Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-09-13
THE PHILADELPHIA,

for there were but two bidders, Messrs
Cramp & Sons Of Philadelphia, who sub
mitted four propositions, embracing the idea
Of constructing her on their own plan for
engine and hull; on the navy departments
hull and their engine; on their hull and the
navy departments engine, or on the depart
ment's plans for both hull and engine, the
price varying from 81, ,41O, 600 to 81, 1885, 600.
The Union iron works were the other bid
der, and their price for building under the
departments plans for hull and machinery
Yhs 41,42s 600. The contract, was awarded
3essrs. Cramp& & Sons, the hull and machinery
ITO be constructed according to bidders plans
and specifications for $1,s50,OOO. The con-
tract for her construction was executed in
October, 1887, and she is, according to it's
terms, to be completed in October of this
year.
The Philadelphia and Baltimore have very
much the same dimensions, the former being
about 100 tons the smaller. Her length is 315
feet, beam 48111 feet, draught l91 feet and dis
placement 1924 tons.
In the battery arrangements radical de-
parture has been made from the installation
Of the armament aboard the Baltimore, twelve
inch rifles taking the place Of the four s
inch and inch guns aboard the latter vessel
:
that the battery Of all inch guns is sufi-
GENTLY heavy for vessels of this class, and
that their range, penetration and weight Of
metal thrown from her broadside is as power
full as vessels Of her class carry in other ma
vies. In fact, the tendency Of the present day
is to have guns Of still smaller caliber, and
also to introduce loading and firing mechan-
ism that admits Of much greater rapidity
Of fire than has heretofore been considered
possible. The secondary battery, as the ag-
gregation Of smaller caliber machine guns is
called, is composed of two Gatlings, four
pounder Hotchkiss, two FOUNDER Hotchkiss,
one FOUNDER Hotchkiss, four 81 MN. rapid
fire revolving cannon. I'd
On her mean draught of 10 feet 21s inches
the speed of the vessel is guaranteed at nine
teen knots for four consecutive hours trial.
This, when the contract was drawn, was con-
idered such high rate of speed and SO
greatly in excess of anything that had for
merly been attempted in our naval vessels,
that 1t was looked upon as extremely doubt
ful If its provisions could be carried out.
Since that contract, however, others calling
for a twenty knot speed have been drawn,
and the builders Of the Philadelphia, having
had their own way as far as the designs Of
the machinery are concerned, are quite con-
fdent of attaining the nineteen knots speed
together with little margin in their In
terest. The engines are of the twin screw,
horizontal, triple expansion type, and are to
weigh 900 tons Should they succeed in
making speed Of over nineteen knots, a
bonus Of $4,000 will be paid for every quar-
ter Of q knot in excess of that speed. "A
similar forfeit is to be exacted for each quar-
ter Of q knot below the standard.
The Philadelphia is protected cruiser,
having a long forecastle and poop deck, q
strong ram bow and rounded stern covering
and protecting the rudder, which is placed
well below the water line She has what is
called q high freeboard- that is, her rails
high up above the water line. There are two
smoke stacks and three masts to carry fore
and aft sail only.
These masts have military tops or plat
forms made Of steel and carrying protective
shields for covering the men stationed to
work the machine cannon, which in action
are sent up in the tops in order to pour a
stream Of projectiles on an enemys decks
i and pick of the exposed men.
Vessels of this type have steel protective
deck, four inches in thickness, running fore
and aft the vessel and protecting her below
water portion from shot and shell. In addi-
tion to this the coal is so distributed around
engines and boilers as to afford a very efl-
cieDt protection and make an excellent sup
{ Elementary protection to that offered by tho
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 q ten knot speed per hour
she can cover Il, 600 miles
All the conveniences Of steam steerers
y windl lasses, side coaling chutes, etc, viii be
h fitted, and ia addition there win be COM
plete dupncate electric plant, lighting the
holds, store rooms, magazines and quarters,
@ besides4which there viii be search lights 81
about q, 600 candle power This vessel is in
tended for q Gag ship, and the arrangements
and conveniences Of quarters are thought to
be very much iniexcess Of anything that has
4 before flown the broad blue flag Of an Ameri.
can rear admiral The minute division into
watertight compar rtments, each Of which ID
provided with independent: pumping and
\ drainage systems, insnres the vessel remain.
/ ing adoat should she come In collision or. be
pierced BY projectileA The ventilation Of
the quarters embraces the latest improve.
3 ments and is such as to secure the health and
comfort Of both officers and crew The 6eet
q of the four RoAch cruisers and the York!
y town, already ins gcommission; the Petrol.
Charleston, sBa ltimore and sVesuyius, In dif-
ferent3 stages Of compiled ion, added to the
4 Philadelphia, Newark, Concord and Ban-
ming will upon another year rive n
feet OF speedy and powerful vessels thatswiU1