Richmond Times-Dispatch; 01 May 1906

[Carthaginian]

*taken from Southern Cross, the fleet newspaper of the Confederate Navy*

Macaroni for Torpedo Rams
by Stefani Davenport

Lacking radio communication for many of their torpedo rams, the Confederate Navy sought a low-cost solution. That solution was found in a canceled yacht ordered from a Biloxi, Mississippi builder. The little ship was originally to have been called Sailor's Delight, and laid down for a Mr. Eric Holder of Claiborne, Alabama. Her builder requested that she be "as fleet a ship as possible, but with narrow beam and shallow draft so as to enable her to sail upriver to the falls at Claiborne."

To meet the 'as fleet a ship as possible' she was one of the first civilian-ordered ships to mount a turbine powerplant. To meet the size requirements, she was designed with a beam of only 20 feet and a draft of only 6 feet... more than sufficient to allow upriver travel to Claiborne, or even farther in high water. Unfortunately, Mr. Holder and his wife were shot to death by her lover, and the payment for the partially-completed ship was never received.

Sailor's Delight was rescued 5 months later, as the Confederacy looked for suitable ships to fulfill their requirements. Her small size, nimble handling, modern engine and unfinished state were all pluses that worked in her favor. Her coal-fired boilers were removed and oil-fired ones installed. A half-inch armor deck was laid down to protect her engines and the precious Marconi transmitter, as well as its attending petrol generator and armored fuel tank (itself fully a half-inch thick). The ship was then fitted with a reinforced deck and a quartet of 57mm QF guns were mounted, two each on the centerline of the forward and aft decks. A further six 1" machine guns were mounted around the deckhouse, and a tall mast was set in place to carry the aerials. On the 5th of May, the conversion was complete. The ship was designated 'Unclassified #413' and officially taken over by a Navy crew. Though she had no official name, an unofficial one came swiftly.

Two weeks later, the boat's commanding officer- a junior Leftenant named Fredrick Joseph Williams- brought his young daughter Rebeka to 'see where Daddy worked.' Their conversation sealed the fate of 'Unclassified #413' forever:

Rebeka "What are those wires for Daddy?"
Lft. Williams: "They are for the Marconi, so we can talk to other boats, Sweetie."
Rebeka: "Silly Daddy...how can Macaroni talk to boats!"

The senior Petty Officer overheard the exchange, and the next day a varnished wooden plaque on which small pieces of pasta spelled out 'Macaroni' appeared above the entrance to the pilothouse. Macaroni is currently attached to a group of torpedo boats on maneuvers off the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana. Her fresh-water shower and kitchen are welcome comforts to the boats she serves, and her radio allows them to maintain contact with their home port while at sea. Macaroni will remain on station until the boats return, and then escort them back to port, where she will resupply and follow the next group out... her priceless Marconi set ready to call for aid- or answer such a call- if need be.

[Carthaginian]

U-413 'Macaroni', Confederate States of America Radio Ship laid down 1906

Displacement:
   240 t light; 255 t standard; 320 t normal; 372 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   175.00 ft / 175.00 ft x 20.00 ft x 6.00 ft (normal load)
   53.34 m / 53.34 m x 6.10 m  x 1.83 m

Armament:
      4 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns in single mounts, 6.00lbs / 2.72kg shells, 1906 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      6 - 1.00" / 25.4 mm guns in single mounts, 0.50lbs / 0.23kg shells, 1906 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 27 lbs / 12 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 500

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.53" / 13 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 0.58" / 15 mm, Conning tower: 0.53" / 13 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 1 shaft, 1,050 shp / 783 Kw = 16.00 kts
   Range 4,800nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 117 tons

Complement:
   37 - 49

Cost:
   £0.021 million / $0.083 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 3 tons, 1.0 %
   Armour: 28 tons, 8.7 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 3 tons, 0.8 %
      - Armour Deck: 25 tons, 7.7 %
      - Conning Tower: 1 tons, 0.2 %
   Machinery: 68 tons, 21.3 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 116 tons, 36.3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 80 tons, 24.9 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 25 tons, 7.8 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     564 lbs / 256 Kg = 99.7 x 2.2 " / 57 mm shells or 0.5 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.36
   Metacentric height 0.8 ft / 0.2 m
   Roll period: 9.6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.11
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.98

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.533
   Length to Beam Ratio: 8.75 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 13.23 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 36
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      12.00 ft / 3.66 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
      - Mid (50 %):      8.00 ft / 2.44 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
      - Stern:      8.00 ft / 2.44 m
      - Average freeboard:   8.32 ft / 2.54 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 88.1 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 95.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 2,325 Square feet or 216 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 149 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 27 lbs/sq ft or 132 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.90
      - Longitudinal: 2.70
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

The Misc. Weight is distributed as follows:

10t: Small Marconi (100 mi range)
10t: Kitchen with 5t refrigerated storage
  5t: two freshwater showers, 500 pound tank, evaporator

She's not exactly a tender, but she's definitely a half-decent 'field base' for torpedo boats on peacetime deployment. Cheap to build and operate, and armed well enough to put down a rabble-type force, she might even make a good colonial gunboat. The radio would allow her to call for help agianst anything too serious for her to take on alone- though that would be just about anything other than a canoe full of guys with stone axes and spears.

[maddox]

I like her.  A nifty little ship, a kind of customs corvette.  No merchant is going to argue with 4 57mm QF guns.

The 2 showers and the kitchen will make her the most pleasant view outside a harbor for the CSA crews on the elder ships, notorious for the bad conditions.

