The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-08-28
The First Modern Battle Ship
OF the United States Navy.

The Navy Department has sue
ceeded in designing ship which, on
displacement of something over
5000 tons, can successfully cope in
battle with the 1900 ton ship of
England
The following are the general
features of the design: Length on
load water-line, 332 feet; extreme
breadth, 90 feet; normal displace-
ment, 5000 tons; normal draught, "a
feet. Maintained sea speed, IS
knots. Main battery, four I3-inch
breech-loading rifles. Auxiliary bat
terry, four eight-inch breech-loading
rifles. Secondary battery, 20 six
FOUNDER rapid-fre guns, six one
FOUNDER rapid-fire, and two Gatlings.
The I3-inch guns are mounted in
pairs on the centre line, under pro-
lection Of steel turrets II inches in
thickness, working inside a raised
steel armored barbette II inches in
thickness. The battery of these yes
sells is equal if not superior to that
carried by the new I4,oooton battle
ships of the English navy. While
they carry 133-inch guns, and ours
are but IS, our guns are longer have
more muzzle velocity, can be loaded
and fired in any position, and have
arcs Of fire Of over 27o degrees.
The eight inch guns are mounted in
steel barhettes six inches in thick
ness, further protected by sloping
steel shields also six inches in thick
ness. entirely covering the guns.
The ammunition is supplied through
armored tubes, and every considera-
ton has been given to realizing as
rapid a service as possible. The
four six inch guns are fought under
protection of four inches of armor,
and have the usual shields. The fire
from four I3-inch guns, three eight
inch, two six-inch. and eight six
Founders can be concentrated on
either bow or quarter. The water
line is protected by belt of steel of
a maximum thickness Of IS inches,
backed up by wood, behind which
are two thicknesses of three quarter
inch plates, powerfully stiffened by a
system Of vertical and horizontal
girders. Above this belt is a case
mate of 53,inch armor to prevent the
Kidding of the upper works above
the belt, and to break up projectiles
charged with high explosives. dag
onal bulkheads are worked at the
ends of the belt, and from the armor
deck, worked over the belt rise the
redoubts, protecting the turning and
loading gear of the turrets for the
heavy guns. A deep belt of coal is
carried above the protective deck,
adding still further protection against
! gun fire In the wake of the boilers
are four skins and a I2-foot bunker
of coal, making it practically impos-
sible for torpedo to make a hole
that will let water into the fire
rooms. Behind the armor of the
j belt, and surrounded on all sides by
coal, are two wide passages, one on
each side, connecting the passi e.
rooms for ammunition at the ends.
All the handling of ammunition will
thus be we'll protected, and in these
passages, lighted by electricity, the
men can carry ammunition to the
various tubes and trunks leading to
the guns above.
The maChinery-whlch is to be of
such character as to develop the
necessary speed with one half air
pressure, so that the vessel could en-
gage in a running fight for hours
without any more strain upon the en-
pine force than exists in an Atlantic
/ liner-will consist of two triple-ex-
pansion engines driving twin screws,
having the collective power of 5000
horses The engines will be capable
of propelling the ship from 16 to II
knots (I73 to I93 miles, per hour
over the measured mile, and IS knots
sustained speed at sea. The sizes
of the cylinders will be "a, 40, and
IS inches, by AZ inches stroke, max
ing 1855 revolutions per minute,
with piston speed of 900 feet per
minute. Steam Of 100 pounds pres
sure will be furnished the main en-
gines by four double-ended steel
boilers, IS feet diameter and IS feet
long; the thickness of the boilers will
be 6-I6 inches, and they are unit
ed together BY steel nuts II inches
diameter. For the auxiliary machin-
cry there are two donkey boilers 10
feet diameter. The auXiliaries will
consist of fans for venti'atinq and
forcing tue fires, steering engines,
pumps, electric light engine, steam
capstans, d,stiIlng apparatus, ETC.
The Condensers are cylindrical, built
Of sheet brass All the working
parts Of the engines, shafting, etc,
are made Of steel, insuring strength
and lightneSs. All the latest i'm
Inducements ctaooo apOipaor;rOr