Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-10-25

cruisers authorized three at a time by congress IN
1899 and 1900 of $50 tons displacement, carrying
four eight-nch 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 $1,000 horsepower attained
maximum speed of over twenty-five knots Her
ships company numbered 90. In 1915 the Col
orado II became flagship Of the Pacific reserve fleet
and On December /, 1915, her name was changed
to Pueblo, after the second city in Colorado. I'm
der this she served in the cruiser and trans
port force in the World war under Capt G. W.
Williams, escorting transports across and after
the armstice bringing 1916 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 sixty-five years lapse between the first and
the latest Colorado! AS general measure of size,
3.400 tons displacement is grown nearly tenfold
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; he
symmetrical tracery of standing and running rig
cling 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 % pounds
pressure to a humping, cumbersome s1owmoving
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 200 pounds steam pressure for the delicate
y balanced turbines adjusted to the thousandth of
an inch which, without the least tremor of vibra-
ton and with scarce a sigh Of sound, spin at
about 2100 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-
tanned only for emergency, should electric light
fall and the present sunlike searchlight 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 or mechanical for transmitting commune
cations to scores of separated spaces all through
the ship. And at mealtimes, while navy beans
still hold their own, salt pork, the venerable salt
horse plum duff and bareback 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 braced about, the sails were reefed and furled
the anchor weighed the boats rowel and hoisted,
the ship steered and stores whipped on board
all by hand Handling sail, besides making strong
bodies taught eye hand, and brain t6 work nimbly
together.
In contrast most of the demands for power in
the modern battleship Colorado arc met by ma
chinery