Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-06
England. Proposed Cruiser.

Englaud's Proposed Crusscf'
London Times.l
A practical turn has been given to
the criticism on the navy by the sub
mission to the Admiralty of design
for a barbette cruiser, the chief attri-
butes of which are great speed, power
full guns, long steaming power, and un-
usual buoyancy. The designer is Mr..
Pearce, of Fairfield ship-building-yard,
and although the vessel is novelty
when compared with the war-ships OF
the present day, it is in reality nothing
more than development Of the
fast American liners, and an adapta-
ton of their hull and machinery
to the express purpose in view. The
essence Of the design lies in the speed,
and il is concerning this quality that the
designer can speak with authority. MIR.
Pearce's design contemplates a speed Of
21} knots per hour, or about 20 ordi-
nary miles, and coal capacity for
stcaming as far as the West Indies and
back at a speed Of IL knots per hour.
This high and enduring speed will be
given in conjunction with great offensive
power and great staying power. The
design contemplates the vessel being
pierced by 100 shots, and still being
able to use her guns or steam off at full
speed.
What may be described as the vital
ity of the ship, its powers of endurance,
and its maintenance as floating object,
is secured by an elaboration of the eel
lular system Of construction. The hull
would consist of 100 water-tight COM
partments. A bulkhead would extend
down the centre of the vessel for its
whole length of4l0 feet, and three trans
verse bulkheads would, with the centre
bulkhead. divide the vessel into eight
main water-tight compartments. The
mechanical arrangements are designed
upon the basis Of the possibility OF the
whole of one side of the ship being dis
abled without resulting in the destruc-
ton of the vessel. Not only wOuld she
float. but she would float well, and
have still the means of comparatively
high speed. But, in addition to these
separate water-tight compartments, the
vessel is still further protected by the
hull being divided up into an extremely
large number Of small compartments.
The steel deck, covering in the six
large water-tight compartments. is 3
inches thick, and is placed feet q
inches below the watcr-line. 1t forms
an arched roof, enclosing all the vital
parts of the vessel-thc engines, boil
ers. and rew-shaft-and the means of
access to the engine-room is by a pro-
tected coffer-dam running to the upper
deck. The coal-bunkers for serving the
vessel are placed all along the sides of
the ship, and occupy space of from 10
to Is feet in thickness. These cod
bunkers are also divided at intervals of
from l6 to 90 feet with bulkheads, pri-
marily for the purpose of keeping the
coal from shifting, but also for restrict
ing the passage of water in the event Of
o ball having penetrated the compart-
ment.
The engines and boilers have been
designed with view to procure the
maximum of power with the minimum
of weight. The engines themselves
would be constructed mainly Of steel
| and manganese bronze. and i'll form they
would be almost identical with those OF
the fastest American liners now afloat.
In conception they would be precisely
similar TO those of the Alaska, the
Oregon, and the Umbria, produced by
the same builder. and the arrangement
would be similar to the set of twin
engines and twin screws recently dis
patched to Italy from the Fairfield
works for the Francesca Morosini, now
being built by the Italian Government
at Venice. The engines, boilers. and
propcllers being in exact duplicate,
wholly independent of each other, and
incased i'll their own water-tight COM
partments. the use Of sails becomes I'M
necessary, and there would be nothing
required for purposes of locometion to
TO show itself above the deck. A mill
tary mast, however. forms part of the
design. made of steel and hollow in the
middle to permit the ascent and descent
of marines for the purpose of working
the machine-guns placed upon the large
military top. The main means of Of
fence, however. is provided by couple
Of barbettcs. These are to be armor-
plated with steel plates Of II inches,
giving l3 inches thickness on hori.
zontal line. The scheme contemplates
the placing of ll0-ton breech-loadine
gun in each barbette, or two Cotton
guns. Arrangements are also proposed
for placing eight six-inch long-rang'
guns-four on each side of the vessel
amidships. The magazine and she'll
rooms are to be placed directly under
the barbettes, with a hydraulic lif
between them and the guns. An
other element of attack consists in tn,
torpedo-room. which it is proposed t
place in the forward part Of the ship
and in direct communication with tn,
ejection-tube. The precise dimension
of the proposed cruiser are Length
4l0 feet; breadth, GA feet 3 inches
and depth. 80 feet 6 inches. The dis
placement at draught of % feet woul'
be $500 tons, and at draught Of 9
feet 6 inches 1900 tons, with an in
dicated horsepower of $1,000. Tn
plan, with complete specification and
model, is now being considered by tn
Admiralty,
The seacoast of California has bee