Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-27

guns on one side will be SO fixed that they
can be concentrated on an object so feet
from the ships side.
Each shell of the main battery will weigh
100 pounds, the powder charge so pounds,
making the weight of single broadslde
600 pounds These shells will be able to
penetrate thirteen inches of iron at the
muZZle.
The secondary battery will consist of re-
volYing Hotchkiss guns, and there will also
be two Calling guns.
wATER- TIGHT HOLD.
The floor of the hold is wster-tight; it
runs nearly the entire length Of the ship
and forms its inner bottom, being in the
middle at distance of thirty inches from
the outer bottom. This space can be
flooded or drained of water at will, and
thus a large mount of water ballast taken
on or discharged in a short time. The
draught of water is, therefore, largely
under control of the officers of the ship.
The drainage of the cruiser is an elaborate
affair; by steam and hand pumps water
can be taken from any part OF the vessel at
any time.
The cabins will be fitted under the poop
deck, extending from side to side. These
rooms will all be gooo-sized and lighted by
side-liehts. The ward-room will be at the
after end of the berth deck. Forward of
the ward.room, and separated by trans
verse steel, water-tight bulkhead, will be
the steerage. 1t is thought by naval eI-
perts that the great height between decks,
seven feet ten inches, the absence of wood
deck-plank, numerous air-ports, and two
large blower-ventilators will be very ad-
vautageous and satisfactory. The gallery,
etc will be under the forward bridge and
will be inclosed by steel bulkhead.
Above this, on top OF the bridge, will be
the armored pilot-house.
The plating of the cruiser up to the pro-
tective deck is seventeen and one-half
pounds! per square foot Above the pro-
tectiye deck the plating is thirteen pounds
to the SQUARE foot, or about three ghths of
an inch in thickness. The stem, stern post
and rudder frame are of cast-steel, made at
the Pacific Boiling Mills. The stem weighs
$4,000 pounds and the stern post II, 400
pounds.
The rudder and steering gear will be en-
tirely below the water-liDe under the pro-
tective deck. Steam steeriDg-wheels will
be in the pilot. house and armored tower,
and forward the after bridge will be hand
steering wheel. The great vessel can also
be steered by hand or steam from below the
protective deck aft.
The vessel is to be lighted throughout by
incsndescent electric lights. Various pumps
and piping will afford protection from fire.
POWERFUL ENGINES.
The motive power of the cruiser VIII be
furnished by two triple expansion engines
IN separate water-tight compartments.
There will be cylinders AZ, 60 and "a inches
in diameter with 42inch stroke. There
will be four boilers, each about fifteen feet
in diameter, and tested to carry steam at
1876 pounds pressure The three bladed
screws will be fourteen and half feet in
diameter. There will be steam steering
apparatus, as well as special steam gear for
starting and reversing, and small engines
for hosting ashes. The two boiler-rooms
are separated from each other by water
tight bulkheads, and so arranged as to be
rendered, when desired, alright. This is
carried into effect when forced draught is
used, air is then sucked down by rapidly
revolving fan, and is only allowed to es-
cape through the furnaces.
The armor deck. the middle of which is
above the water-line as the center of the
ship. slopes down at both ends to below
the water. line, inclosing and protecting at
the stern the steering mechanism. At the
stem this deck adds its support to the ram,
contributing to make that part of the ship
very strong. The tremendous power of the
San Francisco when ramming an adver-
sary may be expressed in figures-it would
be equal to a blow from weight of 9,040
tons moving at the rate of one foot per sec
Ond