History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 67

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 67

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

draught then being about 19 feet. She has two sets of engines, working two screws. It was estimated that her engines would de- velop 10,000 indicated horsepower at full pow- er, with a steam pressure of 160 pounds. This drives the ship at 20 knots. Her coal supply at normal draught is 400 tons, the bunkers hold 675 tons and with this supply she can steam 1,500 miles at full power, or 10.500 at Io knots, her most economical speed. The engines are of the triple-expansion, vertical, in- verted, direct acting type with two low-pres- sure cylinders. Her cylinders are 36, 53 and 57 inches in diameter, with a common stroke of 33 inches. Steam is supplied by four double- ended boilers, and two single-ended ones to be used as auxiliaries. The grate surface is 597 square feet and the heating surface, 19.382 square feet. The closed ash-pit system of forced draught is used. The condensers have each 7,000 square feet of cooling surface. The revolutions at full power are 164 per minute.

The main and auxiliary engines occupy four water-tight compartments, and the boilers, four others. The water-tight subdivisions at the ends of the ship are very complete. The protective-deck is one inch thick on the flat, two inches on the slopes at the ends and 21/2 inches on the slopes amidships. A coffer-dam, to be filled with woodite. or cellulose, extends around the ship in the wake of the water-line on the protective deck. The ship has poop and forecastle-decks, with an open gun-deck between the bridges extending along the tops of the hammock berthings, connecting the poop and forecastle. The rig is that of a two- masted schooner. spreading 7,210 square feet of sail. The boats are stored on skid-beams between the two fore and aft bridges.

The main armament consists of one 6-inch B. L. R., mounted on the forecastle, and hav- ing an arc of train of 270 degrees from quarter to quarter ; 10 5-inch rapid-firing guns-two mounted on the poop and the after two on the gun-deck train from right astern to 60 degrees forward of the beam, the two forward ones on the gun-deck train from right ahead to 60 de-

grees abaft the beam. The auxiliary arma- ments consists of eight 6-inch rapid-firing guns mounted, four over the forward and after sponsons on forecastle and poop, two on gun- deck forward, and two on the gun-deck amid- ships ; four I-pounders mounted, two on gun- deck aft (in captain's after-cabin), and two on the bridges; two Gatlings mounted on the tops. The forward and the after 5-inch guns on the gun-deck are protected by 4-inch armor. The other sponsons have I-inch armor plates. The conning tower is two inches thick, as well as the tube leading from it to the protective- deck. There are six above-water torpedo tubes ; fixed ones ahead and astern, and the training ones on each bow and quarter.

The tubes are of the Howell pattern, using gunpowder to project the torpedo. The ship is lighted by electricity, the plant consisting of two engines and dynamos, each with an out- put of 200 amperes at a constant potential of 80 volts. In addition to all necessary lights for illumination and signaling, there are three Mangin searchlight projectors. The lights are arranged in sections on independent conduc- tors, all controlled from a switch-board in the dynamo-room, so arranged that either of the dynamos can be put on any or all of the arc or incandescent circuits.

The engine-power of the "Raleigh" was relatively larger than that of any other vessel of the U. S. Navy except the "Vesuvius" and torpedo boats, occurring as it does in conjunc- tion with a larger battery power, necessitating a larger crew. The complement is about 320 .- 24 officers, 34 marines and a crew of 266. The rudder is partially balanced. Its weight is about seven and a half tons. The ordinary right and left steering gear is used, actuated by a powerful steam steering-engine below the protective deck. She cost $1,641,915.74. The actual weight of the ship when launched was 1,140 tons. The "Raleigh" was the first ves- sel of the new navy to be built complete by the government,

Naval Constructor Francis T. Bowles was congratulated for the beautiful launch and the

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

successful manner in which the ship was built.

The U. S. battle-ship "Texas," now one of the most historic figures in America's new steel navy, was launched from our Navy Yard on the 28th of June, 1892, at II : 17 o'clock A. M., in the presence of a vast concourse of people. The rain was pouring down and the Navy Yard was literally a sea of umbrellas.

