The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-07-22
England. Nov orui,er.

At Chatham, March 81, Lady Key, wife Of
Admiral Sir A Cooper Key, Lord Commits
sioner of the Admiralty performed the cere-
moDy Of Christening and launching the new
fast twin-screw protected" corvette MsrSsy,
one Of the first Of the new cruiser class of ves-
sells built in Government yard. So far as
the details Of the internal fitments of the Her
ssy 60 it is, in her present incomplete condi-
tiou, impossible to speak, but of the main
structural characteristics of the vessel the
following description will suffice to convey a
general idea Of the lines upon which she has
been built: Following somewhat closely the
watertight hull principle of Admiral Sir G.
SartoriOus' Polyphemus, the hull of the Mer-
seq is hexagonsl in shape, formed of steel,
the horizontal plates being inches in thick
ness and on the four slopes inches, the lat
ter being further protected on all four slopes
by ample coal spaces" or bunkers, which
serve the double purposes Of fuel stores and
extra arinor plating. Within this strongly
protected" hull are placed all the vital at
tributes Of the ship, namely, engines, boilers,
magazines and steering apparatus. In the
event of the whole of the upper or superstruc-
ture decks being demolished by an enemy's fire
the dismantled vessel could be kept under
way, and under ordinarily favorable circum-
stances run into port. On the upper deck is
Dine-inch armor steel-faced coming tower:
the bulwarbs are higher than usual, and Of
half-inch plate, the bays between the gun
stations are especially adapted TO afford shell
ter to the gunners, and by the stowage Of ham.
Knocks, sails, and spare gear in the "bays" ad-
ditional protection against shell is secured,
The capstans are so constructed as to be
worked by either steam or manual power.
The after power of this deck is apportioned to
the officers cabins, and right aft is six-inch
breechloading stern-ohaser capable of being
employed on each broadside and of sweeping
the keel line. On the main deck are captain's
saloon, officers quarters, torpedo ports, pumps,
ETC., tongential plates being furnished to the
boiler and engine-room openings OH this deck.
For vessel of this class the armament of
the MeTScy may not, to a mind of a practical
artillerist, be deemed in any degree superhu-
GUS; considerable modification will, in all prob
ability be made before the ship is sent to sea.
The following is a statement of her armament:
Two eight-inch and ten six-inch breechload-
ing guns; one nine9pounder boat and field gun;
one seven-pounder gun; six one-inch Norden-
felt and two .45-inch Gardner guns, in addi-
tion to which Whitehead torpedoes will be
carried for discharging above and below water
on each broadside. The semi-circular protu-
berauces on the vessels side-two on each
side-are steel "loadiDg stations" for working
the machine guns on the upper deck. The
principal dimensions of the vessel, according
to the official measurements are: Length be-
tween the perpendiculars, 800 feet; breadth,
extreme, 46 feet; draught of water, forward,
l6 feet; aft, 10 feet, inches; mean, IL feet, o
inches. The load displacement is estimated
at 5000 tons. The engines are in two sets,
one on each side of the ship, and are of the
horizontal compound order of COCO indicated
horse power and will be supplied by Messrs.
& Tennant, the well-known mar
inc engine makers. There are two propellers
computed to be able to maintain a speed Of
l71I knots per hour. The authorized COM
plement of Goals is 500 tons, and accommoda-
tons have been provided for 800 officers and
men. When it is required to run the ship at
full speed every care has been taken by
means of triple air-tight doors IN the side
wings" to prevent any interference with the
forced draught" system of increasing the
generation of steam. The building Of the
horsey commenced on the 9th of July, 1883,
and judging from the forward preparation for
the reception of the boilers and engines it is
anticipated that the completion of the vessel
will soon be effected.-PdR HIH Gdsaie,