Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-09-19
THE BIG CRUIsER NEw.YORK.
Our Latest War ship Aasst Ready feI
LaanchllG.

big tine here at the Cfamps' 10 the course
Of . month Or six weeks, when the New
Y Yofk leaves the ways and 10 launched into
ths DeIssafe. Prepsrstions are already
being rapidly made for this event, and the
launchipe cradle, % rarfov and slight to
the unprofessional eye, even now lies under
the huge hull.
Asaag OF busy sorkmen are putting the
finishing strokes upon the steel struts which
are to form the outer end bearings Of the
Two propeller shafts. and only three or four
more plates Of the hull isself remain to be
riveted in place to make il ou,wafdly COM
plete. The s,rike among the riveteis here,
which hss kept ont seme 200 Of this clsss
during the last half inunth. has not appsf
entity interfered With this particular
work, and will not at ali delay
the launch The ship has received her
primins coat f paint, and presents clsaa
and neat sppssraGce; while the ram prov
and stern give wicked look to the craft
now. ~hich will be lost to the eye when she
gets do~n to her water lines sflost This
submerged, projecting. pointed stern 10 o
feature which is new to our ships, and will
be defence against attempts Of IN adveT.
sAry to rur her down Aft in order to disable
hef rudder.
New Workers should take special in-
tefeet in the character and career of this,
their first naval name bearer. not only On
account Of the anne, but also for the reason
that she 10 the very first big ship in our
modern service. To the public generally
the vessels Of the White Squadron embody
all that 10 considered needfui. They for
get that these sre merely cruisers, flag
bearers, or possible copmerce destroyes.
Blu. here is sh p which can strike from
The shoald4r and stand up for more than
one round in square hsht She 10 fore
runner Of the heavy battle ships, and to
repeat few of her powerful dimensions
and points at this particular time Cannot be
amiss.
She is 55 feet longer than the Chicago,
being $50 feet long, and has displacement
Of 81 so tons. That 10, she weighs about ~
much - the Chicago and Charleston to-
gett er, or more than the combined weight
Of the Boston. Atlanta and Yorktown.
True, she 10 called cruiser, but the i'm
portant word Safmosed" 10 pre6xed And
she differs from Ihe other new cruisere by
having steel belt on her sides extending
from below the water line to the edge Of
the protective deck 378 inches thick.
This bait runs for distance Of about l50
feet on each side opposite the machinery
compartments, and the steel protective deck
over this part of the chip will be three
inches thick.
The armor Of the barbettes, in which will
be pla ed the largest Of her guns, Will be
10 inches thick, with revolving steel shields
inches thick. This 10 the principal srmor.
though coal prote ction and Golfer dams are
included in addition.
The battery will consist OF 68-inch guns
ard ~ inch. .breech-loadinR rifles, and six
smaller rapid fire guns, besides which there
viii be six tubes for the launching Of auto
mobile torpedoes This armament is con
sidered most efficient one. The guns can
be handled readily in any seawsy and are
admirably adapted to . type Of vessel
which does not have to seek smooth water
to fight in.
The New York Will be no slouch at speed.
Her four sets OF engines, (tvo sets on each
shaft are designed to produce 16 600
horse power, and to keep her at twenty
knots an hour when driven to their safe
limit. Possibly more will be realized, and
while in this event the contractors have the
promise of reward Of $50 900 for each
quarter knot they exceed The twenty, they
also have the cold fact staring them in the
face that they will be made to pay penal y
of q similar sum for each quarter knot they
fsli below that contract speed. Hence the
trial trips are of great moment to the
parties Of Iih parts.
The engines are now being erected in
the shops, and, while not lacking lines Of
heauty, are of very substantial appearance.
They will weigh, with boilers and oil
auxiliary machiner, about l 500 tons
which, for III. power. is as light as is dssir-
able or asis consistent With good des gn.
he cost of the vessel will be $29S5 600
exclusive Of side and barbette nmJr and
guns, all Of which are matters Of separate
contract by the government Hense the
fnal figures will run up above SO. 900,
or about 1915 per ton of completed ship
Work On the battle chips Indiana and
Massachusetts and Cruiser No. IL 10 pro-
gresing rapidly. TIE hull Of the latter is
assuming fair shape though the absence Of
stem and stern posts prevents q good idea
Of the vessels size being gotten by inspec-
ton. The battle shps have only the mid
snip frames erected but their great beam
| makes them already imposing. As soon ~
the Ne~ York 10 launched the keel for
| Cruiser No 13 will be laid in the place VA
Gated and there will be then in progress at
| one time here the building Of five Of our
larges. men-of-war whose aggregate dis
placement will be 42,SC0 tons ard whose
| total cost will amount TO $l4 ,i35 900.