Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1889-11-06
THE SHIPS OF UNCLE SAM.
TWIN SISTERS TO THE YORKTOWN
NEARLY READY TO LAUNCH.

They Are the Concord and the Benning-
ton, and Here will Be Found Elab-
crate and Interesting Description Of This
Particular Type of Cruiser
The Yorktown has proved herself so
speedy, and to possess such fine weather
ly qualities, that it is very satisfactory
to know that her twin sisters are so
nearly like her in every important par
ticular The Bennington and Concord
are partially protected cruisers, with
three masts, carrying fore and aft sail
only, and they have the same dimensions
and displacement of their elder sister.
The contract for building them was ex-
ecuted on the 18th of November, two
years ago, with Messrs N. F. Palmer &
Co., Chester, Pa, who were to have
completed them within eighteen months,
the contract price, exclusive Of arma-
ment, being $780, 900 for each vessel.
In this particular they differ from the
Yorktown, the cost Of which was some
$50, 900 less, and the time allowed for her
completion but twelve months. The
horse power guaranteed to be made is
3,4OO, bonus Of 500 to be paid for each
horse power developed above the contract
figures on trial; but if those figures are
not reached forfeit of 500 Per horse
power will be exacted. The engines,
which are of the horizontal triple expan-
sion type, are to drive twin screws, and
are being built at the Quintard Iron
works, in New York. 1t was not ex-
pected when the vessels were designed
that the amount Of premiums would ex.
coed $4,000, which would represent but
fifty horse power above what the contract
calls for
Although the time for completing
these vessels was originally to expire last
May, and has been extended, the con-
tractors are now paying forfeit for being
behindhand with their work, and unless
the horse power developed is greatly in
excess of what is anticipated, the pre-
miums will hardly compensate for the
cost of the delay. The very apt name Of
''the eyes of the fleet was, in the days
of the old time sailing vessels, bestowed
on the frigates, which were kept well in
advance of the line of battle ships to
observe the movements and combina-
lions of the enemy's squadrons and re-
port them as quickly as possible to the
commander-in-chief, in order that he
could so dispose of his own vessels as to
catch the enemy at the greatest disad-
vantage.
Such a title would by no means be a
misnomer to vessels of the size of the
Concord and Bennington-with this ex-
ception, in our own particular case, we
have not succeeded in thus far getting
the fleet of battle ships-as their speed
in an emergency and their ability to
cover about 5000 miles under economi-
cal steaming conditions render them ex-
tremely valuable for scouting purposes.
Their other duties are to scour the seas,
fight vessels of their own class, destroy
commerce, and, in fact, be to the navy
what cavalry very often is to an army.
These cruisers cannot beat off an enemy
fleet of ironclads sent to destroy our sea
port towns, nor could they hope to sue
cessfully engage in battle with coast
defense vessels.
AS may readily be seen, their powers
both as to offense and defense are linn
tied, al. no nation could depend solely
on this type. In our navy, however, this
class of vessel will always be more nu-
merous than the ironclads. 1t is no easy
matter to keep track of an enemy and
his commerce while at sea, and many
fleet footed vessels are required.