The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-10-21
A FORMIDABLE VESSEL.
rhe Projected Steel.Cruiser About to He
Added to the United States Navy.

the Projected Steel.Cru1ser ABOUT Co II
Added to the United States Navy.
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 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. 81
be used. These plans contemplate a
vessel of greater power and speed than
very highest powered 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, extreme, 43 feet inches;
draft, mean, 10 feet inches; load dis
placement. 4. Alb tons; |. II. P, 10,50O,
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
900 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 sing gle shot Hotchkiss guns,
two 37-millimeter 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 traverse sys-
TENS. Before and abaft the double
bottom the framing is of y bars; the
frames in the double bottom are spaced
| 48 inches between centers; before and
abaft these points the spacing is 36
inches. The outer plating varies from
80 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
deck is four feet below the 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-
tected 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 in-board, while below
this deck a similar belt is provided
seven feet in thickness. The vessel ia
what is called poop-and-fore-castle-
decked ship with open gun deck. The
battery will be mounted on sponsors
on central pivot carriages supporting
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 gun
deck. Two eight-inch and two six
inch guns will concentrate within 40C
feet of bow or stern, while either six
inch broadside can be concen
trated within 100 feet of the ships
side. The vessel will be provided
with five above-water torpedo launch
ing tubes, electric search lights. incan
descent lighting apparatus for light
ing ship and complete system of ex
haust ventilation for living spaces il
connection with the system for forcet
combustion. The protection deck will
be carried down to strengthen the ram
shaped bow, which will be thoroughly
stiffened and strengthened for rammine
, purposes. The hull will be divided with
! numerous water-tight compartment.
by means of longitudinal and trans
. verse bulkheads. The motive power
will be derived from two sets leach il
a water-tight COMPARTMENT of triple
,. expansion engines, in connection will
,, four double ended boilers fourteen fee
! in diameter. The engines will be capa
|. BILE of developing 10, 500 indicated horse
power with forced draft.-Arnay an,
Macy Register.