The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-20
o. s. S. CRUISER RALEIGH.


U. g. S. CRUISER RALEIGH.
But when. during the summer OF 1889
proposals were opened for these two ves-
sells, 1t was found that the bidders, so far
from expecting to earn bonus OF $500. 900
by getting aspeed oftwenty knots. were un-
willing to guarantee even nineteen knots,
except At a price higher than the one
fixed by Congress. Accordingly. Sscre-
tary Tracy promptly decided to take adj
vantage OF the provision in the act for
building these vessels In the navy yards,
should the bidding be unsatisfactory.
No. z. now the Cincinnati was assigned TO
the Brooklyn yard, while No. 8. now
the Raleigh, was assigned to the Norfolk
Navy Yard. Chief Constructor Wilson
sent word to each yard that It was ex-
pected that every effort will be made by
the master mechanics and those employed
under them on this vessel to expedite the
work, for their own credit and that OF the
yard, and that the secretary OF the navy
may not be disappointed In being able to
build the vessel as cheaply as che could
have been contracted for. and OF this
they should be informed" The adver-
tisements for materials were prepared as
soon as possible, the machine shops and
other buildings erected, and the tools pro-
vided.
An examination OF the high require
ments called for in these vessels Will show
how great an advance they were expected
TO make In our naval construction. The
Raleigh is twin screw, protected steel
cruiser, having a length on load line OF
800 feet, and extreme breadth OF AZ feet,
and mean draught OF IS feet. Her dis
placement Is 31S3 tons. The aggregate
indicated horsepower OF her engines is
TO be 10. 900, and this is to give her speed
OF 10 knots, while IL is possible that 1t
may be nearer 20.
There is q double bottom In the wake
Of tho machinery space and a full system
OF water-tight compartments. The pro-
tective deck has q double slope at the
side. with thickness of steel two and a
half inches on the amdships slopes. two
inches on the end slopes, and one inch on
the hat. A Golfer dam Is provided at the
water line, which will be filled with some
water-excluding material. There Is an
open gun deck betv cen the poop and fore
castle decks. and bridges close outside
connect the two latter.
The engines are triple expansion, verti.
cal, inverted, and direct acting. with a
high-pressure cylinder SO inches, an inter
mediate 80 inches, and two low pressure
81 inches In diameter, the stroke being 80
inches. The collective horse power OF
these and the smaller engines Is 10000 at
164 revolutions. The condensers have
each 1000 feet OF cooling surface. There
are four double-ended and two single
ended boilers In water-tight compart-
ments. Two OF tho main boilers are 13
feet inches in diameter and 20 feet 81
inches long. and the other two are IA feet
c1/ ipchac hv faat OIL innhae lann Tho
two auxiliary boilers are IL feet 2 inches
In diameter by Q feet n inch in length.
The working pressure Is 16O pounds. The
total heating surface Is 10 3S2 square feet,
and the CRATE surface 597 square feet.
To effect the forced draught blower
discharges into a main duct under the
fire room floor, and a branch leads to each
ash pit, which can be closed under the
forced draught. The normal coal supply
is 400 tons. with a total bunker capacity OF
$50 tons. At the maximum speed OF &c
knots the full capacity would be burned in
two days and half. and 1243 knots would
be made. But at IS knots. when the horse
power would be only 6,350, her coal would
last five days. and she would cover 2 2l3
knots. Atthe speed OF 16 knots. with 4 2OC
horse power, she would consume ~ tons q
day, and hence would have ia days sup
ply. AZ " Speeu Ol IL kHOlS sut Noulu COn-
sumo AZ tons per day. lasting 12H days
and making 4, 100 knots. At speed of 1?
knots she would need but 261, tons per
days, and in 2l days could cover S 92j
knots. At a speed OF 10 knots, 36 days at
15i, tons per day would give her radius
OF action of s,652 knots.
Turning now to her armament, the
main battery OF the Raleigh will consist
OF one 6-lnch rifle and 10 4-incSy or else 8.
inch rapld-flre guns. Originally the latter
were TO be s-ipch guns. weighing abou,
IL tons each, and tho substitution OF g.
inch guns, which has since Teen reported
would require a reduction OF about - tons
in the weights elsewhere In the ship. The
secondary battery will consist OF G.
FOUNDER and 1-pounder rapid.frc guns
and 2 Gatlings. There are also6 torpedo
tubes. about 4 feet above the water, I
fixed in the bow. in the stern. and the
other 4. which are training tubes, are Oh
each broadside.
While I'm all respects the Raleigh is uI
TO the highest level In her class reached
by naval construction at the time she was
planned. her machinery marks more than
anything else the advance OF this country
In shipbulldlng.
Taking together her speed and her bat.
terry power the Raleigh and her sister
ship the Cincinnati will constitute most
welcome additions 20 our navy, and both
no doubt will be completed in season 10
take part In the great review Of 1893