Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02
THE RALEIGH.
Description OF the Cruiser Just Iaanched q
the Norfolk Navy Yard.

Description OF the Cruiser Just Iaanched "a
the Norfolk Navy Yard.
BY act Of Congress approved September 2,
1855, the construction of two steel cruisers OF
about 5000 tons displacement each. to cost no,
more than q. 100. 900 each. exclusive of arma-
ment and any premiums that might be paid for
increased speed. was authorized. The speed
prescribed was 10 knots. with . premium q
s5o. 900 for each quarter Of knot additional.and
the same deduction for each quarter OF knot
deficient The act authorized the Secretary %
the Navy 10 build the vessels in navy yards n
unable to contract for them at reasonable prices
Proposals were advertised for. but none
within the limit Of cost axed by Congress was
received. The Secretary accordingly directed
that the vessels 20 be known as cruisers No z
and No. s should be built at the navy Yards nt
New York aud Norfolk. respectively. The chief
constructor gave orders 10 begin work on No.
: under date OF september 20. 1889. The first
keel plate WAS laid December ~. 1889 Since
then the work has boon carried on eSpeds-
tiously as possible, against the difficulties OF
training new force OF workmon and veSs-
tious delays in the delivery Of material In
pursuance OF the plan OF naming second-class
ships after cities the President decided that
cruiser No. = should he called the Rsleigh.
The Raleigh has n length of 800 feet on the
losd-water line. and an extreme breadth Of ~
feet At her mean normal draughi ~ Is feet
OF sea water her displacement l. about 5. $50
tons. the maximum draught there being shout
| 10 feet She will have two sets of engines.
working twin screws lt Is estimated that her
engines will develop 10000 indicated horse
power at full power, with a steam pressure OF
100 pounds. This viii drive the ship at twenty
knots Her coal supply nj normal drnught ~il
be 400 tons. the bunkers will hold SIS tons, aud
with this supply she can steam |. 100 miles at
full power, or 10. 800 at 10 knots-ber most
| economical speed.
The engines are OF the triple expsnsi On verti-
| cal, inverted. direct acting type. with two low
pressure cylinders. Her cylinders are 80, IS,
| 81 and 81 inches diameter. with a common
| stroke OF 80 inches. Steam Is supplied by four
aoaeie-ended boilers and two single-ended
! ones TO be used as auxiliaries. The CRATE sur
face is 5y1 square feet aud the heating surface
| 1851. The closed ash pit system OF forced
draught will be used. The condensers have
| each 900 square feet OF coaling surface. The
revolutions at full power will be l6&.
The main and auxiliary engines occupy four
| water-tlght compartments, and the boilers four
others. The water-tight subdiv ision at the
| ends OF the ship is very complete. The pro-
| tectiye deck is 1 inch thick on the fat, inches
| on the slopes at the ends aud % on the slopes
| amidships. Golfer dam. TO be filled with
woodite or cellulose. extends around the ship in
the wake Of the water line, on the protective
deck. The ship has poop ana forecastle decks.
| with an open gun deck between and bridges
extending along the tops OF the hammock
The rig is that of two-mhsted schooner
| spreading 7.2l0 square feet of SAL. The boats
| are slowed on skid beams between the Two lore
| and aft bridges.
The main armament consists Of one six-inch
b. L. r.. mounted on the forecastle and having
an arc Of train of 27O degrees from quarter ~
quarter; ten fiye-inch rapid-tire guns, two
mcnnted on the poop and the others on tbs
gun deck in Sponsors; those on the poop and
the after two on the gun deck train from right
| astern 10 10 degrees forward a. beam. the
two forward ones on the gun deck train from
right ahead TO 60 degrees abaft the beam: the
others train u degrees before and aoait the
beam. The auxiliary armament consists "
eight six-pounder rapid-fire guns. mounted
four over the forward aud after sponsous on
forecastie and poop; two on gun deck forward
and two on gun deck amidshIps; four ono
FOUNDERS, mounted two on gun deck art an
captains after cabin and two on bridges: two
gatiings, mounted in the topa The forward,
after and midship hye-inch guns on the gun
deck are protected by four-inch arfaOr. The
other sponsors have one-inch armor plates.
The coming tower will be two inches thick. 40
Will the tube leading from n 20 the protective
deck. There are six above-water torpedo
tubes. fixed ones ahead ard astern and train
ing ones on each bow aud quarter. The tubes
are OF the Howell pattern, using gunpowder 70
project the torpedo.
the ship viii be lighted BY electricity, the
plant consisting of engines anu dynanlos,
each with an output of 100 amperes at a cor.-
} slant potential OF 50 volts In addition to AL
necessary lights for Illumination and signaling
there will be 3 Mangin search light projectors.
} The lights will be arranged IN sections on ln-
dependent conductors, all controlled from q
switch board an the dynamo room. arranged
that either OF the dynamos can be put on any or
all of the arc or incandescent circuits.
The engine power OF the Raleigh Is relatively
larger than that Of any other vessel IN Tie
United States navy, except the Nesuyius and
the torpedo boats. and, occurring as 1t door In
conjunction with alarger battery power, Hcces-
states q larger crew. The complement will be
about 320-24 oticers, "a marines ana = crew q
2G6.
The rudder is partially balanced. Its weight
is about Is tons The ordinary right and left
stearing gear is used, actuated by powerful
steam stearing engine below the protective
deck.
Ii is estimated that her cost completed, in
GLIDING armament and equipment, will 10
Sl.6i2 9l54.
The actual weight of the ship when launched
was !, l40 tons. The Raleigh is the first vessel
OF the new navy to be built complete by tho
government, as the machinery and boilers aro
under construction and now nearly completed
at the navy yard at New York. In few days
they will be shipped TO Norfolk TO be placed on
board.
The Norfolk navy yard has well-equiPped
plant for snip building, and with an organized
force OF men is capable Of building ~ adyan-
tage one or more of the new battle ships 70 be
authorized by the present Congress-
i