The fourth PHILADELPHIA,, cruiser number
4, was laid down 22 March 1888 by William Cramp and Sons, PHILADELPHIA,
Pennsylvania.; launched 7 September 1889; sponsored by Miss Minnie
Wanamaker, daughter of merchant and philanthropist John Wanamaker;
and commissioned 28 July 1890, Captain. B. F.
Bradford in command.
While fitting out at the New York Navy
Yard, PHILADELPHIA, was designated on 18 August as flagship
of Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherardi, commanding the North Atlantic
Squadron. The squadron departed New York 19 January 1891 to cruise
the West Indies for the protection of American interests until
May, thence to northern waters as far as Halifax, N.S. Early
the following year, the flagship called at Montevideo, Uruguay,
6-18 February, after which she resumed cruising in the West Indies.
PHILADELPHIA,
continued operations with the Atlantic Squadron along the eastern
seaboard of the United States and in the West Indies until 1
March 1893. She was then assigned to the Naval Review Fleet as
flagship of Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherardi. Charged with conducting
the International Rendezvous and Review, with a fleet of twelve
American ships, he received the visiting foreign ships as they
commenced arrival in Hampton Roads 8 April. The fleet steamed
to New York 24 April, where it joined additional foreign visitors
to form a combined fleet of 35 men-of-war. President Cleveland
reviewed the Fleet 27 April, after which appropriately festive
ceremonies took place, initiating a parade through the streets
of New York. The Naval Review Fleet disbanded 31 May and PHILADELPHIA,
departed New York 30 June 1893, bound for the Pacific Station
via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Callao, Peru.
Cruiser PHILADELPHIA, arrived San
Francisco 22 August 1893. As the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief,
Pacific Station, she cruised with the squadron, engaging in drills
and maneuvers, and visiting various ports on the west coast of
the United States, Mexico, and South America, and in the Hawaiian
Islands. She arrived at the Mare Island Navy Yard 14 October
1897 and decommissioned there 18 December.
PHILADELPHIA,
recommissioned 9 July 1898 and became the flagship of Rear Admiral
J. N. Miller, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Station. She
steamed from San Francisco 2 July to participate in the ceremonies
attending the assumption of sovereignty by the United States
over the Hawaiian Islands. Flagship PHILADELPHIA, arrived
Honolulu 3 August, and nine days hence her officers and those
of the steam sloop-of-war MOHICAN, with a force under
arms from the two warships, represented the United States Navy
at the ceremonies transferring the Hawaiian Islands to the United
States.
In March 1899, with Commander-in-Chief
Rear Admiral Albert Kautz embarked, PHILADELPHIA, steamed
to the Samoan Islands for duty in connection with the settlement
of civil difficulties by the Samoan Commissioners of the United
States, Great Britain, and Germany. A landing party from PHILADELPHIA,
went ashore in the vicinity of Vaiele 1 April to act in concert
with a British landing party. The combined force, ambushed by
adherents of Chief Mataffa, sustained seven killed and seven
wounded, including two American officers and two bluejackets
killed, and five bluejackets wounded. PHILADELPHIA, remained
in the Samoan Islands until 21 May 1899, when she steamed for
the west coast via Honolulu.
PHILADELPHIA,
served as flagship of the Pacific Station until 6 February 1900,
when Rear Admiral Kautz transferred his flag to IOWA (BB-4).
In 1901, she served as a training ship for members of the California Naval Militia. The cruiser
continued Pacific operations until 1902, conducting training
cruises, drills, target practice, and port visits.
Returning from a six-month cruise off
the Panamanian coast, PHILADELPHIA, arrived San Francisco
17 July 1902. Needing extensive repairs, she was ordered to the
Puget Sound Navy Yard for decommissioning. Arriving Bremerton,
Wash. 23 August, she decommissioned at Puget Sound 22 September
1902.
PHILADELPHIA,
was housed over and became a receiving ship at Puget Sound Navy
Yard 12 May 1904. She continued this service until 4 November
1912, when she became a prison ship. Resuming service as a receiving
ship 10 January 1916, she so remained until struck from the Navy
List 24 November 1926. Cruiser PHILADELPHIA, was sold
at public auction at the Puget Sound Navy Yard in 1927 to Louis
Rotherberg.
Specifications
Displacement
4,324 tons
Length
335 feet
Beam:
48 feet, 6 inches
Draft:
19 feet, 2 inches
Speed:
19 knots
Complement:
384
Armament:
12 x 6 inch/30 caliber guns
4 x 6 pound guns
4 x 3 pound guns
2 x 1 pound guns
3 x 37mm guns
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