Telegram-herald., 1889-10-16
SHIPS OF UNCLE SAN
Twin Sisters % the Yorktown
Nearly Ready 20 Launch.
THg CONCORD Oh The NAYS
fh.x are the Concord and the BsBRiag
tsn. and Here viii Re fouad a.
Elaborate a. d faseTest DesertP-
zion or This F4rtlcal&r a raiser

The Yorktown has proved herself 50
speedy, and % posses such tine weather
n qualities. that is Is very satisfactory
- know that her twin sisters are 50
nearly Ike her in every important par
sicuLAr. The Bennington and Concord
are partially protected cruisers. with
three masts, carrying fore and aft sail
Oniy. and uhey have the same dimensions
aud displacement q their elder sister.
The contract FOR building them was ex-
ecuted on the 18th Of November, TWO
years ago, with Messrs. \. +. Palmer &
Co, Chester, Pa, who were 20 have
completed them " thin eighteen months,
the contract price, exclusive Of aTma-
ment. being $3.50 900 for each vessel
Ia this particular they differ from the
Yorktown, the cost Of which was some
s35 900 less. and the time allowed for her
completion buE twelve months. The
horse power guaranteed to be made Is
8.4O0, bonus Of 500 10 be paid for each
horse power developed above the contract
figures on trial; but if those figures are
not reached a forfeit Of 500 per horse
power Will be exacted. The engines,
which are OF the horizontal triple expan-
IiOn type, are TO drive twin screws. and
a., being built al the Quintard Iron
Norts. in New York. IL was not ex-
pected when the vessels were designed
that the amount Of premiums would eI-
ceed 5000. which would represent but
City horse power above what the contract
calls for.
Although the time for completing
these vessels was originally 10 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 Os the line of battle ships to
observe the movements and cOmbina-
tions Of the enemy's squadrons and re-
port them as quickly as possible to the
commander-in-chief, in order that be
could so dispose Of bis own vessels as to
catch the enemy at the greatest disad-
vantage.
Such title would by no means be a
rnisnOmer 10 vessels of the size of the
Concord and Bennington-witht 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 &c
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 coas,
defense vessels
As may readily be seen, their powers
/ both as 10 ofTense and defense are linn
tied, and no nation could depend solely
or 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.