The Holly chieftain., 1923-10-25

cruisers authorized three at time by congress III
1888 and 1900 of 1850 tons displacement carrying
-FOUR eight-inch guns In two turrets fourteen six
Inch. score Of smaller caliber and two underwa-
ter torpedo tubes. Her Nclausse boilers and four
cylinder triple expansion engines driving twin
screws, developing 27,0OO horsepower, attained
maximum speed of over twenty-five knots Her
sh1ps company numbered $40. In 1915 the Col
orado II became flagship Of the Pacific reserve feet
and On December l, 1915, her name was changed
TO Pueblo after the second city In Colorado. In
der this name she served In the cruiser and trans
port force in the World under Capt. G. w.
Williams, escOrting transports across, and after
the armlstice bringing 10.136 troops home. In 1921
she became the receiving ship at New York, pend
Ing further active employment,
What remarkable changes have taken place In
the siNty-fve years lapse between the first and
the latest Colorado! AS general measure of size
34OO tons displacement is grown nearly tenfold i:
the old seasoned oak hull Is now all Steel Of thick
armored sides and many watertight compartments; !;
full sail power has utterly disappeared like cage
masts, topped by large fire control stations: .be
symmetrical tracery of standing and running rig
ging Is now represented by the bristling knobby
and odd placed radio antennae.
Down below in the old frigate, rectangular boil.
ers of copper mounted steam at only 25 pounds
pressure to humping, cumbersome slow -,noving
horizontal reciprocating engine which by means Of
single screw drove the ship at ten knots at best
where now oil burning. tubular steel boilers gem
crate 800 pounds steam pressure for the delicate
ly balanced turbines adjusted TO the thousandth of
an inch which. without the least tremor of vibra-
tion and with scarce sigh of sound, spin at
about 2,lO0 revolutions minute, generating alter.
mating electric current which by twelfth reduc-
ton turns four screw prOpelers III revolutions
for ship speed OF twenty-one knots
For Illumination oil lamps and candles are re.
tained only for emergency, should electric light
fail. and the present sunllke searchght had no
like in the frigate days.. In the days work, the
shrill pipe and hoarse voice of the bos'n's mates
passing the word along the open sweep of decks
is now supplemented. In fact all but replaced, by
speaking tubes, telephone and other instruments,
electric mechanical for transmitting communl-
cations to scores of separated spaces all through
the ship. And Mt mealtimes. while navy beans
still hold their own. salt pork the venerable salt
horse, plum duff and hardtack have given place
to refrigerated meat. fresh vegetables, bakers
bread, pie and ice cream
OF all changes, however, the greatest is in the
kind of demands made upon the crew and officers.
In the frIgate Colorado, the yards were hoisted
and brnced about the sails were reefed and furled
the anchor weighed, the boats rowed and hoisted
the ship steered. and stores whipped on board
all by hand. Handling sail, besides making strong
bodies, taught eye, hand. and brain to work nImbly
together. I
In contrast, most of the demands for power in
the modern battleship Colorado ar met by m1
clinery.