Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-03-02
The New Navy.
Cincinnati cnmmsiclnl.N

Especial TO the Cincinnati Commercially
WASHINGTON, February 23.-The House
Naval Committee has decided upon the
construction of first class navy at last,
as predicted in these dispatches, and
will report bill to appropriate $40, ,000,-
GOO. for new ships and two and one. half
millions for the completion of the five
monitors which have been under way for
some time. There will be two cruisers
of 4,SO0 tons, carrying not more than
four eight-inch and fifteen six-inch rifled
stock breech-loading guns, of the high
est known penetrating power. The
cruisers are to be of STEEL unarmored.
built for speed and execution. but not de-
fence. For coast and harbor defence
another class of vessels will be built, es-
pecially adapted to this work. The cruis-
ers are to have an average sea speed of
IL knots an hour. which is superior to the
best that can be done by any of the fa-
nous ironclads of Europe, whose best
speed is but thirteen knots. The propos-
ed cruisers. with every circumstance in
their favor, will he capable of eighteen
knots an hour without arnior. and wit
armor of seventeen knots. The secon
class will be made with an average speed
of fourteen knots, and with possible test
sixteen knots. The cruisers will all be
made of the very best quality of steel,
tensile strength of not less than $500
pounds to the square inch. and with a
ductility of not less than 90 per cent, t
the square inch. II was found by the
committee in the course of its investiga-
ton that the. steel employed by foreign
governments is of the lowest possible
grade, with tensile power of 10000
pounds to the square inch, which is little
better than iron.
In addition to the cruisers the vessels
for coast defence will be four cruising
torpedo boats, with speed of twenty
one knots an hour, and four harbor tor
pedo boats, with speed of thirteen knots
an hour, There will be also one turtle
back Ammen ram, with two of Clarke's
double Nv" turrets in bow and stem. 1t
will be the finest ram in the world, and
will carry s inch breech- loading rifled
guns of the highest power. 1t will have
speed of thirteen knots, and will cost
$500,0 There will he nothing equal
to it in defensive power. being made ac-
cording to Clarke's DETECTING plan for
armor. 1t will be provided either with
turn screws or the Mallory wheel. it not
having been decided which.
In addition to the bill for the new ships
the committee will recommend the appro-
priating of So, 100000 for the monitors,
and have adopted Clarke's plan for de-
fiecting armor, described first in these
dispatches some weeks ago. The system
of lines is such that the great weight of
the armor of European vessels is dispens-
ed with by such arrangement that the
shot of the enemy must always strike the
ship at an obtuse angle. and is DETECTED,
falling harmless on the water. The COM
mittee has learned in the course of the
investigation that the United States pro-
duces the best steel and the most of any
country in the world, and will have plenty
of material for the vessels with our pres
ent facilities. The committee has deter
mined while it is about it to recommend
the construction of the best navy in the
world, in order that this country shall
not only be abreast of the times, but
lead in this particular as in others.