Miss Madge Williams of Texas, who had been selected to christen the ship, was dressed in a navy blue yachting suit, trimmed with braid. A large golden star, symbolic of the State she represented, was worked on the col- lar, and a smaller one on the front of hier "chic" yachting cap. On the launching platform were Miss Madge Williams and her mother, Lieut. Hillary P. Jones, Commander W. S. Cowles, U. S. Navy, Commodore A. W. Weaver, com- mandant of the Navy Yard, Passed Assistant Engineer Kenneth McAlpine, Assistant Sur- geon Shirley Hope, R. E. Glassett, Hon. George E. Bowden, S. S. Nottinham, Mayor S. Marx and Mayor-elect A. B. Cooke of Nor- folk, W. J. Rodgers, Capt. B. P. Loyall, Capt. W. R. Mayo, W. S. Langhorne, Dr. James Parrish, O. V. Smith, Esq., Col. Harry Hodges, Capt. William H. Murdaugh, Post- master A. H. Lindsay, John C. Niemeyer, Capt. James W. McCarrick, J. G. Fiveash ; the com- manding and other officers of the Brazilian man-of-war "Almirante Borroso," and a num- ber of ladies. All the steamers in the harbor were gaily dressed in bunting. Miss Williams with the bottle in her hands stood with Com- mander Cowles on her right and Lieut. Hillary P. Jones on her left and at a signal from Naval Constructor Francis T. Bowles as the "Texas" started slowly to glide into her native element, Miss Williams broke the bottle and in a clear voice cried : "I christen thee Texas." Then amidst the hurrahs and yells, the tooting and screeching of steam whistles and the play- ing of the band, the ship shot with great rapid- ity to the water, snapping immense hawsers as though made of paper twine, until her headway had been checked, the whole time being only 46

seconds. The ship was swung around with lines, and tugs fastened on and towed her around to the dock. The launching was a grand success, there not being the slightest hitch in any particular, and was a noted event in the career of Naval Constructor Francis T. Bowles, now the Chief Constructor of the Navy.

The U. S. S. "Texas" is a steel-armored, twin-screw, second class battleship of 6,335 tons normal displacement ; length between per- pendiculars, 290 feet ; extreme breadth, 64 feet one inch; molded depth 39 feet eight inches; designed draft of water forward 22 feet; de- signed draft of water aft 23 feet; the mean draft will be 22 feet six inches. When carry- ing about 500 tons of coal, she can steam I, IIO miles at her estimated highest speed 17 knots, or 8,500 miles at 10 knots. There is bunker capacity, however, for 450 additional tons. The main armament consists of two 12-inch breech-loading guns, each weighing 46 1-2 tons, mounted in two turrets en cchelon,-one being on the starboard side aft, the other on the port side forward,-having a complete broadside range on their respective sides, the forward or port gun also having a range of 40 degrees on the starboard side, and the after gun 70 degrees on the port side; with six 6-inch breech-loading guns, one mounted for- ward and one aft on the upper deck, as bow and stern-chasers, each having a range of 120 degrees, the others being mounted in sponsons on the main-deck. The secondary battery con- sists of four 6-pounder and four 3-pounder rapid-firing guns, with four 47-pounder Hotch- kiss guns, all mounted on the gun-deck behind 11/2 inch plating; two Gatling guns and two Hotchkiss guns mounted on the bridge, the same in military tops, and two 3-pounder rapid- firing guns on the flying bridge. There are six torpedo tubes, one in the bow, one in the stern and two on each side; a strong ram bow adds to her effective powers.

The turrets are armored with 12 inches of steel and their bases with 12 inches of steel, which also protects the hydraulic machinery

THE SPANISH CRUISER "REINA MERCEDES" IN THE SIMPSON DRY DOCK.

THE U. S. SUBMARINE BOAT "HOLLAND" IN THE STONE DRY DOCK,

THE U. S. SUBMARINE BOAT "HOLLAND" IN THE STONE DRY DOCK.

texas

THE U. S. S. "TEXAS."

GUNS TAKEN FROM THE SPANISH CRUISER "ALMIRANTE OQUENDO", - IN NAVY YARD PARK.

STERN-PLATE OF U. S. S. "SAN FRANCISCO," SHOWING THE HOLE CAUSED BY A SHOT FIRED FROM MORRO CASTLE, WHICH WAS THE LAST SHOT FIRED DURING THE WAR WITH SPAIN.

