The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1893-03-17
THE BATrLEsHIP OREGON.

On the ways at the Union Iron Works
San Francisco. Battle ship No. 3, the Ore
gon, the first modern battIe-ship of the
navy, and one of the three largest ships jet
attempted by the government. is in course
of construction This vessel is TO have a
displacement Of 10000 tons, and her prin-
ciple dimensions are: Length, 348 feet;
breadth, SO feet inches; and depth, from
keel plate to superstructure. AZ feet She
was contracted for under the naval construc-
ton act. passed BY congress, June 30, 1880,
and is to cost, exclusive of armament,
nearly four million dollars The minimum
speed TO be maintained for four consecutive
hours is to be not less than fifteen knots.
The hull is to be Of steel. not sheathed.
Her framing will be on the bracket system,
and she will have double bottom extend
ing from armor shelf to armor shelf, and
forward and aft. The armor on her sides,
for protecting the water line, will have q
maximum thickness of not less than eigh-
teen inches, with mean depth of seven
feet, and the transverse armor al tie ends
of the belt-line will not be less than seven
teen inches thick The sides. from armor-
belt TO main deck. will be protected by not
less than FIVE inches of steel armor. Coal
Is to be carried back Of this czsemate, An
armored deck. not less than three inches In
thickness. will extend forward and aft from
the ends of the armor belt. being curved
down on each side 10 meet the side Of the
ship below the water-line. Over the side
armor belt this stesl deck will be not less
than two and three quarters inches in
thickness. The Oregon will have an zap
proved water excluding material equal 10
woodite or ceIlulose, which viii be fitted
along the sides. forward and aft, On the
slopes of the thrss inch protective deck.
She will be supplied with powerful guns.
aggrsgating in all ak hundred and thirty
one tons. They will include four l3 inch
breech- loading rifles, weighing sixty tons
each, with their mounts, shields, and
equipments; four S-inch breech-lOading
rifles; four 6-inch breech-loading rifles;
sixteen 6-pcundsr rapid d-fring gunE; 6 one
FOUNDER rapid firing guns; and two Cat
lingA with all necessary mounts and shields
therefor. II will require 800 tons Of am
nnniiion to complete the vessels fighting
outfit.
Her lS-inch guns will 10 protected. By
seventeen inches Of armor. The axes Of
these guns are TO be not less than six feet
above the deck. and due regard must be
paid to interference of Gre and the effects
Of the blasts of the various guns TIE s
inch and 6 inch guns will be protected By
shields and. in addition, by bsrhestes, or
otherwise carrying 4-ineh arEnor for the
6-inch guns, and 6-ineh armor fog the s.
inch guns. The ammunition for the S-iDch
guns viii be supplied throngh Grmored
tabes.
Thes Oregon will carry twelve torpedoes-
there viii be seTen above water torpedo
iubes-two forward, ona aft, and two On
each side. She viii also carry distiiling
apparatus, which will SUPPLY fresh water;
the allowance Of water 10 ts carried Is to be
enough to last fifteen days. besides water
for sanitary purposes. Her electric light
plant will consist of three units. each unit
having an engine. dynamo. and combina-
tion bed plate
The weight of all fittings and stores
the installation, including search-hghsz
will nos. exceed total Of thirty tons.
One point Of difference between this
hzttIe-ship and the cruisers which We have
been building is highly significant Ii Is
that relating to the maximum speed re-
quired. and the coal endurance planned. In
the cruisers. high speed and as great coal
endurana as possible were sought; but
both these points are of secondary import
ance in the case Of the battle snip.