Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-10-10
Colorado, Third of Same Name,
Has Reputation to Maintain
All Others Made History.


Washington.-The Colorado, third of
a line of similarly named fighting ships
III Uncle Sans navy, was commits
Sioned recently.
The Colorado is super-dread-
haught of $4,000 tons trial displace-
ment, $4,000 horsepower, q knots
apeed, and eight 16-inch guns in her
gain battery. She is 624 feet long,
S71a feet beam and about 81 feet in
araft of water. Her complement com
Irises go officers, 1,266 naval enlisted
men and 70 marines. The Colorado,
the West Virginia, likewise nearing
completion, and the Maryland, COM
missioned in 1921, three sister ships,
are the most powerful and modern
battleships in the world.
Third of Its Name.
The new battleShip Colorado is the
third ship in the American navy to
bear that name. The first, named for
the Colorado river, was wooden
steam frigate of 3,400 tons displace-
ment, mounting 40 guns, launched
at the Norfolk navy yard on June 10,
1850. She was one of the larger yes
Bels of her time in our navy, CORE
spending to the intermediate or 50-gun
ship of the days before steam and to
the armored or battle cruiser of later
periods. Like others of her type, she
was a full-rigged ship, ordinarily max
Ing sea passages under sail alone. AS
the single screw propeller would then
be drag, it was fitted to uncouple
and be lifted clear of the water.
First Used in Blockade.
Colorado l. first saw war service as
flagship of Commodore William Mar
vine in establishing the blockade of
the Gulf of Mexico coast, from Key
West to the Rio Grande In Septem-
Der, 1861, while she lay outside Pen
Bacola, the Confederate privateei
schooner Judah was fitting out at the
navy yard, which has been surren-
dered to the ConfederateS. The Com
modore decided to destroy her. A
boat expedition from the Colorado, of
400 men under Lieut.. afterwards Rear
AdmiraD John II. Russell, made it's
May in during darkness, arriving near
The schooner before being discovered.
The Judah had a full crew on board,
three of her guns were in place, two
guns mounted on shore could sweep
her decks, and several hundred men
were near at hand for her protection;
get in spite of determined opposition,
N Hn5c orfux w
ressful.
Too Deep for Farragut.
Admiral Farragut wanted the Colo
RADIO for his attack on the forts below
New Orleans in April, 1862, but her
% feet draft was much too deep to
Cross the Mississippi bar, and it proved
impossible to tighten her enough to
get her into the river. She was &C.
cordingly employed in subsidiary ope-
rations off South West Pass. In the
gunboat Cayuga secured alongside the
Pensacola, Captain Bailey led the
column in the run by the forts. After
ward he was sent to land at New
Orleans, and, accompanied only by
Lieut.. George Hamilton Perkins, made
his way through streets crowded by
an excited, jostling, threatening mob.
to the city hall to demand the surren-
der of the city. Later the Colorado
became flagship of Commodore IL.
K. Thatcher in the North Atlantic
Blockading Squadron, and was ell
gagged actively in the attack and cap
ture of Fort Fisher, N. c., on Decem-
Der 24-25, 1865, and January 1915,
1865.
Served as Flagship.
After the Civil war the Colorado /.
served as flagship on various stations.
including the ASia-sc. The rulers OF
Corea did not then admit foreigners
into their country, and sometimes I'M
authorized visitors and distressed
mariners were treated with harshness
BIZ the Corean natives and local Of
f.ials. Such an incident took tie
Colorado there in 1871, bearing the
flag of Rear Admiral John Rodgers, ac-
companied by four others of the
SQUADRON. IFAccessibility of the Co
eean auth .,it,ss .ni evidence OF cruel
b on the sa.n ~ The natives LED to