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

for working the guns, and the smoke-pipe cas- ings. A belt of steel armor 12 inches thick, extending two feet above the designed water line, 41/2 feet below it and 116 feet in length, protects the boilers and engines. A protective- deck of 2-inch steel is laid above the armor- belt; beyond this belt it is inclined downward toward the extremities and sides and is three inches thick on the slopes. At the ends of the belt are diagonal armored-bulkheads of 6-inch steel pointed toward the bow and stern, whose oblique surface afford additional protection. This protective-deck carries the massive sup- ports for the redoubt on the deck above and have coal bunkers at the side and extending athwartship which protect this support ; all the hatches and openings on this deck have coffer- dams. The top of the redoubt is covered with a 2-inch steel deck: the redoubt is continuous. and is accessible only from the protective-deck and is built on the cellular system. A double bottom extends under the engines, boilers and magazines, and is divided both longitudinally and transversely into numerous water-tight compartments. This double bottom is con- tinned fore and aft by the floors of store- rooms, etc., and the extremities are arranged as trimming-tanks. The space between the double bottom and the protective-deck is sub- divided into many water-tight compartments whose numerous bulkheads add to the ship's strength; there are 129 of these compartments, all connected to steam and hand-pumps by an extensive drainage system, thus minimizing the disastrous effects of the ram and torpedo; in the wake of the armor-belt. the ship has a triple skin as there is a wing passage outboard the coal bunkers. In the coal bunkers above the protective-deck there is a fore-and-aft water-tight bulkhead girder extending five feet above the water-line, giving the ship a triple skin to this height. The boilers and engines are contained in six water-tight compartments below the protective-deck, three on each side, with a central passage providing protective communication between the extremities of the ship ; below this passage and between the boil-

er rooms are situated the magazines and shell- rooms. Above the turrets is a flying-deck for navigating the ship, on which boats are stowed ; two second-class torpedo boats are carried in addition to the usual complement.

The ship is lighted throughout by electric- ity and carries two powerful electric search- lights and two smaller searchlights for boat use : ample ventilation of magazines, store- rooms and quarters is provided, also fresh water distilleries. There is a steam steering- engine below the protective deck and a steam capstan and windlass on the main and upper- decks forward.

The ship is driven by two sets of triple-ex- pansion engines, of the vertical. inverted direct- acting type, capable of developing 5.800 horse- power with natural draft, and 8,600 with an air pressure of two inches of water. The en- gines occupy two water-tight compartments. each set having three cylinders 36, 57 and 78 inches in diameter, with a common stroke of 39 inches. There are four double-ended steel boilers 14 feet in diameter and 17 feet long, of the horizontal return-fire tubular type. each having six corrugated furnace-flues, total heat- ing surface of about 17,000 square feet, total grate surface about 500 square feet ; the work- ing pressure is 150 pounds per square inch. All four boilers are connected to one smoke-pipe ; the closed fire-room system of forced draught is used. The condensers are made entirely of composition and nuntz metal, with independent, circulating and air pumps.

Piston-valves are used for the high pressure and intermediate cylinders and a double-parted balance slide-valve on the bow pressure. with double bar-links. The engine-framing and bed- plates are cut of cast steel ; the hollow shafting. piston-rods, connecting-rods, and working parts are generally of forged steel. The pro- pellers are four-bladed and 14 feet six inches in diameter. The machinery was built by the Richmond Locomotive & Machine Works, of Richmond, Virginia.

The "Texas" holds a prominent position in the development of the new navy. The major-

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

ity of the ships laid down prior to the "Texas" were more or less reproductions of the best cruisers built in Europe, but when the first bat- tle-ship and armored cruiser were authorized, the Secretary of the Navy offered a prize of $15,000 for the best design for either vessel, competition being thrown open to the world, as he desired to secure the best talent wherever found, judging that, although American con- structors, engineers and ordnance officers had but slight experience at that time in designing such ships, their ingenuity and talent would keep the navy in the front rank for future work. The accuracy of the judgment is shown by the battle-ships and cruisers designed by these same officers not four years afterward, which excel anything designed abroad.

The construction of the "Texas" was autli- orized by Act of Congress approved August 3rd, 1886, and a circular embodying the condi- tions of the competition, the principal require- ments and data, were issued August 21, 1886. Numerous designs were submitted, and in the spring of 1887 the board of naval experts unan- imously decided that the best was that sub- mitted by William John, an English naval arch- itect of the highest reputation, who had recently died. Mr. John described his design in a paper read before the Institute of Naval Architects at its annual meeting in London in 1888, and it was favorably regarded by the eminent naval officers and constructors present. The same Act of Congress authorized the building of this battle-ship at a navy yard, and the Norfolk Navy Yard was selected. At that time it was entirely lacking in the mechanical appliances and other necessary facilities of a modern ship- building plant, and the workmen were totally inexperienced in building steel ships. Much time was necessarily occupied in forming the nucleus of a plant, and in organizing and in-

structing the workmen, and it was not until June II, 1889, that the first keel-plate was laid. At this period, the manufacture of steel for ship-building purposes was but partially devel- oped and the output of the steel makers could not supply the demand from public and private

shipyards. The material for each portion of a ship's structure is ordered of the dimensions required in the order in which it will be needed, and can only be used in its proper place; but the material was delivered so irregularly that many vexatious delays ensued.

