THE WARSHIP BROOKLYN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4374, 4 June 1901, Page 5

THE WARSHIP BROOKLYN.

AN AMERICAN FIGHTING MACHINE. A SHIP WITH A HISTORY. The American armed cruiser Brooklyn, flagship on the Asiatic station, arrived m Wellington yesterday, from Melbourne (where she has been representing the United States at the festivi. ties in connection with the opening of the Federal Parliament) via Sydney and Auckland. The Brooklyn is a fine-looking armoured cruiser of 9215 tons displacement, 400 ft 6in long, 64ft Sin beam and 26ft draught. She has twin screws, two sets of triple expansion engines for each screw. Each of tho four engines is in a separate water-tight compartment. In ordinary cruising the two forward engines are uncoupled, and only the after pair used, giving an economical speed of 12J- knots. On her trial trip, the Brooklyn made an average speed of 21.9 knots per hour for four consecutive hours. She has five double-ended and two single-ended boilers of the Scotch type. Tho battery consists of eight 8-inch guns arranged in pairs in four turrets, twelve 5-inch, ten 6-founders, and four 1-pounder rapid fire guns, and two flinch field-pieces and several automatic guns for use mainly in landing. There is a partial wator-hne belt of fl-inch armour, reinforced by an armour deck from 3 to 6 inches thick, and the guns are protected by a thickness of 51 to 8 inches. There are four abovewater torpedo tubes. The complement now carried is 37 officers, 600 men and 68 marines. Tho vessel was built at Cramps’s shipyard in Philadelphia, launched in 1895, and put in commission in December, 1896. She took part in the Queen’s Jubilee Review at Spithead in June, 1897, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral J. N. Miller, U.S. Navy. During the Spanish-! American war, she was the flagship of ‘Commodore W. is. Schley, and took a prominent part in the battle of Santiago. In commemoration of this event, the Mate-“ July 3, 1898,” is inscribed on the after bridge. The only man killed Oh the American side was on board the Brooklyn; and there are still one or two. marks of the light to be seen on tlie hull. The vessel was struck fortytwo times during that engagement. In the officers’ messroorns pieces of side plating pierced by projectiles, have been framed and hung. Since December, 1899, the Brooklyn has been, and is now, Flagship of the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Naval Force on Asiatic Station. A great part of her time in Asiatic waters has been spent in the Philippines,. but during the sieg© of the Legations at Pekin, she lay off Taku, for co-operation with the vessels of other Powers and the land forces.

Officers and Complement. The ship’s complement is 37 officers, 500 men and 68 marines. Tho officers are as follow:—Rear-Admiral George C. Homey, United States Navy, Commander-In-Chief United States Naval Force on Asiatic Station; Captain F. W. Dickins, commanding flag captain ; Lieutenant J. H. Shiploy, flag-lieutenant; Lieutenant R. R. Belknap, Ensign H. E. Yarnell. Ensign W. B. Tardy, Ensign M. H. Brown, aides; pay inspector, H. T. B. Harris-, chaplain, Frank Thompson ; lieutenant-commanders, W. C. Cowles, J. K. Barton; major U.S. marines, W. F. Spicer: lieutenants, W. A. Gill, E. T. Pollock, W. H. McGrann captain U.S. marines, P. S- Brown; lieutenants, P. L. Olmsted. L. B. Jones, assistant surgeon, A. G. Grunwell; ensign, Charles Boone- naval cadets, J. ,T. Beckner, H. L. Bfinser, G. W. Steele jun., J. E. Hellweg, Hayne, Ellis, F. D. Berrien, C. R. Train; pay cleric G. W. Van Brunt; fleet pay clerk. C. A. Davis; boatswain. John Mahoney; gunner, F. a. McGregor; carpenter, J. M. Simms; warrant machinists E. H. Campbell, F. C. Lutz, Jobn Hill,-F. J. Korto.

The Brooklyn left Auckland lest Saturday, with the object of having some big gun practice in the Hauraki Gulf before visiting Wellington. The weather, however, proved too rough for the work, and the warship came on South. Yesterday morning, before entering the Strait, the weather being fair, the great guns (Sin) of the Brookly were swung out and a number of rounds fired, the sin, six-pounder and one-pounder guns also being exercised. On anchoring in the harbour, the Brooklyn fired a salute of twenty-four guns, in rather rapid succession, in reply to a salute from the guns on Thorndon Esplanade, which were manned by the Permanent Artillery.

The first impression conveyed by the American flagship is that she is a fight, ing machine only. There is not the least sign of decoration about her hull or decks. Her freeboard is exceptionally high, and her masts and three tall funnels .stand erect without the slightest suspicion of “rake." The centre and greater part .of her hull has much the appearance, from an end view, of the outline of a bell, the hull at the waterline being very much broader than at the deck. Her colour is distinctive—white hull and a dark yellow, or khaki, colour from the deck upward, all her top hamper, funnels and masts being of the same dull hue. The ship will be coaling to-day, and will, therefore, not bo open to strangers, but during the remainder of her stay here visitors will be allowed on board at certain hours each day. It is probable thattho Brooklyn will remain in Wellington until Monday next. She sails hence for Sydney, Albany, Java and Manila.