Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-15
PLANS FOR A BIG CRUISER.
Tue Host Powerful Vessel OF the II Ind
Anoas for Our Navy.

The Army and Nary Register says:
Secretary Whitney has determined to
include in the list of new cruisers for
which proposals are to be invited the
large unarmored cruiser authorized by
the bill passed two weeks ago to in.
crease the naval establishment, and has
directed that for this vessel the plans
prepared by Chief-Constructor White,
Of England, for the ship known as
No. q be used. These plans
contemplate vessels Of greater power
and speed than any cruiser now
snoat-in fact, the very highest pow
cred vessel Of the kind in the world at
the time Of completion. The principal
dimensions Of the vessel are as follows
Length over all, 335 feet; beam, ex-
IRENE, 43 feet inches /; draft, mean, 10
feet inches load displacement, 4,4l3
tons; indicated horse power, l0,500;
forced combustion; twin screws; esti-
mated speed, 10 knots. The ship has
two military masts, no sail-power except
storm-sails; coal capacity, about 900
tons. The complement Of men is 800.
The main battery consists Of four S-inch
and six 6.inch brsech.loadiDg rifles
secondary battery, eight 57-milli-
metre siDgle-shot Hotchkiss guns, two
37.millimetre revolver. machine guns,
and one short Calling. The hull will
be constructed of steel throughout, with
double bottom running the entire length
Of the machinery space, or $50 feet.
Throughout the length Of the double
bottom the ship is constructed on the
bracket system, or combination OF the
longitudinal and transverse systems.
Before and abaft the double bottom the
framing is Of Y bars, the frames in the
double bottom are spaced As inches
between centres; before and abaft
these points the spacing is Sc inches.
The outer plating varies from 80
pounds to Ia pounds, the ordinary
weight being 20 pounds per square
fsot. The machinery, magazines,
sbell.rooms, torpedo'rooms, and steer
ing gear are placed below an armored
deck, which is four inches thick on its
slopiDg sides and two and half inches
on the horizontal part amidships. The
outer edge of this deck is four feet be-
low the load line, raising one foot
above the load line at the horizontal
part smidships. All the openings in
this deck to machinery spaces, maya
zines, shell-rooms, &C., are protected
by coffer-dams. Above the protection
deck the machinery is still further pro-
tected by side belts Of coal ten feet in
thickness, averaging eight feet in depth.
extending from the skin Of the vessel
in-board, while below this deck
a similar belt is provided seven
feet in thickness. The vessel is
what is called poop. and-fore-
castle-decked ship with open gun
deck. The battery will be mounted on
Sponsors on csntral-pivot carriages sup
porting segnsntal shields two inches in
thickness, two eight-inch guns on the
poop, two sight-inch guns on the fore
castle decks, with the six.inch guns
mounted in the intervening space on the
gun-deck. Two eight-inch and two
six-inch guns will concentrate within four
hundred feet OF bow or stern, while
either six. broadside can be concentrated
within one hundred feet Of the ships
side. The vessel will be provided with
five above-water torpedo launching
tubes, electric search.lights, incaude-
scent lighting apparatus for light
ing ship, and complete system
Of characterization for living. spaces
in connection with the system for
forced combustion. The protective deck
will be carried down to strengthen the
Iam-shapsd bow, which will be
thoroughly stiffened and strengthened
for running purposes. The hull will
be divided with numerous water-tight
compartments by means of longitudinal
and transverse bulkhesds. The motive
power will be derived from two sets
leach in watsr.tight comparatively Of
triple-expansion engines, ia connection
with four double-endsd boilers about
fourteen feet in diameter. The engines
will be capable Of developing 10, 500
indicated horsepower, with forced
draft"