The stern-post was ordered in July, 1889, but it was not completely delivered until Aug- ust, 1890, more than a year afterward, thus necessitating suspension of the work on the after portion of the shin during this long pe- riod ; the steel plates for the protective-decks were ordered in November, 1889, the contract requiring them to be delivered in 60 days there- after, yet they were not half delivered until June, 1890, and the order was not completed until May, 1891 : during this long period the greater portion of the work to be done above the protective-deck was necessarily at a stand-still; at the time of the launching, none of the armor had been received.

The contractors for the structural plating of the "Texas" caused excessive delays by their irregular deliveries. Six months after the beginning of the "Texas." the cruiser "Ra- leigh" was laid down and launched in March and the double turreted monitor "Amphitrite" had been rebuilt and made ready for her armor, though none of it had been received up to this time. That this could be done is an evidence of the rapidity with which the plant and organ- ization had been advanced ; and at that time the workmanship at the Navy Yard was unsur- passed and the largest battle-ship could be built with economy and dispatch. The "Texas" was the first battle-ship of the new steel navy ; a single shot can totally disable a cruiser, but the armored battle-ship has much greater en- durance and can take the risk of receiving the fire of heavy guns, knowing that the vitals of the ship are protected by armor.

In cruisers armor is sacrificed to speed and coal endurance, and they are expected to use their superior speed to escape from more pow- erful ships. In battle-ships speed is sacrificed to armor and armament ; two or more large guns are carried, and the loading mechanism,

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

crew and machinery are protected from imme- diate destruction by armor ; they are expected to take part in hotly contested sea-fights, where hard blows and stubborn endurance will win the day. The battle-ship differs from the mon- itor in carrying the heavy guns high above the water so that they can be used in all ordinary weather at sea and in carrying numerous ad- ditional breech-loading and rapid-firing guns. The space not occupied by these guns affords commodious quarters for the crew ; the moni- tor's heavy guns can not be used in rough water and only a few of the smallest rapid-firing guns can be carried. The structure of a battle-ship is far more complete than that of a cruiser. Not only is there a far more extensive subdivision. but there are the supports and strengthening for armor and armament and the mechanism for loading and manipulating the guns, all of which must be light and yet amply strong.

THE INTERNATIONAL COLUMBIAN NAVAL RENDEZVOUS.

The great International Columbian Naval Rendezvous in Hampton Roads. celebrating the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, was an event which will long be remembered by the inhabitants of Norfolk County ; never before had such a grand naval pageant been beheld on the waters of the "King's Chamber."

On the 25th of April. 1890. Congress authorized the President to extend invitations to foreign nations to send ships or war to join the United States Navy Yard in rendezvous at Hampton Roads and proceed thence to the re- view. Pursuant to this. the 26th of April. 1893. was announced as the date fixed for the rendez- vous. Another Act of Congress provided for the construction in Spain of reproductions of "two of the caravels of Columbus in order that they might be a feature of the review and a third caravel, a duplicate of the largest vessel of Columbus, the "Santa Maria," was built by the Spanish government and sent across the Atlantic to participate in the celebration.

Rear-Admiral Bancroft Gherardi was di- rected by the Secretary of the Navy to assume command on the Ist of March, 1893, of the fleet for the naval review and he directed the organization of the United States fleet. Com- mander-in-chief, Rear-Admiral Bancroft Gher- ardi, U. S. Navy ; commanding First Squadron, Rear-Admiral A. E. K. Benham, U. S. Navy ; Commanding Second Squadron, Rear-Admiral John G. Walker, U. S. Navy.

FORMATION.

NAME OF SHIP.

TYPE.

Flag of Commander-in-Chief. "Philadelphia," Dispatch Boat. "Cushing."

FIRST SQUADRON.

SECTION NO. 1.

1. Leader.

"Newark" flag).

2. Mate,

"Atlanta."

Protected cruiser Partially Protected cruiser

SECTION NO. 2. 3. Leader. 4. Mate,

"San Francisco."

"Bancroft."

Protected cruiser Gun vessel

SECTION No. 3.

5. Mate,

"Bennington '"

6. Leader.

"Baltimore,"

Cruiser Protected cruiser

SECTION NO. 1. 7. Leader.

"Chicago" (flag'.

8. Mate.

"Yorktown."

SECTION No. 5.

9. Leader.

"Charleston."

