| Show A UNIQUE WAR VESSEL at bath maine last week there was launched the newest vessel in the american Americ sil navy and one which is die gin silar in its ito leading features to any other warship now afloat the new craft wai christened the the principal characteristic that dis tinga gibes tin aslies her is that the ram has been made a leading feature this has always been held as an auxiliary to the gun and torpedo particularly to the former but in the the ram supplants the torpedo and there are re no guns save several small pieces as a means of defense against boarders or torpedo boats the new ship is in built with steel throughout and itt is of the following principal dimensions length over all feet extreme breadth 48 feet 6 5 extreme depth 21 feet normal draught 14 feet 11 inches fight fighting ilig draught 16 15 feet 5 inches displacement at latter draught 2240 tons the construction st gt of the bull is decidedly unique she is built on the bracket system with a double bottom from the forward collision bu bulkhead lk bead to chestern th the stern estern the space between the two bottoms bottom is divided into 72 water tight compart moots ments while there are 80 similar oom corn apartments part ments in the body of the vessel the sides of the hull bull have a sharp blade like edge this is provided so that abat the ram after striking wil wid coo con dinue its work of destruction by tearing ing or cutting the side it alt will also increase the effect off a glancing blow the sharp edge being ex to rip up the side of a hostile ship hip instead of glancing of oom comparatively para harmless another notable fea ture ure is the curved keel which fur bishes exceptional turning facilities and better lines for propulsion tile the protection against the enemon fire consists of a turtleback turtle back armored dock deck and a belt of armor on the sides the outside strake of deck armor is 6 inches thick and the next aj 6 inches tapering to aj inches at the crown amidships the side armor to is in two strakes rakes rt one 6 and the other 3 inches in thickness all armor has a heavy backing in of yellow pine and is sufficiently thick thick t to be impervious to any shot or shell ibell of the present day under the ordinary conditions condit ioos of a sea fight the machinery consists of two triple expansion engines propelling twin screws screw the total indicated horsepower is and the contract speed 17 knots although 18 knots is expected the vessel will carry four six rapid ore lire gums the crew will number I 1 officers and 84 men 91 in all rear bear admiral daniel ammen to is the designer of the vessel he has had bad a loog long and notable career in the navy he was commander of the warships seneca and Mo mohican bican and aad the monitor patapsco soo in the civil war and 0 f other vessels subsequently he lis ia also the inventor of a balsa balea a species of lifeboat now used by the V U S navy the ram just launched has chief hobby bobby of his hie life for many years past naval officers believe that if the la Is called into service in a sea combat it will prove surprisingly disastrous to any warships thit that may be the object of its attacks |
