Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-02
The Turrct Ship Victoria.

The powerful turret ship Victoria, 30
named in honor of her Majesty's jubilee,
completed her steam trials at the More on
Thursday. The first rivet was driven in
her keel plate by Lord Armstrong at Els
wick in June, 1885, and she wac launched
on the 9th of April last year. In respect to
the essentials of speed, protection and arma-
ment, the Victoria is without competitor
10 the navies of Europe. In design she may
be said to resemble magnifed hero and
though exception has been taken to the cur
talment of her armor belt, which extends
for 1872 feet over her total length OF $40 feet,
and to the alleged dangerous concentration
of her heaviest guns in single turret, it
must not be forgotten that naval construction
is only possible on the principle of compro-
mise, and that it is more satisfactory to
| Judge of the efficiency of battle ship by the
balance Of advantages she gains by sscrifc.
| ing something in her design. Comparing
the Victoria with the crack French armor-
clad Admiral Baudin, we find thatthe latter
| possesses complete belt at the water line
of the uniform thickness of 219 inches, while
the English ship is only protected by belt
varying in thickness from 16 inches to Is
inches and that whereas the Frenchman
carries three heavy guns in as many bar
bettes, the English vessel has her l1O-ton
guns boxed up in single turret. But on
the other hand, while the redoubt and tur-
ret of the Victoria ia built up of armor is
inches thick, the harbettes of the Admiral
Baudin are of the thickness of 16! inches.
The former is also more powerfully
armed and engined has wider
| e 10 in
in the ratio of IL knots to Is knots under
forced draught. And all these advantages
she carries into action upon, in round num-
bers, thousand tons less displacement, be-
sides being protected against raking by a
bukhead 16 inches thick, and en- angular
screen of 6-iDch plating. Her armament
will consist OF TWO 110-ton breechloaders,
which discharge projectiles Of 1,S00 pounds
with maximum charges of 900 pounds, each
gun being capable Of firing ahead, and also
in consequence of the conformation of the
superstructure on the side within an arc o1
$50 degrees one thirty ton gun, firing astern
and on either quarter; twelve six FOUNDER
and nine three. FOUNDER quick-fring guns
besides machine guns for smaller ammuni
tion. In other words, the Victoria will be
able to discharge from the broGdside 4,75C
pounds of metal simultaneously, consuming
5000 pounds of powder. She is also fitted
with eight torpedo dischargers. This stu
pendous fighting machine will have & com
plement Of $50 officers and mcu, Of whom
ITO will be engineers, stokers and other non
combatants. According to the navy esti
mates for the current year, the total cost O.
the Victoria, including hull, machinery and
guns, is eS17,S41. Ths Victoria has beer
supplied with twin-sorew triple expansion
engines by Messrs. Humphrys, Tenbant s
Co., OF. Deptford. The cylinders are a
inches, 81 inches aud sc inches in diameter
respectively, with stroke Of four feet three
inches The contract power is $4,000 horse
, power, with forced draught and enclosed
stokeholds and $500 horse power, with
open stockholds. They are by far the
largest triple expansion engines yet sup
piled to the navy.--London Times.