The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-04-13
ITEMSTOWARD ANEW NAVY


The ponderous armor plates for the turrets
OF the new monitor. Miantonomoh. In process
OF completion at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, are
on their way from London on the steamer
Alert It II now about ton years since the con.
struction Of the hulls Of Ave monitors. the
Minntonomoh. the Terror. the Amphitrite. the
Puritan. and the MonAtnook. ordered by Con.
gross several yeers previously. 1t was not I'M
I'll tho last session that appropriations were So
cured for launching those huls preparatory 70
their receiving their machinery. turrets. and
guns. With one exception. these vessels still
Ito scattered about. awaiting appropriations
for thoir completion for active service The
Miantonomoh. built by John Roach. was Or
dersd equipped and armed. and Is nearly ready
See -.,s'"c This vessel representa- In name
only. the Miantonomah OF Ericsson. which.
was the first double -turrotsd monitor to cross
the ocean. and the date Of whose construction
may be said to have marked the beginning Of
modern naval warfare. The hull OF the first
vessel was Of wood. The present craft which
subverts her. IL heavily armored with metal
and equipped to meet tho demands Of modern
She Is double tprreted. having turret for
ward and aft, each one OF which has ninety.
trS o :pa ISL Her sss MS
80 oval. SO much like a pumpkin seed. that
when one sees her It seems impossible to con- -
beam OF So feet lie 30 broad In comparison with
her length as to suggest great surface display
her iota 1 depth S@ OF only little over II sst
IN these respects she differs dangerously from
hS %G Spd TRIM on 81 sSeea
as their armament for safety.
The original turrets OF primitive monitors
substituted. which is ons-hali below the main
itssi AMI III Hu he WorESr machne ~ are Also
below deck. and conseauent!y receive album.
dant armored protection; The turrefs rest on
track llttod 70 the berth deck in circle They
arc revolved by gear wheel next the base. into
o ass se hsss Sy an r.
plated With animated nrmor Of twelve plates q
resistance o. and old tTrrets in the navy yard
usage by powerful guns. The present turrets
little more than one foot tiickness The
Ericsson plates overlnrped each other. but five
solid mass. There is a depth Of armor Of six
feet and two inches which has It's maximum
the hS
within killed oil tho occupants and sienced
both guns. The present turrets are divided
head, in each Of which ten-inch breech.load-
ing rifle Is plnced.
an " oleSator ' Carrying 'I amm%niien from the
magazine to the brooch. Thus II one gun is
silencea the tarret stu has another for oper ,a
"a inches. in diameter. which extends from
pilot house floor. The pilot house is located
on top Of the turret rather Interesting posi-
guns gun and the " direction Of tho MONITOR How.
ever. it is well protected. A compound armor
with moan diameter OF six feet surrounds Il.
greos. balls easily glance of
most to the d Debris re n Shells
obyiate this triumph Of modern warfare has
sn w Tss SaSnS Of h yeoW
Of ntno inches thickness. This In turn is sup
ported by forty vertical irons OF twenty pounds
iron angles OF eight pounds 10 the loot which
arc worked on the outside OF the shell plating
plate. Iron angles reinforce the shell plates
by extending around the turret on the inside.
The bolts, for fastening tho armor plate pass
by nuts on the inside Of tho shell plate. It
would seem impossible for any modern gun to
lection. yet the incentive Of Inventive force is
to acquire gun which shall totally destroy
! The cunning OF Invention has operated to
compel an enemy's balls to glance OF from
whatever part Of the monitors they may strike;
sns!s slasls Plate %sissas SSS poHsni;;
! doncy into tho water. The flooring OF the
| deck is somewhat OWL and every object on II Is
| ance meets ball and 4 chances away The
has Else or dGHb has bottom
plicato for continued SERVICE.
Congress has before i an item Of appTropria.
monitors. These ships are Of value for harbor
defence. At sea the torpedo boat has replaced
for ors the eeeys hsn
| Destroyer which lies in the navy yard, has
been devised. When its submarine torpedo sx-
ploded. a mountain Of water uPlifted. such a
The termination OF naval warfare seems per
ceptible in the coming OF q little submarne
yn2 rims pseess o4s 81
CONSTRUCTION are issued: The vessel win have
the power to rise and sink st will by shippina
face or beneath. attach torpedoes to the bottom
shp retire to safe ;nc and trHhS
to eat IL the ee to e. sWnn
on the davits Of man, of-wnr Ike a steam
launch. A sailing vessel equipped with moth
existenc S.' Thus Jules Vorne's imaginativt
sketches receive veriication before his ink has
4 ridiculous vessel for American service II
Chinese seas is also waiting for an appropra
ton for completion at tho navy yard. An as
In the British construction department. wat
authorized tS plan craft fSr such service
strong's ships In Chinese waters. and the hui
Ct hs sP 0sasPsa
SH ons are s"sseq 1911 light sh
inches hold 10 FAR. Tor speed. shsiow waters
plaint But she is to bs a schooner; rigget
steamer with compound engines, and is t.
on aeet TRsre is o
for these guns. which. with her rigging. woult
be easy prey for the powerful cruisers nov