The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-01

A correspondent # the New York Herald
visited the slip-yards near i ulOn. France,
yesterday found the CHILEAN ship of-vaT the
Captain Prat a3oat 40 her moOrugs alongside
where size WAS butt. He cab Is as follows
from La -e 10.
The Captain Prat has been described os
cruiser She is u reality d formidable armor-
clai. and is described iu the books ~ the
FORCES 81 (hautlers as 'valsse8u de cuefre.
cUIrasse de a deuxeme classe.
Sine Is ntted with powerful engines com BIN
ing All the latest improvements. and 70 guar
aut-ed % steam eighteen knO,s al hour All
nor engines are now 10 working order anu II
ne e-sarv size con a steam ont 10 sea ~ nee
but size has been delayed Icy the uon-arriyal
OF her armament which j. coming from
Hayre.
Also the commander WHO has superseded
tho form r. one snre the revolution in Chill
has ordered considerable chang -particu-
larry with regard 20 tae Introduction oft FIX
formidable torpedo tubes. svsteme Canet. one
oi which has already been PLACED on the port
sile oi the lower dc k, forward, AMI is ready
for use. while another is being pat into posi-
ton with al possible speed the starOoard
side
beyond the.e aterat ons there is nothing
10 be done 90 her that Won d lrerent her
gong 90 sea 10 month, provided guns
We're in position on board. All the machine
r. Tor tho guns Is inis ed and IN WORKING
D.
nlsIei by powerful dSnNnOs. ln case any
tling goes wrong with this machinery how
ever each biz gun oi ssh ch there are four,
is provided with hand power Tor the eietA-
ton o the ammunition. which is passed mp
from the lowest deck through IRON tubes 90
mil metre lu hes thick. She has two
separate engine rooms completely shut of
one rom the Ot or. as are also the furnaces.
Her dimen-i ms are Length De,we per-
pend. cUlars. 700 metres 30 feet beam over
all l5.5 metres feet inches depth I'D.
metres 81 feet inches daulht forward,
feet 9 inches draught am dslips ~ eet
inches drIugAt aatern, 30 feet inches.
She will mount IN her mun battery four
guns. having ca.lnre Ot 81 centimefres ODD
inches. two amiaships. one forward and
one aft SIX rap d ire guns our guns
of - cenum tres e.72 inches aft
# 8 centmetres l.9 inches. four rapid hre
guns two N0rGenteldt ar two il0trhdIssl of
centimetres calibre 0..s oft an ich
None of the above have ret arrived. but all
the armor shields are 10 place. as well as tie
gun machinery. IL the vessel rs % be thor
cughy finished and armed and Is 90 have the
alterations and fitting OF tOrpeIOes made and
is 70 wait until she can receive her guns
which, / understand. have not yet left HAVE
and if she has u und ergo the usual pre.im-
mary trials of ships or war j do not think She
can be ready for sea before the expiration If
two months. but Sue could under pressure,
armed with torpedces and small guns. get
under way in a month
ln general appearance she resembles the
greater number of the French arm0rclads.
She has two on rmOus tunnels and two mI.i-
tary mast, of steel. fitted with bird-.age Tor
Aorden edit guns They tell me hero she Is
one of the most powerful ships ever built at
La Seyue. and chat her st VIII exceed -l-
O0O.0lO francs. Her hull IS .heatled with
wood. as thereare no diy-docks IN bin. and
IL IS impossible 90 dock Der fire. uently 10
keen her bottom clean Experience teaches
says her constructor. that copper
bottom over the wood il better than ron
when the bottom cannot be cleaned as soon
a. 1t becomes IOul
Her nominal horsepower is said o. be
1900 her guaranteed speed eighteen gnot- an
an hour. Each engineer ON Is surrounded
by srmOr plate having thickness of twenty
centlmeires 81 inches. Nothing Whatever
is lacking below. cables. steering gear and
other fittings being in place.