The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-24
A MODERN CRUISER.
The Philadelphia Will Have to
be Repaired.
SHE IS EXCEEDINGLY TOP HEAVY
The Shifting Of a Shaft Listed Her. erceptibiy
she Would be Unsafe In Any
Heavy Sea-
Especial to TIE HEnAnD-Exauninsr Dispasoh.1

New YORK, Nov. 23.-The Times saVsI
Allusion has heretofore been made in the
Times to certain alterations made necessary
aboard the new United States cruiser Phil
adelphia to insure the stability of that YES
sci. 1t now appears that this new cruiser,
the flagship OF the North Atlantic station,
Is only kept from turning bottomside up by
carrying all the water she can noid in her
double bottoms space, and that further
more the entrance of shot in the vicinity
OF the water line, with the attendant food
ing of the upper coal bunkers, will in all
likelihood cause her to list to such an ex-
tent as to preclude the service of the bat
terry, If indeed it does not cause her
TO TURN COMPLETELY OVER.
During the past week Naval Constructor
w. L. Mintonye, one of the senior naval
constructors in the navy, made calcula-
ton showing that at least STE, 900 would
be necessary for repairs on the Philadel-
phla to secure alone the one feature of sta
blllty. a second calculation made by an
officer holding the relative rank of captain
OF the navy, placed the sum at s400, 900.
Naval Constructor Mintonye's plan en-
braces the lowering of the protective deck.
Naval Constructor Fernald, at the Brook
lyn maynard, said to-day that he believes
that the protective deck can be kept in it's
present position if the hoop deck and
bridges are cut away. Such a resort. be
says, will reduce the weight carried on
deck by hundreds of tons.
The actual condition of the cruiser Phil
adelphla has only become generally known
In naval circles during the past few days.
On being accepted by the governments the
Philadelphia in due course Of time came to
the Brooklyn navy yard. She was filed
out for sea and after lengthy STAY was
about to be ordered to sail. Before this
order was given, though, the commandsnt
OF the yard, Rear Admiral K. l.. Brain.
called for written statement from Naval
Constructor w. L. Mintonye to the effect
that the vessel was tit to go to sea. To the
surprise Of the commandant, Naval Con-
structor MintoYne
REFUSED TO SIGN ANY SUCH STATEMENT.
Mr.. Mintoyne insisted on learning the ex-
act metaCentric height of the PHILADELPHIA.
The metracentric, 1t should De known, ia
the point in ship above which Is the CEN
ter of gravity and above which the weight
must never be placed, otherwise there will
be risk of capsizing The metacentrio
heights Of the cruisers San Francisco Chi
cage, Newark and other American designed
vessels approach closely to Is inches. In
the case of the new cruiser Detroit the
height Is s feet IL inches.
When the Philadelphia was locked and
heeled her metacentric height was found to
be only inches. 1t should have been not
less than II inches for safety alone, and for
! lighting qualities should have been from Is
TO 10 inches. AS the Philadelphia was
given but few stores and small coal sup
ply, all OK which were kept well below the
upper decks, the cruiser was allowed to
proceed for a short run TO sea. At the very
the affapt IF
metacentric height was observable in her
long, deep and slow roll. This peculiar roll
was so noticeable as to cause considerable
comment among the crew. The majority of
the men had never before witnessed such
movements. On one occasion, when the
tactical diameter was being determined in
a smooth sea, the simple act of putting
the helm hard over was sufficient to cause
all movable fittings to rush
| FLYING ACROSS THE DECKS.
1t became q saying aboard the philadelphia
that the vessels main battery guns could
/ be made to dip their muZzles if one would
merely put the helm hard over.
| On her return to the Brooklyn navy-yard.
occasion was found to shift piece Of shaf-
ing from its central position out to the side
OF the ship. To the establishment Of many
the cruiser gave q perceptible list in the
direction Of the shaft. 1t was from this
LlLAC OLl ehoS DllO OOhul6lOu VI buo ullRu6k-
phia received serious consideration. It was
found on calculation that there was point
in freeing Of the lower tier of bunkers
where, If the coal was not passed doIR
from the upper bunkers, the ship would
TURNOVER BY SHEER TOP WEIGHT.
On the return of the Philadelphia to the
navyyard this summer, her steel masts
were taken out and replaced by two light
wooden sparS. This alteration did away
with the leverage effect to great extent L
gave q reduction of weight of twenty tons.
1t being found by naval constructors that
water ballast would have to be perma-
nsntlly carried, recommendation was
made short time ago to line the inner
sides of the double bottom with
cement. The weight of cement, il
was estimated, would be fifty tons,
The recommendation has not yet been car
ried out. The change of the mssts has
raised the metacentric height about 3 inches.
AS before remarked. the points should
be raised to a height of at least - inches.
The question as to how to raise this meta.
cap trio height 10 q DuzzliuO