The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-12-22

The New Italian Iron-ciad. the Most
Powerful Vessel In tho World.

The new iron-clad Re Umberto.
launched recently M Castellamare in
the presence of King Humbert. and OF
Kaiser Wilhelm. his guest, is the
largest Of the big war-ships which
Italy has almost mania for accumu-
lating. says the New York san. She
has, II Is true. very long coast line to
defend. compared, for example. with
Germany's; and good navy. whether
for purposes OF defense or of agrees
sion, or even of increasing her value
as an ally, 90 some extent takes the
place of larger army. Still, when IL
Is considered how small Italy's colonial
interests are compared with those OF
England and France, whose fleets she
rivals, and how small also her mer-
camille marine Is compared with theirs.
her Unsuitable greed for the most enor-
nous ships that can be built looks q
little like that of old King Frederick
for the talest grenadiersin Europe.
The Re Umberto is an armor-clad OF
1900 tons displacement, or fully 81
600 tons more than the big Trafalgar,
which, with her sister ship, the Nile,
represents England's furthcst reach IN
vessels She is q little larger even
than the Italia and the Lepanto. which
were supposed 10 have about marked
the limit of size that would be attempt
ed. She has 400 tons more displace-
mert than England's Bcnbow. Her
engine power. supplied by Maudslay's,
surpasses anything ever before known,
and reaches the prodigious aggregate
of 1880 horses, and In spite OF the
great draught and displacement. IL Is
expected that this machinery will give
her the great speed Of eighteen knots.
The heavy iron-clads of Italy now
form tremendous array. They in
clude the Duilio and Dandolo, OF over
III 900 tons displacement, each carry
ing four LOTIONS and making fifteen
knots speed; the Andrea Doria, the
Ruggicro de LAURA. and the Francesca
Morisini. also OF about III 900 tons dis
placement. carrying each four l06-ton
guns. and making sixteen knots; the
Italia and the Lepanto, of nearly 49,
900 tons displacement, carrying four
1l0-ton guns each, making eighteen
knots; the Re Umberto and two more
of the same class, the Stella and the
Sardegna. yet TO be LAUGHED. OF $4,000
tons displacement, also making eigh-
teen knots. IL Is the combination of
heavy baiusy power, heavy armor,
and high speed in these battle-ships
that make them remarkable. Their
draught would keep them ont Of many
harbors. In the Re Umberto. Stella,
and Sardegna the crown of the deck
has been raised higher above the
water-levcl than in their predecessors,
and there are great many water-tght
compartments.
Italy's love for enormous iron-clads
has not prevented her from giving at
teniion to fast unarmored vessels, of
which she has some of the best in the
world. Three of the most famous are
the Dogali. 1900 tons displacement.
aud the Vesuvio and Etna. 1880 each,
which are l9-knot vessels. There are
already built, and they are building
two more Of the Vesuvio type. called
the Stromboli and Fieramosco. and
four more of the Dogali type. making
nine vessels of this high speed. She
has also three small 20-knot vessels
built, the Tripoli and Goito, of 74l tons
displacement, and the Folgore. of 317,
besides seven more of the Tripoli type
building, and five more of the Folgore,
making fifteen In all. Four Of about
the Tripoli's size, the Andrea, Provana.
and Sebastion Veniere. 6l9 tons dis
placement, and the Archimede and
Calico, 7S4, Eake eighteen knots.
More important Is the Giovanni Bau-
san, OF 5000 tops aud seventeen knots,
besides two sno.ilss vessels of that
speed, while half dozen, varying
from about 1.400 to $500 tons displace-
ment, max fifteen or sixteen knots.