The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-31
A RUSSIAN COLOSSUS.
THE PETER THE GREAr-THE THuNDERER OF
THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN NAvy-A FLOATING

CITADEL.
SO much has been said for and against tho Peter the
Great OF the two slips OF the Russian Navy
which belong to that class OF seagoing monsters
known the lighting ships Of tho future, that
the following description Of this immense vessel des
tined possibly TO play important part In the naval
operations OF the present European war; will be found
especially Interesting
Tho most formidable vessel In tho Imperial Russian
Navy is the Peter the Great colossal iron-cad de-
signed after the Devastation type. but since modified
to more closely resemble the recent Dread
naughI The Peter the Great like the circular ron-
cads which bear his name built ailor the designs
oil Vice Admiral Popon, and was inshed in 1875. Her
sides, Dreastwork walls and turrets are very
heavily armorcd, aud she carries four twelve
inch Alton brecchloading steel riaed obouk-
hoT guns She is calculated to steam at
tho ratio OF fourteen knots per hour. and
her trial trips in the Gulf Of Finland have in gen.
erai been successful though her first trip several
defects were found, which have since been rcmedcd
Her total length the armored dock is $50 feet and
between pcrpendiculars 32l feet 10 inches her OK
tremc breadth Is 90 icet inches, and without armor
and backing, 81 feet She draws % feet inches
OF water forward and "a feet inchcs ait and has the
immense total displacement Of 1905 tons.
With the exception OF the stem and stern posts,
which OF gun metal the entire huh IS Of iron. The
ship has double bottom, the space between the skins
being divided into watcrtight coils. that injury
TO any part by Of torpedo otherwise would
only result in tho dlling OF one, possibly two or
Of thom, and therefore allow OF complete locali-
cation of the injury. Above tho second skin
tho hull Is further divided for the same
purpose into compartments by nine water
tight bulkheads running transversely across
the ship In addition TO these there two bulk
heads which traverse tho hull longtudinay, being
situated symmatrcaIy ono each side OF the keel.
These nclose tho amidships space In which stu
ated the coal bunkers, having fuel capacity OF from
twelve to fifteen days Tho outside skin is worked IN
two thicknesses OF inch each. The ships bottom
is shoathed with wood and copper
Tho armor betting which is carried entirely around
the ship extends except where IL rises to form tho
breastwork, feet above and feet below the load
water line II is bolted on IN two belts formed OF
solid plates the upper belt being IA inches in thick
amdshps and tapering OF ut the ends to inches
and the lower one IL inches In thickness amidships
running down TO inches at stem and stern
This armos Is only intended to protect the
vital part Of the hull Hollow Orders
form the armor backing, tho spaces
and between being usual nlled with teak. These
Orders claimed capable OF producing addi-
tonal resistance equal TO that Of two inches Of solid
iron. For the upper belt the armor backing is 10
inches in thickness, and behind tho lower it is IL
inches thick. Unlike the Dreadnaught this vessel has
no ramming spur The armorcd belt for length Of
100 feet amidshps rises to height of 10 feet inches
above the load water line, forming tho sdcs of the
brcastwork which cncoses tho gun turrets The end
walls OF this breastwork scmcircular form. and
have tho plating the side walls, but
worked in two thicknesses, order to thor.
oughly protect the turret bases and machinery. Tho
covering OF the deck OF the ship outside OF the
breastwork and that the breastwork formed OF
double steel plates Ia and three.quarter inches in
thickness
THE GUNS AND ruRRErs
Inside OF tho CITADEL at each end, are placed tho
revolving gun turrets tho height oil tho battery being
IL feet above the load water line The urres pro-
eced by armor plating having the same thickness and
outside diameter 80 feet inches, and they, be-
fore stated, each enclose two 12nch Alton guns The
turret ports being worry small tho gun carriages arc
arranged allow of heavy guns being raised
and lowered within the limits OF Is inches into throe
different positions with respect to their carriages This
Is effected by hydraulic power-two force pumps being
used, a steam and hand one. The position OF these
pumps outside OF the turrcts, the supply pipe pass
Ing into the interior When the guns action the
steam pump ID kept conetanly at work. On shutting
thu regulating valve underneath the gun tho pressure
inside oil the supply pipe increases up TO n certain
point, whom the engine stopped by tho resistance of
the coin pressed water In the pipe. On opening the
the resistance bong diminished the steam pump
starts of again. Thus continuous hydraulic pres
sure Is maintained Tho guns are also run IN and
by hydraulic machinery The turrots arc rcvoved by
two turret engines, tho starting gear OF which arc
placed inside OF the turres SO as TO be at the hand OF
INSIDE OF the breastwork and between the turrcts
rises the tunnel ana the two derrick mass, having
hurricane deck between them
outside OF tho brcasswork, forward and forming a
continuation OF IT, lieht forecastle superstructure Is
built the armorcd dock. All there hurricane
bridge running on level with the top OF tho breast.
work.
THE PRopELLING POWER.
The ships engines, by Baird, Of ST. Petersburg, are
OF 400 nominal horse power working up TO TO- 900
Indicated and give rise two large dent loose
bluded screws These arc each - feet inches IN d.
There arc on board TWO steam windasses and Two
steam crab winchcs.
rnR PUMPING MACHINERY
In war vessel OF this class the pumping arrange.
mcnts especially important and those OF tho Peter
the Great mort detailed description.
Running the whole length OF the ship, between the
outer and inner bottoms, and lying next TO tho keel
is main pipe, having an inside diameter Of IL inches
at the centre and tapering OF TO inches at tho
ends. The several pieces OF which this pipe is com
posed are SO arranged that they can be taken
separately IN case repairs are needed Tho pipe, at
each cell 1t passes through between the two bottoms
has mud hole with q hurmet caly closed cover. In
each cell there is tank, the under side OF which COM
municates with the pipe In the cells just under the
watertight bulkhcads which divide tho hull above
tho tanks communicate with the compartments
above the double bottom. Tho openings, through
which the water passes into Tho nam
from the tanks arc provided with automatic
valves which close whom their compartment becomes
filed with waters thus, oil Tho filing OF one by
means Of ram or torpedo soating II entirely from
the others In addition TO these valves there
ers worked by levers and suitable for the pur-
pose. The branch pipcs, for passage Of tho water
from tho other side Of tho ship TO the Pipe, pass
through openings IN the keel, and each provided
with valve worked IRON the deck ABOVE. The water
which under any suppositious has accumulated
the main pipe IS pumped out by means OF steam
pumps There are nuo special steam pumps, with
total capacity OF D. 269 gallons per minute In addi-
ton TO these there eight steam pumps to
the main engines, when have total capacity per
minute oil 1l,924 gallons and eight small hand
pumps, having total capacity OF 43S gallons per
minute. This gives the total guam iity OF water
which be pumped OF tho main pipe per minute
the immense volume OF 1881 gall ons The pumps
attached TO the main engines are intended solely tor
the drying Of the three compartments occupied by
the engine and boiler rooms and which commun icato
with cacn other by pipe having IN inside diameter
OF IL inches and when rs 10 feet IN length Ihis is
placed inside Of tho double bottom and provided like
the main pipe with special valves. The smaller pumps
above spoken OIL which consist OF bilgo, donkey pumps
and the ike, communicate with the separate cells and
compartments by special system Of small pipes. ono