The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-29

ANAA hAOLE 11tI engines were rated at
5,0if horsepower, and her cost was Ss3O.Oo0.
Her armament was only a few rapid
fire guns. for she was intended solely
and primarily rs a ram.
When she was launched great things
were expected Of her. but the clumsy
design impeded her, and she was never
able to make a speed OF more than 10
or y knots. For this reason she was
unable 20 keep Up with the faster ships
in the Spanish-American war, and did
not get into action. Since that time
she has lain at the different naval sta
tons awaiting orders. and at last the
word has come that she will be used
for some practical purpose. She VIII
serve as a target for the war ships OF
the navy.
Old Monitor Class.
OF the Terror. the Mfantoncmah. and
the Amphitrite. there is not much 70
say. They were Of the famous Monitor
class, a development OF the first famous
Monitor designed by Capt Erickson.
which sunk the Merrimac during the
civil war. II is true that they were
a wonderful Improvement over this yes
sci, out they had the same principles.
as evidenced by the double turrets
through which the great guns were
- 4AAh III Gil AAiE-Alkll1- AMtJ were DUH
low down 20 the water 70 escape the
enemy's FIRE, and had great belts OF
arnOr protecting the exposed points
They were tWin-screW vessels, and OF
the same type as the Monadnock and the
Puritan.
These three vessels cost the govern
ment IN the neighborhood OF 100000
Their keels were laid in 1874. and the
ships were launched in the same year.
They range in displacement from $3.50
tons for the first TO $3.50 tons for the
Miantonomah and the Amphitrite They
were not supposed TO be speedy vessels
on account Of their shape and weight,
and they registered los knots an hour.
Their guns were very heavy for those
days as for a main battery they had
four ten-iEch breech-lOading rifles. They
had a secondary battery OF two six
FOUNDERS. Two continuous FIRE small guns.
five one-pOunders. one Colt and one
three-inch field piece
The Minneapolis was one OF the more
recent vessels Of the swift cruiser pat
tern. Her keel was laid in Philadelphia
In 1898, and she was finished in 1894. az
a cost OF 1850 O00 This vessel was an
Improvement over the old Monitor type,
as IL was beginning TO be recognized
that speed was a great necessity IN war
vessels She had a displacement Of 1875
tons and a length OF 40 feet Her en-
gines furnished the enormous horse
power Of 20S62. and she was capable OF
making a speed Of q knots an hour.
Surely, the public thought, this was the
last step IN nava' construction. AS arna-
ment. this Tessel has one eight-inch gun.
two siT-inch. eight four-inch, twelve six
FOUNDERS, two one-pounders. and two
rapid-fire guns. She had a complement OF
At men.
The Columbia. sometimes called The
Gem OF the Ocean" in naval circles, was
another fine cruiser. and her cost was
s.. 7Z5,C00. She had her keel laid IN Phil
adelphia in 1892. and took her initial
plunge from the ways in 1884 She had
a f0ur-inch armor plate and an estl-
mated speed OF 22s knots She had a
displacement OF 1875 tons and was AZ
feet long. Her horsepower was 1853.
Her armament consisted OF one eight
inch rifle. two six-inch. eight four-nch,
twelve six-pOunders. two One-pounders,
and two rapid-fire guns. The complement
OF men numbered AZ. The Columbia had
her bow stove IN on the coast OF Maine
In 1895 while on a cruise with the Fly
ing squadron three years ago.
While these ships were not used in
active warfare, they made many cruises.
and we're stationed at places where there
were 44aA+IaA4pAlS OF NFQuDAr- 4nEN were
ready for whatever occurred. and could
have been brought into action on short
notice.
Brooklyn in Action.
The ship around which most OF the
glory OF history blazes at the navy yard
when tales Of daring and prowess are
being related Is the Brooklyn. Not that
she was any better than these other
vessels. but because she was fortunate
enough to BE there" when the time
came for action The Brooklyn was
launched in 1895. She was a YES
sci OF ems tons displacement, 400
feet in length. She had a beam OF 50
feet and drew 26il feet Of water. Her
indicated horsepower was 1s.425. and her
cost was S2,9S6,000. She was armed with
eight eight-inch rihed cannon twelve
fve-inch, twelve skip Founders. and four
one-pOunders- She had a speed OF 222
knots, and a complement Of Us men,
She was completed In 1886 and rode the
waves no different than many OF her
sister ships of like power. but less fame.
No one thought as they saw her leave
on her trial trip that her deeds would
shortly ring around the world. Her cost
was Insignificant when compared 10 az
gregate cost OF the hundreds Of ships
AllAl AlLle kUNG4 AL4lGlL MA Du-lN winch
never saw action. and yet for the COM
paratively trifing sum OF S2,sS8OOO In
conjunction with few ships OF like
caliber the Brooklyn was utterly 70 de-
molish and destroy a great part OF
SPANS navy.
Much 20 Her Credit.
History Is too well known IN this case
to bear much repetition. but when one
reflects that this vessel is credited with
helping 10 sink the Teresa, aiding to
shoot 20 pieces the Vizcaya, the Oqueu-
da, and the Colon. and driving them on
the shore hopeless wrecks upon that
morning OF July g. 1855. at Santiago Bav.
when Admiral Cervera made his brave
but insane dash for the liberation OF his
ships from the girdIe OF steel drawn
around HIM, then some idea Of the i'm
portance OF these antbQuated veteran
ships OF the navy may be realized
The Brooklyn Is probably the most
Travelled ship in the navy. She has al
ways been selected for service which
required speed and endurance. She has
visited the Orient and the OccIdent she
was N England at the time OF the
Queens jubilee. She was sent TO the
Danish West Indies, then TO Venezuela.
then back 20 Hampton Roads Then
she was made flagship OF the flying
squadron and went to Australia Scores
of thousands of miles did she travel.
wherever there was an indication OF
trouble.
The men who have trodden her decks
as commanders have their names writ
ten large in halls OF fame. Sampson.
Schley. and her captains are all revered.
and their memory is honored- The
proudsst boast OF the humblest tackies