The Portland daily press., 1891-09-04
WILL RIDE AT ANCHOR HERE TODAY.
The White ships OF Walkers Squad
ron OF Evolution
A Description OF These Beauties o.
the New Navy.
Their Powerful engines, Big Guns
and Novel Appointments.

AS the White Squadron will arrive at this
| port this morning, between 10 aud IL o'clock
| a description of the feet that has created so
| much favorable comment on both sides of
| the Atlantic will prove of interest to every
one who contemplates visit to the cruisers.
THE CHICAGO
is the largest vessel of the fleet. She is the
flagship OF Admiral Walker The Chicago
looks like shio and not floating fort
There Is spread of canvas on her masts
which is gratifying to the eye of a naval
man, and then she stands up high out of the
water, and looks as If she could fight or
chase, as might be required of her. And
That is lust what she was built for. The
chicago was supposed to be only IA knot
ship, but she can make 16 without any trou-
BILE.
The Admiraps flagship is what is techni.
caliy known as a coal protected steel frigate.
She is not an armored vessel, having only
protective deck of steel an inch and a half
thick over her machinery aud steering gear,
and her outside plating is a scant fiye-eighths
but her coal Is SO arranged that 1t constitutes
a very good belt of armor. Cruisers of this
class are not intended to fight the big IRON
clads carrying 100 ton guns. They are COM
merce destroyers, and In case of war with a
power like Great Britain, having an immense
carrying trade, the way they would capture
merchant vessels would be a caution. In
would run, and like the fellow In the fable,
who fights and runs away, so that he can
havo the advantage of living to see another
day, they would turn up in some other part
of the ocean, and continue in business right
along.
The Chicago is 1874 feet inches long from
stem to stern; extreme breadth 48 feet 81
inches; draught of water, 10 feet; displsce.
ment. 1900 tons; her indicated horse power
Is 5000. The main battery consists of four
Sinch, eight 6-inch and two inch breech-
loading rifles. The 8.inch guns are mounted
in half turrets on the spar deck, 24h feet
above water The forward guns train from
three degrees across the bow to 60 degrees
abaft the beam. and the after guns from
three degrees across the stern to 60 degrees
forward the beam. Six 6-inch guns are
mounted In broadside ports on the gun deck,
with train Of 120 degrees. A 5.inch gun is
mounted on either bow. and two 5-inch guns
are on the gun deck aft. The secondary bat
terry consists Of six revolving cannon for use
In firing at torpedo boats. The motive pow
er is furnished by two compound overhead
beam engines. The cylinders are 30 inches.
There are two four-bladed screws, having
diameter Of about Is feet inches. As aux
Hilary motive power the cruiser can spread
1880 square feet Of sail on her three masts.
The rig Is that Of bark. She can carry
pretty nearly 1000 tons Of coal, and with that
supply. and steaming at full speed, she could
run 2400 miles without having to replenish
her bunkers. Steamlng at 10 or IL knots, her
coal would take her close on to 5000 miles.
The admiral and the captain and three or
four other officers have their quarters aft on
the gun deck, and very comfortable quarters
they are too. The bulkheads forming their
staterooms are of sycamore and extremely
handsome. The two fve-inch rifles are set
right In the middle of these rooms, and at
lirst glance seem to mar their beauty con-
siderably. But when one stops to think
that the open space for the guns runs clear
across the deck, and that great wide port |
swells out bay window fashion opposite |
each gun, 1t Is plain that no more comfort |
able place for quiet smoke could have been |
devised than the bay on the shady side of |
the ship on sunny afternoon. Particular |
attention has been paid to lighting and yen-
tllatioD, and both are perhaps as nearly per-
feet as can be found on any ship. The yes
sci Is fitted with an incandescent lighting
plant, supplying lights for internal illumiL-
alton, including the magazines, coal bunkers
and storage spaces. and also for deck, side
aud head lights. Two large blowers placed |
on the berth deck draw air through fore and |
aft ducts, with branches leading to all living |
spaces and store rooms. A separate system /
ventilates the engine and boiler compart- /
ments. The ward room and steerage are
spacious, and in fact the quarters of officers l
and crew are as comfortable as could be de-
sired.
The Chicago was built by John Roach at
cost, not including the armament,of $3.50. 900. |
She carries % officers. eight cadets, $50 sea-
men and 45 marines. Being flag ship she |
has band of 20 pieces.
THE NEWARK
is twin screw cruiser 80 feet long on the |
water line. 40 feet II inches extreme breadth.
Is feet Q inches mean draught, displacing |
1888 tons. She has machinery Of COCO indi- |
Gated horse power with natural draught and
$500 with forced draught The maximum |
speed Is IS knots rig, bark spreading 1900 |
square feet of plain sail. This vessel has a |
double bottom extending through 129 feet OF |
the length. The protective deck, which is |
10 inches above water amidships, is fiat /
across the top, with sides which slope down |
to depth OF four feet below the water line. |
The horizontal portion is two inches thick. |
the slopes being three inches. 1t extends un-
forward and aft and protects |
the machinery, magazines and steering gear,
the machinery being further defended by the |
disposition Of the coal bunkers.
The main battery consists Of twelve 6 inch |
breech-loading rifles. all on centre pivot |
mounts, with 2 inch segmental steel shields
and arranged ON sponsors so as to obtain the |
greatest possible arc of fire. The forecastle,
the poop and the bridges have been as much |
as possible ayailed Of to shelter these guns
from above. The two guns forward and the |
two guns aft converge their fire 400 feet from |
the ends OF the ship, and the broadside can
be concentrated within 100 fett of the SIDE. |
Six above water torpedo tubes are provided |
VI Ioo pehtn uecn' iuo occonuaIy Ddtsery Is
of four AZ millimetre revolvers, four |
81 millmetTe single shots, two 81 millmetre re-
vOlvers and one short Calling. The coal ca
pacity is $50 tons. the complement of men
300. The stem is cast steel. shaped and sup. /
ported for ramming. The stern post and
,udder are also steel castings, the latter fif-
teen inches In diameter at the head. When
In action the vessel Is directed from a steel
coming tower inches In thickness. cylin-