The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-09-06

for there Wcru hut two bidders, Messrs
Cranp &c Sons. of Philat.elpha who sub
mitted four propositions, embracing the idea
OF constructing her on their own plan for
engine and hull: on tic navy departments
hull and their engine; on their hull and the
navy Department. S engine, or on the depart
mcnt's plans for both hull and engine, the
price varying from sl,4l0,o0O to 81 ,3o5 900,
The Union iron works were the other bid
der, and their price for building under the
departments plans for hull and machinery
was II ,i.S,GQ3. The contract was awarded
Messrs, Crump q Sons, the hull and machinery
to be constructed according to bidders plans
and specifications for 81 900 The con-
tract for her construction was executed in
October, 1881, and she is according to its
terms, 10 he completed in October of this
yenr.
The Philadelphia and Baltimore have very
much the same dimensions the former being
about 100 tons the smaller. Her length is 3l5
feet, beam 49, feet drnught l91i feet and dis
placement 432A tons.
In tho battery arrangements a radical de-
parture has been made from the installation
OF the armament aboard the Baltimore, twelve
6 inch rifles taking the place of the four s
inch and Gnch guns aboard the latter vcsscl
1t has been quite satisfactorily demonstrated
that the battery of all G inch guns is suill-
ciently heavy for vessels Of this class, and
that their range, penetration and weight of
metal thrown from her broadS!de is rs power
full as vessels Of her clnsS carry in other ma
ries. In fact, the tendency of tile present day
is to have guns of still smaller call,er, and
also to introduce loading and firing mecllan-
ism that admits of much greater rnpility
Of fro than has heretofore been considered
possible. Tie secondary battery, as the ag-
gregation Of smaller caliber machine guns is
called is composed OF two Giitlings, four 6
pounder Hotchkiss, two 3 FOUNDER lIotch!iss,
one FOUNDER HutchkiSs four 81 u,nl rapid
fire revolving cannon
On her mean drnught of 10 feet !,5 inches
the speed of the vessel is guaranteed at nnu-
teen knots for four consecutive hours trial
This, when tho contract WAS drawn. was con-
siderel such Il high rate OF speed and so
greatly in excess of anything that had for
mcrly been attempted in our naval vessels,
that it was looked upon RS extremely doubt
full il its provisions could be carried out.
Since that contract, however, others calling
for n twenty knot speed have been drawn,
and the builders Of tho Philadelphia, having
had their own way as far Us HE lesi igns OF
the machinery are concerned, are quite con-
tident of attaining the nineteen knots speed
together with II little margin in their in
terest. The engines urc of the twin screw,
horizontal, triple expansion type, and are 10
weigh 900 tons Should they succeed in
making a speed of over nineteen knots, Il
bonus of $4,000 will be paid for every quar-
ter of a knot in excess of that speed. A
similar forfeit is to be exacted for each quar-
ter of Il knot below the standard
The Philadelphia is Il protected cruiser,
having long forccastle and poop deck, a
stronu. m how mud rpuula1 storm covnri,,.r
and protecting the rudder, which is placed
well below the water line. She has what is
called u hgl. freaboard-that is, her rail is
high up above the water line. There are two
smoke stacks and three olasts to carry fore
and aft sail only.
These nlasts have military tops OF plat
forms made Of steel and carrying protective
shields for covering tho men stationed to
work the machine cannon, which i'll action
are sent up in the tops in order to pour
stream OF projectiles on an euemy's decks
and pick off the exposed men,
Vessels Of this type have a steel protective
deck, four inches in thickness, running fore
and aft tho vessel and protecting her below
water portion from shot and shell. In addi~
ton to this the coal is so distributed around
engines and hoilers as to afford a very eill-
cieut protection and make an excellent sup
steel deck. The coal supply under ordinary
circumstances is 400 tons, but the bunker
capacity is sufficient to hold 900 tons with
which supply at a ten knot speed per hour
she can cover 1900 miles.
All the conveniences Of steam stccrers,
windlasses, side coaling chutcs, etc., will he
fitted, and in addition there will be Il com
plete duplicate electric plant, lighting the
holds store rooms, magazines and quarters,
besides which there will be search lights of
about 25, coo candle power. This vessel is i'll
tended for a fag ship, aud the arrangements
and conveniences of quarters arc thought TO
be very much in excess Of anything that has
before flown the broad blue flag of an Ameri-
can rear admiral. The minute division into
watertight compartments each Of which is
provided with independent pumping and
drainage systems, insures the vessel remain
ing afoat should she come i'll collision or be
pierced by projectiles. The ventilation Of
the quarters embraces the latest improve
ments and is such as to secure the health aud
comfort of both officers mud crew. The fleet
of the four Roach cruisers and the York
town, already liz commission; tho Petrol,
Charleston, Baltimore and Vesuvius, in diff
ferent stages of completion, added to the
Philadelphia, Newark, Concord and Ben
nington, will upon another year give
fleet OF speedy and powerful vessels that will
moro than replace tho larger number of
wooden ships, now fast disappearing.