Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-02
A FORMIDABLE VESSEL.
The Projected Steel Cruiser About to
Added to the United States Navy,


Added to the United States Navy.
Secretary Whitney has determined
to include In the list OF new cruisers Tor
which proposals are to be invited, tho
large unarmorcd cruiser authorized BY
the bill passed recently to increase the
naval establishment, and has directed
that for this vessel the plans prepared
by Chief Constructor White, of En-
gland, for the ship known as No. 27
be used. These plans contemplate q
vessel of greater power and speed than
any cruiser now afloat-in fact, the
very highest poworc vessel of the kind
in the world a. the time OF completion.
The principal dimensions OF the vessel
are as follows: Length over all. 1886
feet; beam, extreme. 43 feet 8 inches;
draft, mean, 10 feet 6 inches; load dis
placement, 4,4l3 tons; l. H. P, 10000,
forced combustion; twin screws; esti-
mated speed, 10 knots. The ship has
two military masts, no sail power ex-
cept storm sails; coal capacity about
800 tons. The complement Of men
is 800. The main battery consists Of
four 8-inch and six 6-inch breech-load-
ing rifles; secondary battery, eight 81
millimeter single shot Hotchkiss guns,
two 37-millimeter revolver machine
guns and one short Gatling. The hull
will be constructed of steel throughout,
with double bottom running the entire
length of the machinery space, or 150
tect Throughout tho length of the
double bottom the ship is constructed
OH the bracket system, or combination
Of the longitudinal and traverse sys-
TENS. Before and abaft tho double
bottom the framing is Of z bars; the
frames in the double bottom are spaced
IS inches between centers; before and
lbaft these points the spacing is SO
inches. The outer plating varies from
30 pounds to III pounds, the ordinary
weight being 20pounds per square foot.
The, machinery, magazines, she'll
rooms, torpedo rooms and steering gear
are placed below an armored deck,
which is inches thick on its sloping
sides and q inches on the horizontal
part amidships. The outer edge of this
lleok is four fSet below tho load line,
raising foot above the load line at the
horizontal part amidships All the open.
ings in this deck to machinery spaces,
magazines, shell-rooms, etc., are pro.
tccted by coffer-dams. Above the pro-
lection deck the machinery is still
further protected by side-belts OF coal
ten feet in thickness. averaging eight
feet in depth, extending from the skin
of the vessel inboard, while below
this deck II similar belt is provided
seven feet in thickness. The vessel is
what is called poop-and-fore- e-castle.
decked ship with open gun deck. The
battery will be mounted on sponsors
on central pivot carriages supp 1rting 2
segmental shields two inches in thick
ness, two eight-inch guns on the poop,
two eight-inch guns on the forecastle
decks. with the six-inch guns mounted
in the intervening space on the CUR
deck. Two eight-inch and two six
inch guns will cenccntrat, within 40(
feet OF bow or stern, while either six
inch broadsidc can bo concen
trated within 100 feet of the ship
side. The vessel will be provided
with five above-water torpedo launch
ing tubes, electric search lights, in,an
descent lighting apparatus for light
ing ship and a complete system of OK
haust ventilation for living spaces il
connection with the system for forceC
combustion. The protection deck will
bs carried down t. strengthen the ram
shaped bow, which will be thoroughly
StilIoncd and strengthened for ramminl
purposes. The hull will be divided with
numerous water-dght compartment.
by means of longitudinal and trans
verse bulkheads. The motive power
will be derived from two sets (each il
a water tight compartmenD Of tripl
expansion engines, in connection witt
four double boilers fourteen fee
in diameter. The engines will be capa
Bile of developing 10, 500 indicated horse
power with forced draft.-Army an
Mduy REGISTER.