Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-12


AMERICAN cRursEE-HER GUNS ARE OF LATER
PATTERN AND MORE EFFECTIVE, WHILE HKR
OFFICERS AND CREW ARE MUCH SUPERIOR
There is, il anything, more mystery and less
information than ever at the Navy Department
In regard TO the game Of hie-spy now going on
between this government and the Gillian in
surgents- Cablegrams are being constantly re-
ceived and cipher dispatches. sent. but no news
Is to be had from there by any AMOUNT Of effort
Both the Secretary and his assistant, as well as
the private secretary, are out Of town, and the
way in which Commodore Ramsay, who is in
charge, says nothing while replying 10 ques-
tons is truly artistic.
NOT MUCH BELIEF IN THE WAR THEORY.
There is not much belief to be found in the
minds of officers in the war theory that had its
origin this morning in the rather seusa tional
dispatch that came east to the effect that the
Chilian cruiser Esmerelda is hanging around
fight"
Indeed. there are few who will agree that the
case Is at all serious, although there are indi-
cations at hand that the higher officials mean
business.
There is constant communication between
the Navy and State departments. and dis
patches are being received from and sent TO
consuls and officers every hour.
WHAT A FIGHT WOULD TEACH
Every one who knows anything about naval
affairs asserts that fight between the Charles
ton and the Esmerelda would furnish as
interesting a spectacle as could be de-
sired from the standpoint of naval
science. As matter of fact there has
never been an equal fight between modern
men-of-war, particularly of the cruiser type.
an ~ a
prove an invaluable object lesson that would
have an immediate effect upon the naval archi-
lecture of the world.
In the first place, there could hardly be
better, closer match Both ships are of the
unarmored sort, armed with medium guns and
built for high speed on spurts. A comparison
Is interesting.
THE cHARLEsoN AND EsnERELpA COMPARED.
The Charleston is q second-rate craft and is
what is known as an unarmored protected
cruiser. She is built Of steel, has twin screws
and displaces $3.50 tons. She is rugged with
two military masts, on each Of which are two
revolving cannon. The vessel is armed with
two eighteen-inch breech-loading rifles
OF the latest pattern, mounted in
half turrets in the bow and stern.
Besides these there are six six-inch rifles.
three on each side, firing from behind shields,
and two rapid-rire guns. The crew consists of
about 800 men.
She was built by the Union Iron Works of
San Francisco and on her trial speed made an
average OF over eighteen and one-half knots
She carries about 800 tons of coal and can steam
200 miles without recoaling, at a speed of ten
knots an hour. She has been in commission
about year and half and has made two round
trips to Hawaii.
The Esmerelda was built in England for the
Gillian government and launched in 1888, SO
that she Is at least six years older than the
Charleston.
She Is 5000 tons displacement, go feet long
40 feet beam, with Is feet 5 inches draught
She Is built of stesl, has two screws and de-
yelopss $500 horse power, making. on
her trial, 1928 knots. She carries
600 tons Of coal and has an
endurance Of :, 200 knots at ten knots an hour
She Is armed with two ten-inch twenty-fiye-ton
Armstrong breech-loading rifles and six six
inch four-ton Armstrong breech-loading rifles
Her secondary battery consists Of two rapid
lire guns and six machine guns.
THE CONDITIONS VERY EVEN
1t will thus be seen that with the exception
of the two heavy guns, which are two inches
greater in the fore on the Esmerelda than on
the Charleston, the conditions are very even.
The difference in these guns is not thought
to be matter of much consequence as in
close fight a six-inch shot can do practically
as much damage to these paper ships as one
OF twice the bore. The only advantage that ac-
crues to a l0-inch gun over one of eight
inches lies In slightly greater range.
perhaps half a mile, but to a swift
ship and in an open sea this means little
Then, too, the American guns are later and are
said to be more powerful and effective than the
Armstrong;, which could not have been made
since 81, since when there have been great
strides made in the art OF gun founding.
SUPERIORITY OF THE AMERICAN.
1t is claimed by the officers of the navy on
duty here that in an even fght-even in other
conditions-the victory would rest with the
American vessel nm the sols erorna >, a.. -
sonai sunerority oS her ers. . Ia ~ ss Wy; per
The claim ia one that msv ha 0 , on,oes;
nv natriat;c h;as hnt may oe INSPIRED
Hte,r based nn s.c, .;nna more
nav is largely a second hand ama,.ur;sh nan
90 atfa;r re- ;a,,ba.a - at,;r sort
,,ni;,;a;ans A ,ha ;,o y, ~n VIII are more oiten
RH'aNN 20 s ''n eauoi anu niue OF either.
r.;.es S.s. y s'en .. ,aI IN the navy OF the
o Seu Ssa'e, "s reearus tne quaincaton OF
to be one of the hss Vi ;. S Is SAID
" 1e one Va WIG Oes' oiScipineo oooy OF men
eAriAN AND offiCAhs of THE CHAMELEON.