The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-29
THE SIX NEW war SHIPS.
How they Compare in Size and Speed with
their Predecessors.

thetr Iredecoseorb'
WASHINGTON, June 2s.-AlthouGh the Navy
Appropriation bill as it now becomes law
falls, in polnt OF construction, far below the
ambitious standard which Senator Halee com
mittee had originally set up, yet 1t Is meas
ure the Fifty-nrst Congress roed not pe
ashamed OF for its first sessions work
Exclusive of about 81 100000 for the routine
expenses OF tho navy and for miscellaneous
purposes, this bill makes the liberal appro-
printion OF $S,l20OOO for the increase OF 'he
fleet. Tho main rortion OF this sum VIII DC
used as instalments for beginning tho CON
struction OF three sea. going, coast-llne pat
tie hips" As the peculiar wording OF the act
has 1t. designed TO carry tho heaviest arMor
and most powerful ordnance. upon a ulshiace-
ment of about $3.50 tons. with a coal ondur-
ance OF about 5000 knots on inc total col
capacity at tho most economical rate oil speed
and 70 have tho highest practicable speed Tor
vessels OF their clnss." They may cost, eNclud-
ing armament and also speed premiums, as
much as $4,000 90 ca H. or sl2.OOOOlO in all.
These three great ships form the chief con-
tilbution Of the session to the new navy: ana
worthy one It would be, oven II 1t stood alone,
30 fur do they exceed In size and cost any
thing yet undertaken. But they are accom-
uRnicd 10y three other Vessels. VI these mo
most important is n protected cruiser OF "3oO
tons displacement, which is to nave maxi
mum speed OF not less than q knots. and
which ma, cost, outside Of her guns and her
speed premiums. t2.;5l0)O. There is aso
provision Tor swift torpedo cruiser Of about
$50 tons making not less than % knots, and
for Il torpedo boat Tho liberal sum oil S-5uO,-
600 is appropriated toward armor and guns Tor
the new navy, and n further sum oi $lio.OUo TO
tho Washington Ordnance Yard.
Far in advance rs the act itself sets the
standard Of construction for the sIN new YES
sela which 1t authorizes. the Navy Department
will carry 1t further. Secretary Tracy's prefer
enco for big vessels is well known. 1t caused
him TO increase the displacement OF the ar
mnred vessel, originally set ri i5AO tons 10
s.luo tons and tho disbursement OF tmo
5;oltoM eruier 10 55g 4no. ION Ihe vd ni"Js
spoken OF in tho present act will really
give them about gUOU-tons displacement.
and they will be- done without exceeding tho
appropriation allowed for the smaller SIZE.
The armor will lie thicker by about liaii than
any vet nut vi on our seugong vessels whllo
the hig l3-inch guns Which are TO lhlm u part
OF their battery wilithrow pIoJectllc> about tour
times as large as those to b. useI IN inc heaNI-
trncted Tor. and with over Jour times tho hu2-
gle energy.
II will also be observed that tho 7;3Oo-tcn
protected cruiser. now provided Tor which by
the way, was changed in t!r senate from an
armored vessel 10 one somewhat OF tho lirltish
Blake and Blenheim type is 10 90 twenty
ono knots The House originally asked ,,or
twenty knots: bat Secretary Tracy is ambi:
tious and confident lie thinks that instead
oil continuing TO take u iOroiEn tyne at vessel
and asking, in duplicate OF her built by our
American contractors Tor little less speed or
good deal less horse power as We we o
satisfied Ia do II few years ago. IN" country
caU now safely demand untrecedented hols"
power and unpreCeu, nted speed. Accordingly
we Ind, u knots substituted ior2l. lhiet En-
gluePr Melville. indeed. who never pulls back
and is always urOgre Sivr aud whu : ecreiary
Tracy accordingly finds rs valuable a coad u
tor rs his predecessor found him, Il making
is understood that the horse rover nNcd upon
is 2n.,wu, whic h is enormous for this country
although It has already been attained in
some foreign uavies. When it IS reflected
that the Baltimore only reached about
lu,n0O-horse power. and that even tho
head OF our fast cruisers, developed but little
more. the length OF the lean which goes Z"
2nONO Tor The new protected cruiser must he
manifest. I he result will he. acc riding TO III"
| twenty-uue knots as re luired hy The bill but
/ OF TWENTY-FIVE knots, or two moro than was
| con'em plated when the present act was intro
| du"cd u few months ago.
The TIU-ion torpedo cruiser Is to have lust
about the dis pacemrnt OF the Nesuvius. ut in
| speed will be far ard away ahead OF her. since
she must 10 at least twenty-thlee knots. The
speed oil the new torredolhoat is not fixed in tho
statute bat II is safe to say that it VIII have 10
be from one to two knots better than that OF
the Cushing on her oilcIal trial
TIE indications arr. also. hat the work OF
constructing the six new vessels VIII lbs
pushed. IL Is sui,l that ills :or tho 'hreo
largest will be called for early in Seltemn"r;
within tho three months follow ng and whcn
Congress reassemhes in necembar 1t will find
all its present worE tull take care and tho
! Navy Department ready aud waiting for more.