I think, when French sailors hear about her, a simular demand will be put forth for the Glorious French Fleet.

[Carthaginian]

I think, when French sailors hear about her, a simular demand will be put forth for the Glorious French Fleet.

Macaroni is just a sign of the times. Older ships just weren't designed for the long-duration operations that oil-fired ships have begun to allow the CSN to envision. Even the older cruisers and battleships weren't designed to steam for more than a few weeks before coaling... now, one of the new Mobile-class cruisers can sail for 45 days @ 10 knots! Any small ship like a torpedo ram is going to need a base of operations to return to occasionally during those 6 and a half weeks, even if it's just for a shower and a hot meal.

In a way, she's my first experimental destroyer tender. Her usefulness is apparent already, and plans for a full class of proper tender ships are already in the works.



But even when they do show up, don't think you've seen the last of the Macaroni.

[The Rock Doctor]

Good posting, Carthaginian.

[Carthaginian]

Good posting, Carthaginian.

Tango Mike.
(Thanks Much)

Glad the first effort was a good one. :)

[P3D]

Somewhere in Kaapstad.

"Southern Cross?"
"Strange name for a nation which cannot even catch the glimpse of the aforementioned constellation."
"These Northerners are all crazy."
"Indeed".

[Carthaginian]

Somewhere in Kaapstad.

"Southern Cross?"
"Strange name for a nation which cannot even catch the glimpse of the aforementioned constellation."
"These Northerners are all crazy."
"Indeed".

*the world shifts a couple of degrees on it's axis as every sailor in the CSN simultaneously falls to the ground, floor, or deck and rolls around with laughter*

[P3D]

*what would you expect of some generic newspaper reader?*

[Carthaginian]

Richmond Times-Dispatch
May 1st, 1906


CONFEDERACY PROPOSES FRIENDSHIP TREATY TO ROHAN

Today, Ambassador George Isaac Kearney delivered a draft proposal Friendship Treaty to the Mark. Ambassador Kearney, formerly a Sergeant Major of the Provost Corps, presented the following document to the representatives of Theocro King in hopes that it might strengthen the goodwill growing between Rohan and the CSA in the years following President Roosevelt's 'Rough Riders' Volunteer Calvary aiding in the defense of the Mark in the face of an Anahuac invasion attempt.

The text of the document reads:

To all who witness these preceedings, Greetings,

Let it be known that the Confederate States of America, in Congress assembled, expresses through our honorable representative a desire to further cement the cooperation between the Several States of our Confederacy and the Kingdom of Rohan. In the spirit of this desire, the Confederate States of America makes to the Kingdom of Rohan the following offers:

1.) Free exchange of technology with Rohan- Any technology developed in any of the Confederate States which might be found bennificial to the Mark by Theocro King or any of his Successors will be offerd to the Kingdom of Rohan before any other kingdom or nation-state, and shall only be made to any other kingdom or nation-state in the event of Rohan's decline.

2.) If, at any time or for any reason, the Confederate States of America decides to offer up for sale any of it's retired warships- either in fighting condition or as salvage- such offers shall be made to Rohan before any other kingdom or nation-state, and shall only be made to any other kingdom or nation-state in the event of Rohan's decline.

3.) The Confederate States of America will honor the territorial boundries of the Native Peoples called allies by the Kingdom of Rohan, and will extend the hand of Friendship and Knowledge to them in the same manner as to the Mark itself.

To, with the approval of the Confederate States of America, in Congress assembled, add to this treaty any point which Theocro King or his Representatives put forth which is agreeable to the Confederate States of America

which would remain in force until 10 years, or until 6 months after the expression by one of the signatories of a desire to withdraw. Upon it's expiration, option for a renewal under the same terms would exist, as well as the option to strengthen the terms of the agreement.


This is the offer to which I affix my seal on this day, 1 May 1906,

George Isaac Kearney, Sgt.Maj. C.S.A. (Ret.)
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Theoden Masterson, Third Marshal of the Mark (Ret.)
Ambassador to the Confederate States of America for Theocro King of Rohan

It had originally been intended for Ambassador Roosevelt himself to deliver the document to Rohan, but after contracting influenza several weeks ago, the Ambassador has been unable to travel.

[swamphen]

Cool. Nice tale, and I like the concept.

I'll have to make a list of which KM ships have Macaroni sets.  ;D

The radio would allow her to call for help agianst anything too serious for her to take on alone- though that would be just about anything other than a canoe full of guys with stone axes and spears.

Not something that can be ruled out in Mesoamerican waters...

[Carthaginian]

Today, amidst the hustle and bustle of Mardi Gras, the battleship C.S.S. Georgia set sail for Scapa Flow to pay a courtesy call on the Koninklijke Marine. The fleet will make coaling stops in Key West and Norfolk before proceeding across the Atlantic to meet with ships from several nations also invited to attend.

The Georgia and her crew enjoyed an enthusiastic send-off ball last night hosted by the Knights of Columbus, and so joyous was the occasion that I pity the men who today must serve in the noisy environs of her engine room.

God Speed, Georgia, and fair winds to you and your escorts!

[The Rock Doctor]

The noise of reciprocating engines can't be good for hang-overs.

Interesting to see the CSA getting involved in European matters.

[P3D]

Please keep your postings for a half-year in a single thread. No need to start a new one for every news. IT makes a lot more easier if you want to check back.

[Carthaginian]

Please keep your postings for a half-year in a single thread. No need to start a new one for every news. IT makes a lot more easier if you want to check back.

Sorry... will do so in the future.