Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-03

Secretary Chandler is moving with
commendable activity in the matter of ar
ranging for the construction of the new
cruisers. The Naval Advisory Boaru
some time ago invited plans and plds, OuI
the leading firms engaged in building IRON
and steel ships have requested that lhe
Navy Department furnish the plans'
since the acceptance OF the
,lans of any individual build
or would enable him to under
hid others by reason OF his knowledge oil
minute details. 1t is thought that an
agreement will be reached shortly by the
hoard. and the work of construction be-
gun. ,oh
The work of constructing the SIX ihch
rifed cannon that are TO form the arIna-
ment of the 5000 ton cruisers has been
begun at the Washington Navy 1aru'
These gums are designed to burn MY
pounds of powder and shoot a 100 pound
proiectile. They will be the most power
full guns of their calibre in the world.
Their cost is estimated at about 5000
each. Lieutenant Very, of the Adj
yisorv Board. has invented great
improvements in breech-loading guns,
and his system for relieving the longl-
tudinal pressure on the breech VIII be
applied to the new guns. The Lieutenant
has made plans for the construction OF
twenty-fve-ton gun that, in the Judgment
of a number of authorities on ordnance,
will prove remarkable success. Ii VIII
be. If built. of ten and one-half inch bore,
with a steel coil wire wound, having ca
pacitv for 275 pounds of powder and $50
pound prOiectile. The muzzle velocity OF
this gun. it is estimated, Will be ,, lSO feet
per second, and at 1000 yards it is calcu-
lated that the shot will penetrate twenty
six inches of iron armOr.
In reference to the plans of the depart
ment, the army and Nary Register says;
@Secretary Chandler means TO have the
new turrets of the Miantonomah COM
pleted in six months, and the engines Tor
the monitors ready in a year from this
date the dispatch boat completed in a
year from this date and the cruisers COM
pleted in fifteen months, and the monitors
| finished within two years. This is large
undertaking, but we think il may be sue
cessfulIv accomplished. AS to the turrets
| of the MiantonOmah, it has been decided
to change the plan from the spindle sys-
| TEN to the roller system, sinking the
| base several feet below the deck OF
| the vessel. These turrets Will be adVer-
| tised for. and as they cannot be built in
! this country they will have to be built
abroad 1t is thought that this can be
/ done inside of six months. The Naval
! Advisory Board is carefully considering
| the plans for the engines for the monitors.
/ The main question under discussion is
whether the weight of the engines as
originally planned cannot be diminished
without decreasing their power and the
speed of the vessel. 1t is thought that
| this may be done.
''Of the amount appropriated for the
! launching of these vessels $lSO,OOO VIII be
| expended for that purpose, leaving $22O,-
| 900 which may be used in addition 10 the
| million which was appropriated for the
| engines. The engines will be built by the
contractors who have the vessels now III
charge, and the amount of money at dis
| pOsal is almost sufficient to provide Tor
the completion of all of them. The Secre-
tary is fully determined in his own mind
| to build the new cruisers by contract, and
not i'm the navy yards. His principal
reason is a desire to have the work 90 for
ward RAPIDLY. There has been consldera-
bic pressure to keep the work in the navy
wards, but the Secretary is very firm ON
this point. The advertisement will be is
| sued during the last week in April, and
the contracts will be made during the last
week i'm July. The contractors will be
| required to proceed with all possible
| speed. and there will be no difficulty in
| comnletinO the dispatch within the year,