The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-23
Bids o. ,r the Construction of
Two lew Cruisers and a
Practice Ship.
They are to Have all the Improve
ments Developed by Modern
Naval Science.
One Of the Armored Cruisers viii be the
Largest Vessel Ever Built in
America.

opened at the navy department for the con-
struction of three more vessels to be added
to our navy register. These three are the
last, with two exceptions, for which con-
gress has made any appropriation to date.
The two exceptions are the ram and the
submerging monitor, and in the case of
each of these there are certain difficulties
of construction to be overcome before they
can be even offered for contract. So that
the three ships referred to-the s, ,500-ton
protected cruiser, the 8, 100 ton armored
cruiser and the practice ship for the Naval
academy-virtually complete the list of
vessels to be added to our naval force until
the next naval appropriation bill becomes a
law.
The practice ship is a small vessel, in
tended, however, to have all the improve
ments developed by modern naval science,
and to be used by the cadets at the naval
academy instead of the old Wyoming,
which has for SO many years been their sole
reliance. The lowesttof the two bidders for
the construction of this ship was the firm
so that it is probable that this vessels keel
will first touch fresh water, and come
around by the canals to it's permanent home
at Annapolis.
For the construction of the 5,5OO-ton
cruiser there was but single bidder, the
Union Iron works, of San Francisco.
The arpored cruiser of 8, 100 tons is the
most powerful and the largest vessel yet au-
thorized to be built for our navy, and will
be the largest vessel of any kind ever built
in this country. To her planning and de-
velopment Secretary Tracy has given espe-
and it is believed that she will prove to be
the finest vessel of her class afloat. The
department gave bidders an opportunity to
bid on the plans prepared by
Chief Constructor Wilson, carry
ing, out the secretary's ideas,
ance with general circular issued to ship
builders. To give our readers an idea of
the expense of preparing such plans, it is
said that one firm spent $1,000 in preparing
their specifications and designs. The Union
Iron Works, of San Francisco, were the low
plans, and W. II. Cramp & Sons ($2, 1856, ,O0O>
we're the lowest on their own plans. A third
firm, Risdon d Sons, from the Pacific coast
also. put in bid Of $3,45O,O0O.
One feattre of this great ship that is diff
ferent from any other is the reintroductiou
prominent in the old frigates and ships of
the line. Armored cruiser No. 2-the
Maine being No. lis to have length on
main water-line of $50 feet; breadth, GA feet;
and d1aught, "a feet. Her battery is to be
six S-inch breech- loading rifles of 35 cali
bres twelve 4-inch rapid fire gnns, four G.
FOUNDER rapid-fre guns, four 3-pounder
rapid-fire guns, four 1-pounder rapid-f fire
guns, four 37-mlllimetre revolver cannon,
four rifle calibre machine-guns, six launch
ing tubes for torpedoes. She will require
46O officers and men, must show mini
20 knots, and have total coal capacity
of 115O tons. The barbette, turrets to
the forward and aft 8-inch guns will
have thickness of 10 inches, with
shields of inches and the shields protect
ing the 4-inch guns will be inches thick.
The coming tower is to be at least IL
inches. Six boilers; twin screws; engines
triple expansion. four in number, two on
each shaft, and in two compartments. The
hull is to be of steel, not sheathed, with
double bottom. Two military masts with
fighting tops, to carry no sail. She is to be
etc.
Protection of the hull is to be afforded by
means of a steel deck worked from stem to
stern, and supported by heavy beams. The
edges of this deck amidship are to be 5 feet
below the water-line at the center of the
vessel. On the slopes of the deck, over ma
chinery and boilers, the armor ia to be 6
inches thick; on the horizontal portions it is
to be inches thick; forward and abaft the
machinery and boilers, to stem and stern, the
deck is to be at the thinnest part at least
~ inches in thickness. Below its protec-
tion are to be placed all that is ordinar-
lily styled "the vitals of war ship" Pro-
lection of the hull against injury to the
water-line region is to be afforded by means
of an armor belt inches in thickness, ex-
tending the entire length of the machinery
space. Within this armor belt and skin
plating, and above the armor deck, belt
about 3 feet 6 inches wide of woodite (or
other water excluding materially is to ex-
tend the whole length of the vessel in depth,
from the armor deck to the berth deck.