;
Presented is a very rare Engine Order telegraph from
the seventh USS WASP, a naval warship, bought into service by the secretary of the Navy for the Spanish American War in 1898.
The telegraph was handed down in the same family since approximately 1920. It was acquired by the grandfather of the past
owner in Annapolis, MD at the time the ship was sold from naval service after having served in World War I. A letter
from the heir to the estate will included with the item.
WASP is one of the most famous names in our Navy and
was first used on a schooner which in 1776, along with her sistership HORNET, were the first vessels of the Continental Navy
to put to sea. Two WASPS, both aircraft carriers served in WWII and today a tenth vessel in this distinguished line is
an amphibious assault vessel, LHD-1.
COMMANDS: This large solid brass enunciator
was mounted on the bridge as shown in the picture below of the USS BOSTON taken in 1898. It has a single
engraved dial with the standard Ahead and Astern commands FULL AHEAD, TWO THIRDS, ONE THIRD, STOP, STANDBY, ONE THIRD,
TWO THIRDS, FULL ASTERN. Moving the handle through and back to the speed rang an external bell in
the engine room.
|
Similar telegraph shown on bridge of USS BOSTON 1898
|
DIMENSIONS:
Dial diameter 9 1/4″
Overall 46″H x 4 1/4″ W X 4″ D tube
Base 10″ diameter 1 1/8″ flange 5 holes
Shipping weight 57 pounds
CONDITION: The handle moves, but the speed pointer
does not. A small screw is missing from the bezel. There are numerous small dents and scuff marks showing service at sea,
but the telegraph is in remarkably fine condition. There is no internal bell
USS WASP – 7th HISTORY:
| U.S. Warship |
Specifications |
| Name: |
USS Wasp |
|
|
| Builder: |
William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Completed: |
1898 |
| Acquired: |
1898 |
| Commissioned: |
11 April 1898 |
| Decommissioned: |
1 December 1919 |
| Struck: |
13 November 1919 |
| Fate: |
Sold 20 September 1921 |
|
|
| General characteristics |
| Type: |
Armed |
| Displacement: |
630 tons |
| Length: |
180 ft 0 in (54.9 m) |
| Beam: |
23 ft 0 in (7.0 m) |
| Draft: |
12 ft 0 in (3.7 m) |
| Speed: |
16.5 knots |
| Complement: |
55 officers and enlisted men |
| Armament: |
4 x 6-pounder guns
2 x Colt machine guns |
The seventh USS Wasp was an armed patrol vessel that served in
the U.S. Navy from 1898 to 1919 and saw service in the Spanish American War and World War One.
The seventh USS Wasp, at 630-tons, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
1898 for civilian use. Immediately upon completion, she was purchased by the Navy in April, 1898, and fitted out and commissioned
in New York on 11 April 1898.
From May, 1898 until September, 1898, she operated off Cuba and Puerto Rico during the
Spanish-American War. Post-war, Wasp served along the U.S. east and Gulf coasts, as a training vessel and station ship and
briefly in the Mississippi River. In 1908 she was assigned to the New York Naval Militia where she served for nine years as
a training vessel.
During World War One, she initially patrolled the coast of Long Island. Later she served
as Flagship for, Squadron 8, Patrol Force. In April, 1918, Wasp received orders detaching her from the 3rd Naval
District and assigning her to duty at Annapolis, MD. She arrived in Annapolis in May, 1918 and, but for periodic
runs to Norfolk, remained there for the remainder of her naval career.
She was struck from the Navy List on 13 November 1919, Wasp was formally decommissioned
at Norfolk on 1 December 1919. On 20 September 1921, she was sold to Mr. Halsted P. Layton of Delaware.
