Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-10
NEW GUNBOATs NEEDED.
Secretary Tracy Will Ask for Half a
Dozen small Vessels.

| WARRINGTON, Oct. 9.-Sscfetary Tracy,
il has been stated, will ask Congrss, to
| PFC vide for the construction Of half dozen
gunboais Of 1000 tons displacement, simi-
\ lar to gunboats Nos. and 8 now being
| built By the Bath Iron Works The Secre-
| tAry's res,on for ssking for vessels Of this
character is said to be that they are needed
for economical service on foreign stations
| in time ef peace, being especially adapted
to the rivers of China and for use in case
Of trouble pith nations like Haiti and San
Salvador, which have no parties.
Tbis has provoked 3 great deal Of criti-
cism Of the Secretary by officers on duly
here. II 10 argued that such vessels are
too small for the best type Of ships for
general foreign station service, and it
special vessels are to be built for work in
the Chinese rivers and other inland waters.
even the tweive.fo Il drsUght Of the 1000
ton guuboass 10 to deep for The best results.
1t ID generally believed that il Congress
would be sa,i, led to build a fleet Of 1000
ton vessels, with about the same maximum
speed as the 10C0-ton gunbosts, they would
be ideal vessels for foreign station work in
time Of paace, and would be rrext deal
more useful in time Of war than the smaller
vessels.
The sunboats nov building are to have
ms KIN um speed OF fourteen knots sn hour,
10 secure which engines Of 600 horse
p,ver ar. being provided. At such = low
speed it takes comparatively little more
power to drive q vessel Of 2,000 tons than
one of half the size, and eagines Of . COO
horse power would be amply sufficient. In
the 9 900 ton vessels nov building at Balti-
l.ld Nf nj mt
an hour 10 aimed At, and consequently en-
gines Of 5 400 horse power are being put
in. This extra weight Of engines and
boifefs greatly dimiBishes the coal-carrry
ing capacity OF the vesseis, and theis maxi
mum radius of action at ten knots speed is
estimated At about 500 knots. II engines
Of only 2, coo horse power we're put in. it is
eslmaIed that the bunker capacity c)uid
be increased 30 IS to give them considerable
more than 10000 knots coal endurance.
Il is argued that the 1000 ton gunboats
caunot begin to compare with vessel OF
this type in thi, respect, ss the maximum
coal e. dursnce Of these small vessels " i'll
not be over 1900 knots under the most IA
vorable circumstances The actual cost Of
stesmlng given distance at ten knots
would hot be much greater for the larger
veFsel IMAM IOf tDe IOrWet. 10 uflVe tBt
1000 ton vessel at ten knots will require the
development Of 600 horss power, while only
$50 horse power would be required for get
ting the ssms speed cut Of larger vessel
Fnrlher than u >, the larger e9g.ues could
he made to work so much more econmicslly
than the smsl ller, ard the smaller bull
would be so much more retarded by rough
water, that the is,her psradoxical argument
is msde that in average stesming ton of
coal would move the 1000 ton vessel as far
as it would the one of half that size.
As . lighting force, the lsrger vessel is
far superior to the smaller, as will be seen
by comparison Of the ba,.eriss of those
vessels now building The 2000-ton cruisers
will each carry two G-icch rifles, eight s.
inch rapid fire guns, four G'p pJunders, two
one. Founders ard two Gatlings. Ia case
n lsndir party is needed ashore the larger
vessel, with a crew of over 2l0, is again at
Al advantage over 'he smsller one, with
only $50 men.