The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-16

most excellent
I'm response 90 this. there were several
prodcrcd designs. and the board, appointed
iO examine the plans, awarded me hl-t
place t0 that design submitted Dy Dir. W &.
John. who at that time was tne general
manager OF the Barrow -hipDuildng COM
pany.
According TO The first circular submitted
hv Nr. whitney. the competitors were lim-
ifod fo "a maximum duughf OftWcnty-three
feet and "a displacement of o,l1V tpns' nul
were afterwards allowed GAP increase int
disbursement t0 300 toms.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION or THE VESSEL.
'fio vessel belongs 90 that type known as
a -beliod CRUISER Her armor only pro-
fects that space occupied by the engines
boilers and ba,.ery.
Dimensions The dimensions are as fol-
lows: Length between perpendiculars. -N
feet: breadth feXtremeE so feet lncni
depth, lm0uidcG. fo upper dcch.j lf leel =
inches. mean draught az water. - ieel %
inches. displacement, at Do feet inches,
when fully equipped, and with 5y IONS OBJ
coal on board. $500 t0ns
The hull is t0 be built OBJ the cellular, dou-
bie-h0u0m principle. the compartments
of which can Doe uti.zed by admitting water
ballast t0 trim the vessel when coal. ammu-
milton. or stores are partly consumed. This
cellular bottom extends under Che engines,
boilers and magazines Tor length ot lJ~
feet. and is divided. both l0n-itudualiY and
trlnsYorseiY. into numerous Wdtef-tieli
compartments. The floors of lhe provision
and si0rc-rO0ms form continuation of this
double bottom forward and aii. and tie
extreme ends Of Che vessel are arranged IN
trimming tanks.
The armOr consists 0l "a Wlior-linc belt ol
protection. also % red0uOt. and two turrcis.
This protect. Tine space occupied ny lle en-.
eines and battery. and still leaves nne
angle of fire; while the unarmored cx.
trcmitie- may bc riddled Dy shot and shell,
without materially disturbing the meiacen.
tric height of the ship.
AHMoR BELL
The depth Of The armor belt is. Of course,
am important element, but naturally dee
uonds directly upon the amount Oi dis.
placement allowed. lu ihe plans of tno
Texas. tne actual position of ihe armol
belt. am'd.h.N~ i- FROM tWo feet above ih'
water l'ue t0 four feet six inches below.
This rs tine calculated position of tAa
mm0r belt. With ail equipment ai0ard. boz.
Guiding iye hundred toms Of coal. THE yes.
sel cans if necessary. carry an additional
four hundred and hlty tons of coal DOB the
hunkers between decks which would give
her further EMERSON OFF fourteen inches.
leaving tcu inches oi armor protection
above lne water lIno.
The am0r belt .s steel laced. twelve in-
che- DOB thickness extending through q
length ol one hundred feet. enclosing ca.
-ue-. boilers and magazines. and ending
forward and ait, boo armored Oulknead-. not
going sQuarely across the ship, however.
lut pointed at the mid-lIps line.
These buikhe1ds are of -iX-inch -foe.
faced armor. and in end-ou firing have the
additional protection 0f ihe "turile-oack'
protective deck. while iH hr0ad-Ide firing.
ifslruck at all. must necessarily Doe struck
af 400 0DIque angle.
IheamOr belt and lullhc3de gre backed
0y six inches 0fharl wood and two thick.
ne-ses of twenty-five pound plating. with
rigld framing and eriers.
PROTECTIVE DECK.
There is steel protective deck three
inches in thickness extending over the top
Of the am0r belt and then slOping down
ward. forward and afi. ai the forward end
iO the point OFF ibo ram. ten feet below fle
water iine. and at the after end sufficiently
iar down to protect The steering gear.
Below. the protective deck are water
tight wing compartments. arranged $50 as f0
lessen ihp extent Of possible danger from
ram on torpedo attack.
Above the protective deck are two cone
tiuuou- (WnDrokenl decks.
MAIN DECK.
Thomain deck carries an amorcd rciouht
.'.'-, 81 .,.,. ,.,....s ..f a.. r,l,,,,if,. ,',
ai'ir.,',. I'D. ,,c,.i,., and iosdfng f,. .,,,9.
..,.,i.t- .,,I ,,,,r.l. .re ,...,','..-.l ID
f,roi,o irl,.s rf .tl.i. f,.ad of.,0, i.,,lc D
,.ti si, irl,.- rf i..,ri WOOL and ,,sli -,'.
,,erfa.l i,. iraeinr ,r0anrrrod tam f.l.f.n~
ot the f,ir~.f- h. orl, one inch i'm ffillre.e.
ON fha main da.. fDuf.ide of fbe ro,1rlfl
are placed four six-uch ems-hy0 on each
.ide' on srons0ns. The remainder of fhie
deck. not appropriated Dos the redonbf AVID
secondary battery. rs taken un Us the quar-
i'ls ol iue 'iA', gnu crew. "ii'h are
4 l.r,-o ,,rI .r f,,. .0.onIsr, i.tt.r, g..
nlacaI on fh4 main deck 4rf fha.. nm.
',r. rroforfoI hv tilfin. M ono md ora.h'if
inefe. 0r thickness. 0n fhe shlf'. Side.
...... ........
'''
ON tne upper OBJ spar o.ch' are situated
lne lMo luffeis' carry lhs each twelve
men iiile. No 'iA-ih'n guns 'lt arg ihstu
pas LOW ana 9'eih ',l'>el7' OH eeH'iM pivot
Houui-' OH iii' "tcA'
There ie also "a coming tower for ihe Else
NJ the commanding officer Zoo time 0l
action. This is 0i Finch -tool-iaced arm0r.
and gives clear fiew above tine top. of iu.
iurcle. and light hurricane deck. steam
and hand-stcering gear is fitted below the
protective deck; ana connections for steer
ing are made with the coming tower, aud
with the after Wneeihou,e ANA bridge. The
communicating tubes, Nc., leading from ihe
coming tower, for navigating ihe ship. are
protected hy an armorld tube three inches
thick; and the ammunition hoists, from ihe
are also projected With 0-Inch
,teel-facod amOr.
There are tWo military masis, each car
ryin- steel-protectcd tops, and each armed
With two machine guns.
MIA, u...,rt.,,
r,.. ,,,,t.. f..,,.-.- 81. oil. r.u,.,... -r,..
.wehe-inch brecch-loldiue rifles. six .ix-
inch hrtech.l0adine rifles. 1he fweltp-inch
guns ar- So placed that both command