The sun., 1890-01-26

we'll backed. Last Of all is the, CONNECTING, link
ship. Speaking tubes. signal wlres and other
devices for controlling the ship run down
throusR Steel If1f tube u I'M Inches thick below that
The eggs are gil 10 one bnskSt but but it's mighty
1000 yards would scarce destroy 4. but fair
blow from a larger shell'woud end the battle
the ship would become uncontTollable: A.
Maine is provided. with further protection from
the enemy's shot IN the shape OF an oval deck
belt slanting down and aft. and terminating
q. the sternpost we'll below the water line.
inches thick above the water line four inches.
On account Of the small angle at which shot
will necessarily strike this slopng deck, It vii
six-inch wall forward. The deck below the
water line forward Il made OF two thicknesses
Of inch steel. in order to strengthen the bow
for ramminR. 'l
Considered As A FIGHTER.
The description OF the Maine SO far considers
good fort for its size: one thing taken with an
other. better than anything aiioat, tis ad-
siufiing out OF 1t II II lay still on the water while
the enemy worked her breechloaders What
the EsGpe want to- to 6D wh the eTeT s aI G
to presume that they would be making the
enemy think that SULPHUR and brimstope
enemy were somewhere near the vortex.
Whatever criticisms may be made about her
af FIST ao Of al she y viii have four ten.inch rides
two in each turret. These guns have not
S sSS S ss at q
and one Of that size for another ship has been
completed and tested. !. A ten-inch rifle & IL a
length fs % Of the gun is s5S inches and the length
Of the bore $40; 1t weighs little over "a tons;
bo faSFSs e aoS So
Velocity Of 1000 feet. per second. The effective
9i this gun Is f6s nE nne 81 miles She
that was hull down beyond the horizon; At
range of 1000 yards the nrolectile would pierce
turrets m G W aud waterIine belts OF hall dozen Of
the greatest ships So far as the ships Of the
has the armor to resist these projectiles. In
actual battle these guns could be fire seven 70
eight tines each II ha an h9u Ss Taey s9ea
minute. 1t the Runners had the REQUISITE skill;
but. allowing Tor errors In judgment Il Is fair
the enemy with her big shells once In two min
utes. A sea duel Of that sort would be mighty
In addition 10 the ten inch guns the Maine
mounted In the little turret-sbaped structures
are 1856 inches long, weigh 40 tons, take
charge Of 30 nounds OF powder and = shell OF
OF water. or drive it through l25 INCHES OF
wrought iron at the muzzle; 1t Is certain that
the four ten-inch guns-in almost ali situations
three OF them would he brouHht into action.
Since these guns can be worked more tha9
find hundred-pound shells coming In at q rate
that would add to his warmth and i to the in,
terest q the spectaele-say once In 5o seconds
An examination of the picture of the ship will
HM spicnoasly ABOUT the Upper @ N Works and In the
two little masthead ports. These guns are
known as the secondary battery. because tney
attack OF an enemy's torpedo boat. Neverthe-
less. these guns would be found OF the greatest
great ship, for the reason that every ship ex-
poses her men to the fire OF an enemy TO
GosNnp Or e iess erea py ali the most
famous OF the battle ships are exposed. Under
well-dlrected fire from the secondary battery
disabled Tor want Of men 10 handle them. This
10 not guess. for one, naval fight during the
The Huascar surrendered because the crews
were swept from the guns; Il - not nnintsr inter-
SSsnG ba ed from Se mzssn top Of
The fVc seoondary S battery Of the Maine consists
OF four cannon called rapid fire OF bore OF "a
inches, four l.95-inch rapid-fire guns, four
1.85-inch revolving, cannon, nine 1.96.inch re-
fire gums are so called because they can be fired
rapidly. The entire charge Is made up into
metal cartridge which s put put bY S hang 1 into S ,hS
as single-shot sporting rife Is fred. The re-
volYtng cannon are loaded and nrod by
machlnery. The rapid-fire gun can be fred
from i've to ten times a minute until II gets
too hot to flre. The revolving cannon is a still
A description Of the largest OF the Malne's
slender tube of steel i03k inches long, It
OUNCES OUNCES Of Of ,poWder tsmofeiess, drives q six
p9Indd 1dd steel bolt from the S mHszis g. Velocity
citrate 8. .26 inches OF wrought iron at distance
Of 1000 yards, In other words. II would 60
no armor. Plunge into the hull Of the ord;
surely 20 through deck and bottom. In other
be In greater danger from rapid fire guns than
they formerly were from muskets when the
wooden ships fought Yardarm to Yardarm.
cannon that Is deserving OF more attention
than II has received. There are two cases on
record In England where great guns have been
% WhisS sx.pound @ i shell S viii give an ofdi1Sry OF
great gun AT range OF 1000 yards is sufficient
to cut a cash at least two inches deep into It.
hf
should be whipped By the small guns Of the
SsSi SsSStSr one In me Gd asys re result q
was ioreRone CONCLUSION. In these days the
possibilities OF lucky shots saving the day are
much greater. That brave and able com;
surcetsfuly carry the Maine through fight
with anything anoat would not necessarily b0
matter OF luck either.
against exposed bodies OF men, but the shower
OF lead that they can throw has given them the
name 3f numbering guns. They will discharge
about the matter. and where I the S conditIons con
strusf hs would Be- absolutely certain q hit
Ths Mslns Il fittsd alan a a torpado hat