Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-15
Seventy Years in Service

ERIE PA, March 13.-Completing
her seventeen year OF successful
cruising on tho Great Lakes. the
Wolverine. formerly tho Michigan.
the oldest ironclad in the world, now
in its winter berth in tho harbor here,
VIII undergo another general over
hauling. preparatory to rcs,mine,
its duty AS a training ship for the naval
reserve.
The Wolverine. rs 1t Is now known.
was launched in this port November .,
1913. and went into commission Au-
gust ii, lSi4 Since then il has been in
active commission. either rs n warship
or survey ship and incidcntallv Az n
training ship for the naval reserves or
the Great Lakes ana. although nearing
the threc-quarter century mark Is still
In good condition. and If necessary, per
hnps, could easily sink anything atioat
on the Lakes.
Tho Wolverine and the Michigan are
the only two arinored vessels on tho
Lakes, the Canadian government never
having taken advantage of the conces-
sion made when the old Michigan was
launched TO place a British warship
In connection with the history of the
Wolverine many interesting things
could DO told. 1t is, among other things
the only ironclad in the world that
was built miles away from the scene
OF future activities, having been built
at Pittsburgh and shipped to Lake Erie
on wagons.
1t was in commission nearly eight
years before railroad connections with
this point were established and had
then made n trip through tho chain of
lakes. Many Indian chiefs have been
entertained In It's cabin, and during the
civil war 1t saw some stirring times
1t then guarded nearly 1000 Con-
federate prisoners confined on John
sons Island In Lake Erie, and would
have taken more active part had it been
possible to get the boat through tho
Welland Canal
Unfortunately, when It's service g
would have been of the greatest value
TO the government along the Atlantic
Coast, during the months Immediately
preceding the launching of the Monitor.
wheh the Confederate ram Merrimac
was practically cleaning up the Fed
eral fleet. 1t was discovered the boot's
great beam made il impossible to get
IL 10 the coast unless 1t should be taken
apart and shipped in sections This
might have been done had not the gov
eminent anticipated the organization of
an auxiliary Confederate army in Can
ada. and 1t decided that It was bettnr
10 retain the ship on the Lakes to prc-
vent the landing OF an eXpcditionarv
iorco from across the border.
when on guard duty on Johnson's
isiand Il plot was laid by the Confcd-
crates to capture and convert the war
SNIP INTO 4 commerce destroyer as well
rs 10 attempt the bOmbardment OF Lake
ports According to the plan the veg
sci would have had it's base on the
Canadian shore, probably at Windsor,
The plot was discovered in time 70
prevent It's execution. and tho Michipa ~
was saved.
was the Michigan, as then still
N, "
sion OF Canada in 1866, when It ovnr-
haulcd the transport carrying re-en-
forcements outside OF Buffalo and
sending she'll across its bow. Sent r.
scnrrying back
Or n type OF warship that has long
passeo, INC Michigan was tho best that
couId pe nnllt. 1t measured 1877 feet
over all. had an extreme beam Of rort,,t
seven ioet and depth OF hold Of four