New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-29

rbess two vessels are in respects, the most IN
hestnc of the new ships. 1t will be recalled 'ha1
onIv a few years ago the people OF this country Welo
ds N believe that they must be satisfied with YES
,s bu upon the absolute plans of those of the BRUSH
y,vv and purchased from English designers but scce-
law Tracy adopted different course and has SHOWN
N the world that The officers OF the engineer the co
strcton and the line corps of the Navy are as aoio
snd progressve in the matter OF designing ana super
attending war vessels as are any naval experts In tho
world: that the American iron and steel "oThs arc
capable Of turning out material superior 10 any 'h' mas
ever been Imported. and that the American meehaics
stand second TO none in their several trades.
THE DESIGNS AND MATERIAL ARE AMERICAN
The new cruiser will be, in every respect, nome
bult vessel The designs of her hull stand 10 INC
credit OF the Bureau Of Construction, under 'ie III
raetion and supervision Of Commodore theodore ~
wilson; the designs of her boilers and engines anu "
oher machinery are the developments Of the Bureau Oh
steam Engineering under the direction and supervision
Of Commodore George W. Melville the designs vi iei
armament and the manufacture of II are 10 DC cIcu'
To the Bureau Of Ordnance, under the charge Oh No
modore William NJ. Folger: and the equipment h'uhss'
ETC will be done by the other bureaus OF the navy
Department Tie principal dimensions OF the VeSSei
viii he as follows Length mean load llne foo oet
extreme breadth 50 feet Ii inches depth IN Hoii
from TOD of main deck beams TO inner bottom ~ iee'
/ So inches: displacement, 1850 tons
The contract will specify such vessel to be con
sructed of steel, Of domestic manuacluTe' anu "
r,ovided with and fitted with machinery, engines ana
borers also of domestic manufacture IL Is specieu
N. ,be materials and workmanship used and appIeu
IN ,ba construction of the hull, machinery fittings ana
eor,nment of the vessel shall be frstcass ana OF ,A9
very best quality and shall. from the beginning 10 '0
end of The work. be subject to the Inspection VI .'
secretary Of the Navy who will appoint suilaDe III
sneeto-s for that purpose The Inspectors are al al
ZINES during the progress Of the work to nave iuu a'
cos IN the places of construction OF the vessel or any I'll
is parts and the contractors VIII be required u Iui
r;sh them with full facilities for the Inspection anu
superintendence Of the same
WHAT THE CONTRACTORS MUST DO.
In case the completion of the vessel her machinery
fittings ard equipment, including the hltlhg' hA'n-,
placing and securing Of all her arnor snail DC ucIH e
beyond The limit of thirty months deductions are 20 D.
made from the contract price OF the ve>Se lof ed'" anu
svev dow fcxcenting sundays during the continuance
q, snch DELAY and until she shall be competed anu
ready for delivery to tie United states: as Io4oN'
SIS per day during the three months next
Tie expiration Of said period; Sl5O per gay oui7 ,'
second three months: and for each ana every "aS
during which such completion shall be delayeu OeH'"
the period of two aud half years nom
tle date Of the contract, $500 per day VIII
be deducted as penalty. 1t Is also asrcou
that the total weight of the machinery totc"
With the water in the boilers ready Tor sea- sn"'i
exceed $50 tons. and for each ana ever! ION ta' I'm
weight shall be exceeded then there shall be oeuuo'
$500 from the contract price and If this weight be OK
oeeded by five per cent, fuIthcr ueuuouo'i VI
shall be made from the contract price,
The contractors will be required TO guarantee t"d'
the speed developed the official trial shal DC "o
less than an of twenty-on kiots al no'i'
maintained successfully for four consecutive "o"
The vessel 10 be weighted 10 mean drauehl "
soo, and for every quarter knot Of speed
maintained above said guarantee tie contractors sldii
receive prcm,um over and above the contract price
Of the vessel of 100000 And for every quarter N'o.
that the vessel fails Of reaching the guaranteed sp"
there shall be deducted from the contract p'ioo V'
sum OF SO 600.
WHAT SHE WILL LOOK LIKE.
In appearancc the vessel will resemble as Closely d.
possible an ordinary merchantmen, because her fuhcto
will be to destroy the commerce OF an enemy anu ~
DO this successfully she will need 10 be enabed u to'
within range before her character Is discovered "'
sides will almost be clear of the projections wmch or
GlnarIv annear in varslip,. she Will have two snort
masts for Signalling purposes but they viii nor Dc
provided with military tops for mounting macpno
guns in them as this in itself would disclose "ci
Character.
The vital portions Of the vessel vii. be protected Dy
an armored deck four inches thick on the slopes anu
two and a half inches thick on the fiat Inc space "o
tween This deck and the gun-deck will be mlhulch SUI
divided into storeroOms and bunkers for coal. III an
ellOn 10 these cOner.dam five feet IN "lu'n VIII w
worked next to the ships side for inc "loio Ione"
The vessel In the bunkers tins VIII DC Hii0u
paieut G,rous fuel, forming wall hVe IcO
tdck against maclineGun fire. when hi! w
utilized a. fuel In an emergency. Forward anu
abaft Tho coabunker5 the cOfcrdam VIII be hIieo WIN
some sort of waterexcluding substance sn,ii
swoedi,e I, the wake OF the mOuntingS OF the lonr
inch and the machine guns the ships sides VIII DC al
mosed with tour and two inch steel plates. iiic WV
sxneh guns will be mounted in the open pfo'c'u ~
heavy shields attached 10 the guncarrlases'
THE TRIPLE SCREW ARRANGEMENTS
The arrangement Of the motive power VIII DC solc
what novel On account OF the high speed ana la.se
initial power horse power required, 1t has been
10 lit her with the tripe-screw SYSTEM arp trsa,o
Engineer-in-thef George W. Melville LOT .',0 80
as Cruiser No. l2a is called. one OF ihe9o 80
Will be placed amidshps In the orui,'s t,n,o
vessels and the Two others will be nlteu d. Gfeen
seiew VeSses-one either sue VI nd fnnr and "A
eet further forward than tie Single o4o crew The
nan feet above the line Of the cehuo. aitbough II
,ple screw is practically eXpcTjIneur ch vessels,
las been applied Or two Ol tno d,.antages TO be
anea by the of three screws even rbe snccal adj
peed calculated upon j. not reached ~ TiIl allow
".ases OF the triple screws are Una. .be machinery
800 smaller size Of separate pars W there Is no
sau greater economy In cruising Wnei ,inie screws
ecial need Of hurry. BY the use OF ulo either by
speed can be cut down In two Wy one of the
cunning the middle screw alone or etieI mnine tbe
usssae screws at full speed The idea OF rurned its
sdon,s screw alone and separately iao Ins making
triRiaoh IN addition 70 the twin screws-. Exucr
"A ~s scfews-in the commerce destroyc'S'