The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-08-31

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THE PHILADELPHIA.
When the bids for cruiser No. were called
for there were but two bidders, Messrs
Cramp e. 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
ments plans for both hull and engine, the
price varying from sl,4l0,0 600 to 81 1926, 0O0.
The Union iron works were the other bid
der, and their price for building under the
departments plans for hull and machinery
was 81 .42S, 600 The contract was awarded
Messrs Cremp& Sons, the hull and machinery
to be constructed according to bidders plans
and specifications for Sl,S59000. The con-
tract for her construction was executed in
October, 1887, and she is according TO its
terms, 10 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 3l5
feet, beam 49, feet, draught l9}l feet and dis
placement 4,324 tons.
In tho battery arrangements radical de-
parture has been made from the installation
of the armament aboard the Baltimore, twelve
q inch rifles taking the place of the four
inch and u inch guns aboard the latter vessel.
1t has been quite satisfactorily demonstrated
that the battery of all inch guns is sufii-
GENTLY heavy for vessels OF this class, and
that their range, penetration and weight or
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 a 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 6
FOUNDER Hotchkiss two FOUNDER Hotchkiss
one FOUNDER Hotchkiss four 81 nm. rapid
fire revolving cannon.
On her mean draught of 10 feet pa 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-
sidered such high rate of speed and so
greatly in excess of anything that had for
merly been attempted in our naval vessels,
that it was looked upon rs extremely doubt
full if its provisions could be carried out
Since that contract, however, Others calling
for 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-
fident 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 a speed of over nineteen knots, a
bonus of $4,000 will be paid for every quar-
ter Of knot in excess of that speed. A
similar forfeit is to be exacted for each quar-
ter of knot below the standard.
The Philadelphia is a protected cruiser,
having 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 high freeboard-that is, her rail Is
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
stream of projectiles on an enemys decks
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-
ton TO this the coal is so distributed around
engines and boilers as to afford "a very ELL
cient 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 a ten knot speed per hour
she can cover 1900 miles
All the conveniences Of steam steerers,
windlasses, side coaling chutes, ETC., will be
fitted, and in addition there will be- COM
plete duplicate electric plant, lighting the
holds, store rooms, magazines and quarters,
besides which there will be search lights OF
about 5000 candle power. This vessel is in
tended for flag ship, and the arrangements
and conveniences of quarters are 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 afloat sho'l,i she come in collision or be
pierced by projectiles The ventilation Of
the quarters embraces the latest improve
ments and is such as to secure the health and
comfort of both officers and crew The fleet
of the four Roach cruisers and the York
town, already in commission; the Petrol,
Charleston, Baltimore and Vesuvius, in diff
fsrent stages of completion, added to the
Philadelphia, Newark, Concord and Ben
nington, will upon another year give a
fleet of speedy and powerful vessels that will
more than replace the larger number Of
! wooden ships, now fast disappearing.