Thomas County cat., 1886-11-18
NEW MEN OF WAR.
The Three n " and Powerful Cruisers Il
the Am .rican Navy.

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the Am ,rican Navy.
As it has been decided to unite in the
new calls for proposals to build unar-
mored vessels, the two authorized by
the Forty-eighth Congress aud the one
authorized by the Forty-ninth. we shall
now have second batcn of three steel
vessels, designed for general service.
The names Of these new vessels have
already been selected, being the
Charleston, Newark and Baltimore.
1t is suggestive that for two out of
three of these vessels We 90 to models
prepared respectively for Japan and
Spain, powers which in former gen.
GRAFTON we should have hardly chosen
as those whose cruisers We're to be
made patterns for our own. But since
Chilli possesses war-ship that could
steam up to San Francisco four or five
knots ali hour faster than any vessel
in our Pacific squadron. and with her
long-range guns, lying out OF reach
OF the present apologies for defense,
could lombard that city; since also
Brazil has an ironclad that could lay
New York under contribution; since
Russia in her Tchesme and Catherine
H., and China in her Ting-Yuen and
Chen Yuen have armOred vessels ex-
pressly recommended by committee
of Congress as models tor us to imi.
tate in the two vessels of the same
class just authorized; since even Hayti
has in her gunboat Toussaint IOu-
venture faster vessel than most or
all of our navy now in commission,
we may we'll afford to take instruc-
ton for the present wherever we can
find it.
1t is most beyond question that in the
three new unarmOred cruisers we shall
have three of the fastest vessels in the
world, unless the mechanical execu-
ton of their designs should greatly
disappOint the present expectations.
The Charleston, which is to nearly drl-
plicate the japanese Naniwa-kan. OF
her sister ship, the Takachiho-kan.
ought to have speed of over IS knots
on the measured mile, since the Japan.
ese vessel, constructed from the designs
of Mr.. w. H. White, has reached \
speed of 1Sa knots. She ought to have
an endurance of 10 knots. with her 300
tons of coal, of 5000 miles, and at 8
knots of 1000 miles. Although reck-
oned among unarmcd cruisers. She will,
besides being constructed of steel
throughout, have steel protective
deck from two to three inches thick
from the ram to the stern post.
The Newark, designed by our naval
bureau, which will be few hundred
tons larger than the Charleston. will
also, it is estimated, make 18 knots.
She, too, will have protective deck.
be made of steel throughout, and have
a double bottom running through the
entire length of the machinery
space. The Baltimore, of over
4,4OO tons, or 400 more than
the Newark, will possess the same
general features just noted, and be
particularly well protected by her coal
bunkers. Her estimated speed is 19
knots, which would surpass any yet
accomplished in vessels of this size and
class. Her model is that of No. q in
the series of plans offered to the Span
ish Government for the construction
of a cruiser in England. and Mr..
White is also her designer.
All these vessels will carry modern
high power guns, and will thus be
formidable in attack, as well as swift
enough to run away from the great
iron-clads possessing more powerful
guns. Every step toward their con-
struction will be watched with keen
interest-N. y Times.