Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1898 — Guardian of the Lakes. [ARTICLE]

Guardian of the Lakes.

The oldest steam warship in the United States navy is the Michigan. Her quaint shape, glistening In eon tlnually renewed coats of white paint, is a familiar sight to the thousands of summer tourists upon the great lakes, where she reigns, the sole naval guardian of Uncle Sam’s vast interests. Away back In 1843, when the Michi gan was laid down, it was a departure of M small note that the Government should order her built of iron, and when the size of the merchant ships of the lakes at the time is there 1s little wonder that her launch the following year at Erie, Ta„ was the occasion of a tremendous celebra tian, and that the Marine Band (ovei fifty years ago Journeyed from Wash tngton overland by stage coach to as sist in the ceremonies. The Michigan has a length of 163 feet Her draft of only nine feet per mlta of entrance to almost any chan nel in the chain of Inland seas where she Is likely to go, but her speed Is only 11 knota, and the armament carried does not cut much of a figure when one is thinking of modern warships. At the same time the Michigan, anti quated as she is, makes a sturdy show in her own waters at carrying the flag and can land as smart a party of sea men as many a salty cruiser. In of sering training facilities for the naval militia of the lake States, she does an excellent duty every year. She Is arm °d with four 30-pound breech-loading rifles in the main battery, three tnree inch Hotchkiss rapid-firing guns in th. secondary battery, and two Gatlings She carries about 100 officers and sea men. with a marlao J "