ed ▁on ▁ 2 ▁May ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Navy ▁Y ard , ▁Captain ▁Francis ▁M . ▁R ams ay ▁in ▁command . ▁ ▁Design ▁and ▁construction ▁Boston ▁was ▁ordered ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" AB CD " ▁ships , ▁the ▁others ▁being ▁the ▁cru is ers ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁dispatch ▁vessel ▁. ▁All ▁were ▁ordered ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁ship yard , ▁John ▁Ro ach ▁& ▁S ons ▁of ▁Ch ester , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁However , ▁when ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁William ▁C . ▁Whit ney ▁initially ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁Dol ph in , ▁claim ing ▁her ▁design ▁was ▁defect ive , ▁the ▁Ro ach ▁yard ▁went ▁bank rupt ▁and ▁Boston ▁was ▁completed ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Navy ▁Y ard , ▁which ▁had ▁little ▁experience ▁with ▁steel - h ul led ▁ships . ▁ ▁As - built ▁arm ament ▁included ▁two ▁/ 3 0 ▁cal iber ▁Mark ▁ 1 ▁guns , ▁six ▁/ 3 0 ▁cal iber ▁Mark ▁ 2 ▁guns , ▁two ▁ 6 - p ound er ▁() ▁guns , ▁two ▁ 3 - p ound er ▁() ▁Hot chk iss ▁revol ving ▁can non , ▁two ▁ 1 - p ound er ▁() ▁Hot chk iss ▁revol ving ▁can non , ▁and ▁two ▁. 4 5 ▁cal iber ▁( 1 1 . 4 ▁mm ) ▁G at ling ▁guns . ▁The ▁ 8 - inch ▁guns ▁were ▁initially ▁in ▁open ▁bar b ettes ▁with ▁gun ▁shield s ▁added ▁later . ▁ ▁Arm or