Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-20
NAVAL REFORMS.
Steel Vessels Rapidly Taking
the Place of Wooden Ones.
Annual Report OF Chief Con-
structor Wilson.

Description of an Ideal Commerce
Destroying War Vessel which UncIe
Sam win Have in Torpedo Cruiser
No. Ia-she Can Easily Run Down and
Demolish Any aTerchantman Aaoat.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 90. Chief Con.
structor Wilson has submitted his an
nual report to the secretary Of the navy.
He says that the plans and specifications
for twentytwo-knot torpedo cruiser
are being prepared, and with the letting
of the contract for this vessel and d
firstclass torpedo boat the bureau win
have finished all the work authorized by
recent legislation, so far as the design is
concerned.
Steel VS.. Wood.
The report says: With the gradual
appearance of the new steel navy has
come the rapid retirementof the wooden
fleet. When the Chicago, Boston, At
lanta and Dolphin were begun the serv-
iceable wooden steam vessels numbered
in all thirty-seven. Now there are eleven
new steel vessels, and one first-class tor
pedo boat in commission and only
eighteen wooden vessels.
The following named vessels having
been surveyed, and the cost of repairs
ascertained to be in excess of 20 per
cent. limit, are recommended to be sold:
Brooklyn, Saugus, Speedwell Rescue,
Ossipee, Juniata and Quinnebaug. The
care of these vessels is a constant source
of expenses to this bureau and as they
are Of no service whatever, the best in
terest OF the government would be sub
served by their immediate sale.
An Ideal Commerce DESTROYER.
Mr.. Wilson says: In the opinion of
this bureau the ideal commerce-de-
stroyer has been attained in the design
of cruiser No. l2. She has a sustained
speed greater than that of the swiftest
OF the Atlantic "greyhounds, united
with powerful battery, immense coal
endurance and efficient protection.
Much space is devoted to description
of the three great coast line battle ships
designed with view Of meeting in
battle vessels carrying the heaviest guns
and arInor, after careful study of the
vessels OF other powers and the con
ditions defined by out coast line, and
our position as a nation.
Her Armament.
The armament of these vessels will
consist of four thirteen-inch, thirtv-fve
caliber breech-loading rifles; eight eight
inch breech-loading rifles; four six-ineh
breech-loading rifles; twenty six-pound
rapid fire gums, six one-pound rapid
firing guns, two Gatling guns and six
torpedo tubes or guns This represents
n weight of armament superior to that
of any of the latest battle ships laid
down by foreign powers. The thirteen
inch guns are seventeen and two-third
feet above the water and have great
arcs of train. The six-inch guns are
fourteen feet ten inches above the
water, and all are across the CEN
ter line. The eight-inch guns are
mounted twenty-four and three
fourths feet above the water and
can fire over the tops of thirteen-inch
guns, having train of fourteen degrees
across the middle line. These guns can
pierce at two miles the arc of any of the
modern armored cruisers of great coal
endurance. They can be brought into
action early in the engagement on ac-
count of their great height, aud can be
used with great effect against the lighter
ar1nored and unarmored parts of heavier
battle-ships. The powerful secondary
battery is protected in part by shields
built in the vessel and in part by shields
on the mounts, and is so disposed that
a stream of projectiles will radiate from
the vessel which will lead to the almost
certain destruction of any light boat
venturing within line.
All Modern Appliances.
All modern appliances for offensive
and defensive purposes, such as torpedo
defense nets. search lights. etc. are car
ried, and weight is reserved for any new
fittings or devices which the constant
progress in the art of war will most GER
tainly develop as the work progresses
The coal capacity is sufficient to carry
the vessel l6, 600 miles at ten knots An
hour
Great Coaling Capacity.
Constructor Wilson says: In cruiser
No. IL the United States will possess q
vessel having a sustained sea speed of
twenty-one Knots, the conditions in the
fire-rooms not being harder than in the
ordinary Atlantic liner. The vessel is
well protected by heavy armor deck
running fore and aft. and covering mag
azines. engines, boilers and steering
gear. She can carry $50 tons of coal on
normal draught, and has a coal capacity
of 1000 tons. This has been accom-
plished on 1,400 tons displacement, with
normal coal supply, and we have here a
vessel which can overhaul and sink any
merchant vessel now atloat.
Looks Like Merchantmen.
In appearance the vessel resembles
closely an ordinary merchantmen, the
sides being nearly clear of projections of
sponsors which ordinarily appear ON
vessels of war, and will have two signal
masts, will have no military tops ON
them, however.
The functions of the vessel are to de-
stroy the commerce of an enemy, there
fore her general appearance is such as to
enable her to get within range before
her character is discovered. As whole
this vessel viii represent the latest idea
of a powerful, economical protected
commeree-destroyer
slowly But Surely.
The bureau with great satisfaction
presents this review of what has been
done and is doing in the building up Of a
navy suited to the needs of the United
States. What has been done is an
earnest Of what may be done. The re-
quirements have been as severe rs those
of any nation in the world. and the fact
that in most cases such requirements
have been exceeded. and in all cases
realized, show that. class per class, our
vessels ate second to none--the only
condition with which our people viii be-