Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-07-02
uNCLE SANDS NAVY.

An Invitation Issued for Proposals
for Building Three Coast Limo Rat.
tic ships-How They are TO be Con.
ssructed-Kach Vessel TO Carry Pow
efful Guns.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 1.-The navy
department has issued circular inviting
proposals for building the three $500 coast
line battle ships, whose construction was
authorized by the naval appropriation act
passed by congress few days ago. The ves-
sells are to cost, exclusive of armament, not
more than 81. 000, 900 each, the term arma-
milton, all armor of turrets, barbettes, gun
shields and armored tubes, directly pertain
Ing to the protection of tho guns and loading
positions. All parts of the vessels shall be
Of domestic manufacture. Proposals may
be made under two classes: For the con-
struction Of the whole vessel according to
the departments plans and specifications
and for the construction of either bulls
or machinery, or both, according to plans
and specifications to be submitted by the
bidder. Full information of all require
ments for the vessels will be furnished on
application to the department. Tho design
of the vessel must be in sufficient detail, &C.
companied by such specifications and calcu-
lations as will enable the department to
E6n0liy uotOKmkuo tncA value, anu " bc0 tuut
they fulfill the below mentioned general re-
quirements. The calculations should in
dude the ordinary calculations of weights,
displacement and stability under the condi-
lions of normal load displacement, deep load
displacement and light displacement
calculations as will determine the extent of
the injury above and below the armor may
be suffered while retaining satisfactory buoy
sncy and stability. to get her with such cal
lott mil 40 khoo kfafo
strength of the whole structure. The mini
mum speed is to be maintained for four con-
| secutive hours.
The hull is to be of steel, not sheathed.
| The framing is to be on the bracket system
aud there will be a double bottom extending
from srmor shelf to armor shelf and forward
| and aft. The armor on the side for protect
ing the water line will have maximum
| thickness of not less than eighteen inches
and mean depth of seven feet. The trans
verse armor at the ends of the belt will not
| be less than fourteen inches in thickness.
Redoubts and turrets will have armor moi
less than seventeen inches thick. The side
from armor belt to the main deck will be
protected by less than Eve inches Of
steel armor. Coal is to be carried
back of this casemste armor. An ar.
nored deck not less than three inches In
thickness is to extend forward an6
aft from the ends Of the armor belt, bsinl
curved down on each side to meet the side o.
the ship below water. Over the side armol
belt this steel deck will not be less than two
and three-quarters inches in thickness. Al
approved water excluding material equal Il
"woodite" or s'cellulose" is to be fitted slonf
the sides forward and aft on the slopes of tn
three inch protective deck. Each vessel viii
carry powerful guns, aggregating 10 all So
tons, including four thirteen-inch breech
loading rifles Of sixty tons and four of fifty
six tons each Decides sixty other guns rangin
from nearly ten tons downward. Il will re
quire 806 tons of ammunition for the vessel
fighting outfit. The thirteen.inch guns vii
be protected by seventeen inches thickness o
armor and the six and eight inch guns b
, shields, and in addition to barbettes carry
!, ing four and six inch srmor. Twelve tor
pedoes, seven of the tubes to be abov
! water, win be carried. Room must be al
; lowed for three months provisions, an
p clothing and small stores for one year an
: for at least four hundred tons of coal. Fac
0 vessel will also have q large electric ligt
9 plant, thirteen small boats running from fiv
tons downward. military mast to carry tw
5 tops and enough anchors, rigging, boat fttin
9 and other equipment to start o naval suppl
3 3 store The particular requirement in TIL
Q respect can be obtained on application. tt
9 crew of each vessel will be thirty officers On
g 430 men.