The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-06-21

lkj 70 Hampton roads half a
M century ago and played
w "Delilah" to the Merrimac'
~ Samson" an important era
.,o life of the confederacy, also In
',r.I architecture, was marked.
Tho United States began building
monitors with feverish haste.
T,odon sIoops, cruisers, corvettes and
,r.toq we're hurried into the discard.
rovv wasn't the real thing unless
= bod q lot of queer looking ironclad
r.,seIs resembling the cheese box on
4 raft
Naval historians say that the build
mo nj the Monitor was an illustra-
inn Of the adage, Necessity is the
nother of invention The United
States was threatened by an uncon-
,prable iron coated foe. A new style
nffghting craft was needed. Ericsson
heard and interpreted Mother Neces-
dty's call. The Monitor was the re-
ult saws the Kansas City Star.
All we'll and good! But Ericsson's
yccess caused a score of embryo
naval designers to strain their eye
sgbt and hearing searching for an
other Mother Necessity. Navy de-
mrtments, admiralty offices and ship
milding firms were besieged by ar
chitects. Specifications for all sorts
Of odd appearing war vessels were
PRODUCED. Most Of these met a pro-
sale death in the waste paper basket;
| mapr got as far as the experimental
stage: some were actually built and
launched and once or twice the sea-
going military establishments Of the
world have been given hair raising
scareS
Two Notable Marine Freaks.
The Katahdin and the Vesuvius
we're the names selected by the United
States for two of it's more noted sea
freaks Both were radical departures
from accepted naval construction
Both were expected to revolutionize
naval warfare. And both failed.
Rear Admiral Daniel Ammen was
responsible for the Katahdin. He
lived and died believing that he had
given to his country it's most valuable
weapon of defense
Admiral Ammen was studious sort
Of chap. He was interested in his
Profession. He knew how seamen had
fought and how ships had been built
since the days of Phoenicia. Partic
uarly he liked the methods used by
the valiant sea fighters of Rome. He
vas impressed with their naval ar
chitecture, the sharp ramming beaks
On solidly built craft.
Why, the admiral probably reason
ed to himself, could not this ram be
used in modern warfare? He began 9
quiet search for Nine. Necessity. H<
look the ram idea Of the Romans, th<
amor plated idea of his own day and
Tue compact machinery plan Of Erics
sOn and began work. He rolled an(
hammered and welded these three
lucas together and produced the
Ratahdin,
1t won't work. It Is impractical,
sac the navy department officials.
lnen Admiral Ammen smiled and be
saa 10 explain his theory again. Am
Iea coaxed, exhorted, demanded ant
'eSougnt' Also he persisted. TIL.
nav! department said go ahead. TIL,
Aalahdln was built.
Inc ram looked like a cross between
great lake whaieback grain boat ant
wafer logged cigar of monster pro
NJ when it was launched in 1883
-uen lot four years the Katahdin wa
put through all the trials naval officer
w. sOuiu devise. The boat did everythin,
~ Inventor claimed. The government
s@u S95O,O00 for the Katahdin AM
"DTA waited for an enemy to humiliate
~ 1888 Spain balanced a husky Chi
Ga. ''S shoulder. Uncle Sam prompt,
,appeu 1t. Here was the Katahdin'
tfbS;pOF'unlty Along about March, 1895
rs ass looked pretty dark for tn,
sh al'ea States navy. SPANS fightin,
CPS sui had considerable standing
Eatahdin. "e'o eApec'eo from u
~. we have in our navy" one enthusi
oo,, declared, "one boat which alon
sna ~ Eght the whole much vaunte,
din -'SH Meet" He meant the Katat
pa ~, me Katahdin was a failure. !
10 designed to chase an enemy int
tb0 oO'ner and then puncture a hole Il
la IN slae of the hostile ship with tn
cor r,gVV ton blow the Katahdin rar
S suia deliver. Of course the enem
srmo. ngnt back; but the conica
ns aored deck of the Katahdin wa
Water. 'neiis IKE a duck sneo
''0k only few days to lear,