Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-25
THE NEW CRUISER BOSTON.
The Twin Sister OF the Atlanta
Rapidly approaching Completion,

The Twin Sister Of the Atlanta
RAPIDLY Approaching Completion.
From, the PhiIadslphia Press.
Tomorrow steam will be raised in one
NJ the boilers OF the new government
cruiser Boston, now rapidly approaching
completion at Roach's shipyard. Chester,
and her smaller engines will be tested.
Same time next week no end of naval
dignitaries will visit the yard to be pre-
sent at the dock trial and see the big en-
zines move. About the middle OF july
me Boston will steam away for New
Work. where her twin sister, the
Atlanta, now is, TO receive her
masts and rigging. The At
lanta was given dock trials all last week
at the Brooklyn navy yard and her con-
structors are happy. The big Chicago,
with it's 1876 feet OF length, lies just across
from the Boston, at the end OF the wharf,
rapidly approaching that stage where a
trial of the machinery can be made, and
this the constructors hope to do in No
yember. Three hundred and fifty be-
qrimed and sweaty mechanics climb over
the decks and in and out of unexp ected
places at unexpected moments, and the
work of making real navy goes on.
The Boston looks ugly now. With her
hull painted dead black, without mast
or spar, she looks like giant rat at bay,
-eady TO fight to the death. She and her
twin sister are precisely alike, and a de-
scripti0n OF one is a description of both.
Her extreme length is 263 feet, her breadth
AZ feet and her depth "a feet. Engines
that indicate $500 horsepower turn the
screw which, at full speed, is eXpectedtO
send the formidabIe-lOoking cruiser
through the water at the rate of thirteen
Knots an hour.
A popularity of the Boston's construc.
ton isthe arrangement OF her'battery. In
vessels of her class it is usual to have an
open deck battery aIsd poop and topgal-
liant forecastle, but her poop and forecas-
tie have been moved to the centre OF the
ship, forming central superstructure
and leaving the eXtremities clear. For
ward the main deck port sill is but IL
feet above the load-water line, and this
fact has been somewhat criticised by
some constructors, but her designers have
accomplished a formidable sweep OF the
batteries, and believe that they have lost
nothing INFRINGING the main deck so low,
for all is water-tignt and nothing can be
injured by the sea. The B0stOn's bat
terry will consist of four ejght-inch
guns, throwing pr0jectiles OF $50
pounds; six siX-inca guns. four Hotch-
kiss rapid-fring guns, and probably six
Calling guns. Her battery is now at the
proving grounds, Annapolis. The battery
is certainly wariike, although the twins
are constructed for peace cruisers. The
guns are mounted to command such an
extensive train or sweep of the horizon
that the Boston migAt prove no mean an
tsgonist for frigate Of the Chicago class.
A barbette three feet high, about twelve
feet in diameter, and made of twO-inch
steel, is constructed forward and aft, and
in these eight-lnch guns will be fought.
The siX-inch guns will be fought from
portfolios in the superstructure. TIE
Hotchkiss and Gatling guns will be fought
from parapets on supersructure.
THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED VESSEL.
The Boston is not armored, for she is
not intended for a destructive war ship.
She is constructed wholly of steel, and the
most rigorous inspection of every inch OF
metal that has gone into her construction
has been made. She will carry crew of.
800 men. Tue commanding officer will
work his vessel from a circular turret of
steel six inches thick. He controls the
ships movements by a thorough system
of electric signals and speaking tubes.
The whole ship wall be lighted by cleo
tricity, and VITA all the latest and most
approved steam and electric appliances
for steering. ventiiating, signaling, and
all the Intricate details of ship construc-
ton the Boston, it is believed, Will reach,
about as near perfection in naval build
ing as can be accomplished at'the present
lHaU