The Portland daily press., 1891-09-04
lso the captains cabin and quarters for the

siJ t m superstructure on the stafboard
sue. ihese guns have train of 70 degrees
iwo Q lncn guns are mounted on each broad
sue, one forward in the starboard angle OF
the superstructure shifting to a forward or a
proadslde port. and one aft in the port angle.
Inc secondary battery consists of two
FOUNDER rapid fire guns, two FOUNDER rapid
nre guns, two revolving cannons, two Cat
lings and two revolvers In the tops.
Inc motive power Is furnished by three
cylinder compound horizontal back acting
engine. The high pressure cylinder is 81
inches In diameter. and the low pressure cyl.
eight tubular boilers.
The Boston was one of the first of the
ships built for the new navy, and a COMPARE
son with the latter ships shows that even in
the short time we have been at work on mod
cru war vessels our experience has borne
good fruit. Naval authorities agree that If
they had the Boston to build over again they
would not put the s inch guns so close to the
water, as In case of heavy sea there is some
doubt as to whether those guns can be
guns Of the Boston would be as effective as
those OF the Chicago. Still the Boston Is by
no means bad ship, and there are several
vessels In European navies not up to her
standard.
The Boston and Atlanta are brig rugged
and each spread II. 400 feet of canvas.
Each vessel has complement uf IL officers,
eight cadets, % marines and 247 sailors.
THE YORKTOWN.
Although called gunboat, she Is really a
cruiser, and as she sports half dozen six
inch guns and Is speedy, as q commerce de-
stroyer sne could do considerable mischief.
This little vessel has displacement of 100
ing bunker capacity for 400 tons-which is
disposed In the wake Of the machinery and
boiler, so as to give the greatest protection
she can steam nearly 1900 kots at full speed,
or 1000 II she joys along under eight knot
speed. On her speed trial she made frac-
ton over IL knots an hour.
The Yorktown Is 226 feet long; beam, 26
feet mean draft, IA feet; horsepower, $500.
She Is rugged as a three-masted schooner,
carrying $500 feet of canvas. The plating
varies from three-eighths of an inch to one
inch. The boilers are placed in separate
watei-tight compartments, and numerous
water-tight bulkheads make the ship prac-
tically unsuitable. Two triple expansion
engines placed In separate water-tighe COM
partments supply the motive power. The
with 30-inch stroke. There are two three
bladed screws. about 10 feet 6 inches in
diameter.
The main battery is composed of six 6-inch
breech-l0ading rifles, two on the forecastle
and two on the poop, with the line Of FIRE
on each side In the waist in a sponsor, hav-
ing an arc OF fire Of about 70 degrees forward
and 20 degrees abaft the beam. The forward
or after guns can be concentrated on point
800 feet ahead or astern OF the vessel, while
the broadside guns can be concentrated 1Co
feet from the side Of the ship. The seconda-
ry battery consists of eight rapid fire guns
and revolving cannon. The vessel has eight
liked torpedo tubes In the stem and stern and
three tubes on each side and in addition
there Is compile outfit Of boat, spar
t0pedo, gear and charges.
srha canfain 0f this vaacal hoe yaru hapd
some quarters. They are located under the
poop deck, and consist of two cabins with
comm0dious closets and baths, also a state
room and pantry. The ward room has 10
cabins. the steerage is of good size and the
crews quarters are well ventilated and high
enough to swing hammock with COM
fort.
The ship Is lighted throughout by electric
lights. and on her deck she carries an electric
search light Of % 900 candle power. Consid-
ape attention has been paid to the ventila-
tlon, and ny an ingenious system constant
current Of fresh air is kept in circulation.
The yorktown was designed by Chief Con-
structor 7. d. Wilson, the very efficient
head OF the construction bureau. She was
Dull ey Tramp q Sons OF Philadelphia. at a
complement consists Of II officers, 1877 men
and 10 marines.
THE CONCORD
Is duplicate of the Yorktown, although
built In another yard. She belongs to the
same class, and a description of the York
town Is description Of the Concord. Both
are rugged as three masted schooners.
THE vEsUvIUs,
The s0-called dynamite cruiser, looks very
much like an enlarged torpedo boat. She
and great length In proportion to the beam.
Her dimensions are Length, between per-
246a feet; beam. 26l feet; depth.
Il feet; displacement 725 tons; mean
her stem, stern post and rudder, which are
OF forged iron.
Her framing is very light, pounds TO the
foot and is In one piece. from keel to gun
vale. The outside plating is one-fourth to
buIkheads, one-fifth inch thick. divide the
vessels into many compartments, each being
provided with suitable drainage. She is
lrmed with three 8-pounder rapid firing
Iuns and three pneumatic tubes of 15-inch |
liked angle of Is degrees. The muzzles pro-
sct through the deck 81 feet from the bow.
The only train that can be given is by the
helm. the shells being thrown In line Of the
keel, the range being from one to two miles,
tubes. The guns are fired from the steel
coming tower, one inch thick, which is sit
uated forward of the smokestsck.
The full calibre she'll or torpedo, so inc hes
long, ia inches In diameter, will carry 600
pounds OF explosive gelatine, which is equiv
943 pounds Of gun cotton. The magazine
holds 80 of these shells. The guns can be
loaded and fired in 30 seconds and, as the
shells arehandled by hydraulic machinery,
there Is no danger of their getting adrift.
An electric. fuse is used. and SO arranged
that the shell explodes an instant before full
thereby securing the maximum eff
fect On the target.
The speed Of the vesuvius. as shown on
her trial trip, Is q knots, which is 1.6 knots
above the contract She has twin screws,
which are driven by two vertical, four-cylin-
Ter triple expansion engines OF 1926 horse
power. Her coal capacity is $50 tons, which
enables her to steam $500 sea miles at the
speed of 10 knots.
THE CUSHING
Is twin-screw sea torpedo boat, ..138 feet
long, 10 feet beam. and 10 feet deep from
keel to crown of deck amidships; her en-
gitn esq are hye,cylinder qqadruple expansion
boilers OF the latest design, placed In sepa-
rate compartments forward and aft of the
engine room. Her eight bilge electors will
discharge 2S0 tons of water per hour.
Inc engines and boilers are thoroughly
large area. is controlled by steam engine of
special design. She Is divided into IL water
light compartments, and lighted by electricl-
", with a search light on each coming tower,
there being two, one forward and one aft,
The Cushing's armament consists of two
torpedo tubes, built into the bow of the boat
parallel to the keel, one torpedo gun aft and
three rapid firing guns. Her contract speed
s ~ knots, which she has exceeded, under
favorable conditions of wind and sea. The
Gushing Is the first deep sea torpedo boat |
quilt In this country. She was~built BY |
Messrs. Herreshof Of Bristol, r. l. her con-
ract price. exclusive of armament, being
SS2, 75O.
The Gushing and VesuvIus are two of the |
astest vessels in ithe United States navy.
md as matter of fact are among the fastest
7essels that float the ocean.