Protected cruiser Dynamite-gun vessel

10. Mate,

"Vesuvius, "

SECTION No. 6.

11. Mate.

"Concord."

Cruiser

12. Leader.

"Miantonomoh."

Double- turreted Monitor

By the end of March the "Philadelphia," "Atlanta," "Baltimore," "Chicago." "York- town," "Charleston," "Vesuvius," "Concord" and "Cushing" were assembled at Hampton Roads. The rest of the United States vessels arrived early in April except the "Miantono- moh," which did not join the fleet until it ar- rived in the Hudson River. The two caravels, "Nina" and "Pinta" were towed from Europe to Havana, Cuba, by the "Newark" and "Bennington" and there turned over to the Spanish authorities. The "Santa Maria" was sent to Havana by the Spanish government.

When anchored at Hampton Roads in the rendezvous formation, unon the completion of some preliminary exercises for which they had been sent by squadrons to the mouth of Chesa-

Protected cruiser Torpedo boat

SECOND SQUADRON.

Partially Protected cruiser Cruiser

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

peake Bay, the United States ships lay on the north side of the Roads, the flagship "Philadel- phia" being abreast of Old Point Comfort wharf, with the First Squadron to the east- ward of her and the Second Squadron to the westward, the ships at single anchor and about two cables apart. The "Vesuvius" was given an inshore berth.

The first foreign ship to arrive was the Rus- sian cruiser "General Admiral," on the Sth of April. The Russian cruiser "Rynda" ar- rived on the first and the Italian cruiser "Giov- anni Bausan" as well as the French cruiser "Jean Bart." on the 16th of April, after which foreign ships came in from day to day until the 23rd of April, when the accession of the Brazilian squadron made the foreign fleet com- plete with the exception of the Russian flag- ship, "Dmitri Donskoi." and the Argentine cruiser "Nueve de Julio." both of which joined the assembled fleet in New York. The visiting ships on their arrival were berthed in two col- umns abreast of the United States fleet, but a little farther to the southward and arranged so the nationalities should be together. The national salutes were fired by the foreign ships. coming into the roads and returned from Fort- ress Monroe.

On the 17th of April the English squadron, composed of the flag-ship "Blake," "Aus- tralia," Magicienne," "Tartar" and "Part- ridge," under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir John O. Hopkins, K. C. B., came in and was assigned a position at the head of the for- eign column, with the "Blake" abreast the "Philadelphia" and the "Partridge" at the sea- ward end of the squadron-the latter was or- dered south two days afterward.

The French flag-ship "Arethuse," Rear- Admiral H. d'Abel de Libran, entered the Roads on the 19th and took her station at the head of the French squadron. The Italian flag- ship "Etna," Rear-Admiral G. B. Magnaghi, arrived on the 20th. The three vessels of the Spanish squadron, the "Infanta Isabel." "Reina Regente" and "Neuva Espana," each with a caravel in tow, stood in past the ships at anchor and then turning steamed back to their posi-

tion at the eastern end of the third column, abreast the English squadron, the caravels be- ing berthed near them.

After getting well in past the columns of war-ships, one caravel, the "Santa Maria," had cast off her line. Then making all sail she stood down, before a moderate westerly breeze, between the United States ships and the sec- ond column, presenting a most interesting and picturesque sight. She was afterward taken to a berth near the Spanish flag-ship.

The fleet dressed ship on the 22nd in honor of the anniversary of the marriage of the King and Queen of Italy, and a national salute was fired at 8 A. M .. at noon and at sunset. The dispatch vessel "Dolphin." designated as the reviewing ship, had joined the fleet on the 14th of April and had left on the 19th for Annapo- lis, Maryland, where Hon. Hillary A. Herbert, Secretary of the Navy, embarked. They ar- rived on the 22nd. flying the Secretary's flag. As she approached and stood in between the United States column and the visiting squad- rons, salutes of 17 guns each, in honor of the Secretary, were fired by the fort on shore, by the "Philadelphia." and by each foreign flag or : senior officer's ship. The salutes, fired in suc- cession, were returned by the "Dolphin," those fired by foreign ships being returned gun for gun, with the flag of the foreign nation at the fore in each case. Immediately upon letting go her anchor the "Dolphin" dressed ship, as the fleet had done at 8 A. M. On the 23rd of April the Spanish squadron departed for New York with the caravels in tow. On the evening of the same day the Brazilian squadron arrived, under command of Rear-Admiral Julio de Nor- onha. this squadron comprising the "Aquida- ban" (flag-ship). "Tiradentes" and "Republi- ca."

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 67

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054