The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-12-03
MODERN WiR SHIPS.
THE NtW NAVY Tur GOVERN
MtNrt~ ~ tIbING.
what S-creisry Tracy says.
The Renaissance "f the American
Navy. Vessels Without Par 'iiei.
isattieships Deserving Of the Name.
Few in Numbers bat Effective. -


Eight years ago, Cong ess appropriated
two and half million dollars for the
construction of four steel crui,rs, to be
armed with modern tish rover guns.
From the building uf these vrAs. Is dates
the renaissance of he Ana rcan Navy.
The good work thus egau has steadily
co''t'nued. although e iiist cur pro-
eress VS. mecc>-rft', 5 Oar ship
yards wee sInai' sri tie llat , the
construct II ol anu riate. 6td yet 10
be developed But tie Am Il ans are
an energetic people ant n a t,w ears
we had not oily half Cczeu prn ate
yards Capable OF building war v,s,els of
the lsrgest size, hut our Navy Yards at
Norfolk and Brooklyn ere made equally
efficient. While this was hting done,
the gun foundry at the Washington
Yard, was tu'niig out the armament
with which the nrs ships we're TO be
equipped.
SO far as We have gor, il.r n,w Navy
is creditab'e one The ships now in
commission, belorg to the ,ruising ,r
commerce destroying class. They are
not Intended 10 fight except where their
adversaries are vessels OF similar type.
The last Congress, however apprcpria.
ted nearly fourteen million dollars for
tae construction of three battleships and
one protected cruiser. In recent con.
versation with Secretary Tracy, regard
ing these vessels, he said:
'In these battleships the department
confidently asserts that the United States
will become possessed Of three vessels of
the highest power whose equal as fight.
ing ships, does not exist at the present
day. Do you regard this as rash
statement? | assure you that l am
speaking within bounds when / say that
their equal as Fighting ships is not to be
found in any of the great naval squad.
rons of the world The first object Of
these vessels is TO fight, and fighting
machines they will be, Of the highest eff
fciency. Moreover, they, like all the
other vessels Of the Navy are American
in design, construction and equipment
This is fact of which every patriot,
American ought to be proud. The speet
of the battleships will be l6 knots al
hour. The matter of speed, however
has not been, as with some of the othe
vessels Of the first consideration. 1t i
, not necessity as in the case o
, the cruisers. The duty of tn
battle-ships is to fight, not to run; an,
these ships will never have occasion
{ run from hostile feet of equal, or eve
, slightly superior numbers, whatever tn
, vessels OF which that fleet is composed
They are the first L United States vessels
' with the exception of those ironclad
n which the war compelled us to obtar
e. in advance of other states, of which tn
q IacU coulu DE asserted.
q "What about their armaments?"
/, asked.
= The battery of the battle.ship is IL
heaviest and most effective carried t.
o day by any ship ahoat or projecte'
Above tho armored deck rise two revol
a ing turrets, within which are the fol
h great thirteen.inch rifles, eighteen fe
e above the water, and sweeping throul
It a clear arc of 270 degrees, forward al
% aft and on both broadsides. These gun
of you mnst remember, are capable of ca
er rying i solid shot thirteen miles. Y
,e can rchdily imagine, therefore, how I
IS fectfv they would be at distance
IN eight hr ten miles. Above these hu
ID monsters, on the heavy superstructu
,e betwJ en the turrcts, are eight eight.in
ct rifle guns, that, at two miles, can piel
st the armor of many modern ships. Fo
ty six inch guns complete the main arm
ly ment. The provision for defense,
to might add, is as effective as that for
d. fense. The three vessels will be sist
as ships. They will be in size trfie
he excess Of 10000 tons each, and they v
"a cost, when completed, SO, $50, 900. I'll
Id will be named, respectively, the India
ly the Massachusetts,, and the Oregon"
!, A bottle of Trib should be in ev,
~ household
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