. The Span
ish navy has a different Reina Regente
now, however, for the Olympia's model
foundered in a storm of Gibraltar in 1895
with her entire crew OF 42o men on board.
The original design Of the Olympia gave
her a length Of $40 feet and a displacement Of
$500 tons, but on account Of Secretary
Tracy's preference for large vessels he
authorized an increase Of several hundred
tons in her displacement. After the CON-
tract was made the president Of the Union
Iron Works OF San Francisco volunteered
to make the vessel ten feet longer to give
| extra fire rooms, without additional COST.
The offer was accepted, with the result that
the general dimensions OF the Olympia are:
Length on the load water line, $40 feet;
extreme breadth, SO feet: mean draught, II
/. feet a inches; displacement, $3.50 tons; gross
tonnage, 4.o1i. and net tonnage, 2,797. Tine
Olympia was thus ! 400 tons larger han the
Baltimore.
The most noticeable feature OF the olym-
pia has been her speed. Perhaps the fact
: that the Government was to enact a penalty
from the builders il the Olympia didn't
AVE the required speed had something
to do with the fact that the engines greatly
exceeded their requirements at her trials.
Although her contracted speed was only
20 knots, at her first official trial she at
tanned a max imum speed Of 22.15 knots.
She has shown a s,sta ined sea speed Of
almost 20 knots, which was more than "
knots in advance Of that usually maintained
by vessels OF her class when abe first went
into commission.
The Olympia is unarmored, but is built
OF steel throughout. She has three COM
DItlt NtChSt oIlt vi liS IT "NSoAy "
substitute for side armor. This protec-
tive deck joins the hull about four feet
below the water line at an angle OF 80 de-
grees. It is ~ inches thick on the slopes
amidships. On the slope forward and aft
it is 3 inches thick. 1t rises in the centre
Of the ship to a little above the water line
and il ? inches thick on the fiat,
Above the protective deck a belt Of cellu-
lose 2 feet 0 inches thick Is worked COM
pletely around the ship. II extends four
feet above the waterline. The soace above
the protective deck Is subdivided and much
of il lie covered with coal, forming an ad-
ditional safeguard against the effects OF
damage near the waterline.
The purpose Of the heavy protective
deck is not 30 much to serve as armor n
defect the shot OF N enemy as 1t is to
permit the penetration OF the sides Of the
shin without the danger Of flooding the
machinery spaces or magazines.
The OLYMPIA was launched on November
Z. 1892. and her first commission was dated
February 5, 1895. Most OF her service has
been On the Aslatic station, where she has
served os the flagship.
The Olympia's career. aside from the
events of the battle Of Manila, has been
without incident, but she got glory enough
then to keep her name immortal. She
had been the flagship OF the Asiatic squad
ron for several years prior TO 1898 and was
under orders to return home for repairs
early in that year when Secretary Long.
realizing that war with Spain was possible.
oabled Commodore George Dewey at Yoko-
hama as follows:
Retain until further orders the crews
OF the squadron whose terms Of enlistment
have expired
Without further instructions Dewey pro-
ceeded to Hongkong and there formed his
base OF operations against the Philippines.
On April 20 the little revenue cutter
Hugh McCulloch brought TO Dewey this
despatch from Secretary Long:
war has commenced between the Uniled
States and Spain. Proceed at once 10 the
Philippine Islands. Commence operations
at once, particularly against the Spanish
feet. You must capture vessels or destroy
them. Use utmost endeavors.'
When this message was read on the
Olympia Commodore Dewey said. Thank
the Lordl At last I've got the chance. and
III wipe them OF the Pacific Ocean,
Every one knows what happened there