The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-23
THE NEW NAVAL VESSELS.
A Harbor Defense Ram and Tor
pedo Cruisers to be Built.

Secretary Tracy has just invited bids
will perhaps be in commission sooner
than the three big battleships, for which
the contracts have been given out. The
largest of tho new group, the harbor de-
Tense ram, has but 2,05O tons displace-
ment, and the other two only $50 and
liz tons respectively. Their construc
tlon ought not to take very long, should
the bids, which are to DO opened on De-
cember 20 and on February IL, come
within the prescribed limits of cost. Yet
50 high is tho standard of efficiency for
all three that the smaller yards, which
nave been anXiously awaiting adver-
tlsements for construction of craft suited
to their resources, will think carefully
before undertaking these.
beginning with the torpedo cruiser.
TINS must develop the high speed of %
knots on $50 tons displacement; and
for each quarter knot less it must pay
$4,000 penalty. AS an offset. pro
MUM of $4,000 per quarter knot will
be earned by exceeding % knots. and
double that amount by exceeding ~.
Comparing this vessel with the Nes,-
vius, whose contract was for horse
power, the latter, with not far from the
same displacement. made an average Of
about PIG knots on her trial at Della
ware Hreallwatcr. In her recent trial
at Newport She made only 30 knots
Even the former record to which She is
entitled would be far below the contract
of the new vessel. Yet it is less than
two years since the Vcsuvius was con-
sidcred wonder for speed. This fact
shows the extraordinary rate ut which
naval development goes on. The arma-
ment of the new torpedo cruiser will, of
course, be quite different from that of
tho Vesuvius, which has not even yet
thrown guncotton or any other explosive
from her pneumatic tubes.
But will the high speed expected of
the successor of the Vcsuvius be at
tanned? There is no reason to doubt
that it will. Foreign vessels of the
torpedo cruiser class have already sur
passed the Vcsuvius. The Destructor,
for example, built at Clydebank for
Spain, made, according to the statement
of her builder, 22.GS knots last year on
one of her trials. This would be full
knot in excess Of the speed of the Vesu-
wins. The latter on her trial for horse
power developed an average of 3,S3S,
while the horse power of the Dcstructor
appears to have been $500 on only
about half of the displacement of the
Vesuvius.
AS to the new torpedo boat OF lie
tons, which is required to reach "a knots
an hour, with rejection should she fall
as low as %, the gain i'll this respect
over the Cushing is obvious. The guar
anteo for the Cushing was only ~ knots
instead of %, with Il bonus of ST, 800 per
quarter knot for excess above a3 knots.
and OF 81 900 per quarter knot above "a.
No premium was earned upon her trial
trip, inaSmuch as she mado only
about 22l5 knots. Since then she is said
to have done better. That the HERE
SHOTS, who built the Cushing, can beat
her speed there is no reason to doubt
Indeed. many European torpedo boats
to-day beat ~ knots. In England tho
Yarrows have built for the Admiralty
six tirst-class torpedo boats, five of which
attained IA mean speed of 22.6 knots, and
tho sixth Il speed of 23 knots, during a
continuous run of three hours. These
boats arc 1870 feet long, and of about %
tons displacement, with full weights of
coal, prcvisions,a and torpedocs aboard. In
France the Thorneycroft torpedo boat
Courcur made 1876 knots on her trial
and is now said to make ~ knots in SER
vice trials.
The third of the new vessels. the ram
of 1850 tons displacement, has its di-
mansions and general aspect fully de-
scribed and illustrated in to-day's Sun
In this device, which has been ten
years under consideration, and which
was recommended by the naval advisory
board of 1881, ii compromise has been
made between several desirable fca-
lures and qualities. OF course such a
vessel, since it has no battery, and de-
ponds on ramming only, must have
speed enough to catch the enemy and
yet carry enough protective armor to
avoid being riddled by rapid fro and
machine guns before she can reach her
prey. The result is that she is to have
seventeen knots and sufficient plating
| combined with the inclination of the
armor and with the low FREQ board, to
promise reasonable efficiency. A pre-
mi nm OF $4,000 per quarter knot will
stimulate contractors to exceed the
stipulated speed.
Small Treasury Notes.
WASHINGTON, Oct. d. Especial i
OFFERINGS NJ ui1vnr IN tbo