The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-21
TINE GEN or yur OCEAN,
The FortheonsinE Trial or the Coiur,bia, nnd
the Featnrcs Of the Eat Cruiser.

|
| the Features OF the Fast Cruiser.
WASHINGTON. July 20.-"she needs neithe
GOLFERS nor ooaling stations for she carrie
both between her decks She can steam com
pletely around the world without touching a
any point for coal. and yet. when the occasion
arises, she con overtake with ease the fastos
OF the ocean greyhounds. Six such ship
would exterminate tho commerce OF an
country under the present conditions Of com
merce protection"
30 wrote Secretary Tracy OF the great triple
screw cruiser which Is to have her prelimnar,
trials during the coming week; and again h,
wrote that she would have "a sea speed and
coal endurance hitherto unknown In ships o
war she will be match for the most swift
transatlantic liner anoat to-day. This vesse
is absolutely without parallel among the wal
ships OF the world" Naturally the speed trial
OF such craft Is OF exceptional Importance
| while in few weeks we shall have the launch
OF second OF the type. making two out Of the
hall dozen which would he capable. according
TO MIR. Tracy. OF sweeping the commerce oil
any nation from the ocean. and thus, under
the present conditions OF commerce protection,
absolutely preclude an attack from n COM
mercial state however threatening 10 it's de-
mands. powerful in lis armored fleet. or az
gressive In Its foreign policy"
The most interesting feature OF the machin-
cry. taken together. Of course. with it's enor-
nous horse power. Is its system of triple
ransion engines driving three screws. tho
third screw being placed between and below
me other Two and fifteen feet further aft.
! MS Is the first appearance OF triple propellers
~ our navy. although they are well known In
one 81 tbs h rsrT kasern August which was
view In New York harbor. ranking. perhaps.
hhls s among the protected cruisers. - the
la N nF I'M N tNyna AL had
other Big Cruiser. Of Usdo tons. is also pro- 4
cruisers have been. Hence Chief Engineer
MeIviile, In 2 .opting the system for our navy.
Seed no maSn "a an huntried In
lifted with triple screws. but the proper mode
OF arranging them had been carefully STUDIED
steam launch Cnrpe. found that II the three
proneilerswere placed abreast. the centre one
70 be placed aft in the Dupuy. de- LONE as In
But with US the choice of three screws was
power needed to give the Columbia the high
sneed liked upon was at least 2l,O00. or very
navy: It was four times as great rs the Chi
hs Nsw 9 Yor Ss 1
have had to be Transmitted through each OF two
snaits. aud i was not clear or probable that
BE- had in this country. at east Without th Sa'a
great delay. The lazy required that tho vosaci
s S,. be built wholly OF American material
this d fflculty vanished.
Again. as it is possible to disconnect any one
with very slight resistance to the progress OF
t ne ship. she can be driven very economically
with one screw. making fifteen knots. or she
making eighteen to nineteen knots. when all
three engines are not required. 1t Is also evil
dent that this triple reliance is an additional
fsateguard against the vessels being left help
y, Stll another point OF importance in the
q p nmn Is ner MAXIMUM coalcnpacitywhic
will give her an enduranee ncso oois an To ng NE
while MI. Wilson reckons 81 still if'' more.
commerce destroyer. As for her armament. !
VIII not very heavy it is wholly Tate to
B-inch, and eight 4.inch guns. with a dozen |
!. FOUNDERS. four l-rounders. and four Cat ,
], in the secondary battery. She has also
speed Of II knots without harder conditions
q - knots She has heavy armoS deck iie ran
Ping n fore ne and aft and covering magazines en-
n thick on the slopes and 2hi inches else
Mr. % soa as tsa h Se given by
the vital portions OF the vessel being by an
rn a.s dss s hi The npass t deck
ind :orsrooma in addition these cone dam tses
width VIII be worked next 10 the ships sido for the
Shole length OF the sss hun viii be filled
Win patent fuel forming all feet thick aVainat
lne'Run hre tho contents also utilized az
meI IN an emergency: forward and abaft the coal
'nnkersthe coherdan will be rlled with water.
Excluding substance similar to woodite'
In wake OF the 4.nch and machine guns the ship's
ile will be arln"rei with 4 aud inch plates
y heavJ shields attached to the gun carriayes
The accommodations for officers aud crew arc spn.
ious. well ventilated and lighted An the most an
roVed appl!Ancesf exhaustnR the vitiate ed air and
or nrandescent lighting by electricity have been in.
orp"ratei in the design. ~ "
The coal capacity is very large reaching 900 tons
ten knots per hour this will give an endurance OF
w DAYS. or radius OF action OF 26."4o knots.
In appearance the vessel resembles closely an or.
mary merchantnan the sides being nearly clear OF
roj-ctons of sponsors which ordinarily appear on
esreis OF war: she viii have two signal masts but
III nave no military tops on hem however
Tho function Of the vessel DESTROY tho com
m enemy therefore her general co is such
to enable her to get within range before her charac.
pr Is discovered. |
As whole this vesse! the latest idea O; a powerful
The hull will be OF steo the vi.as OF the shin and ts
Rainst machine guns SN |
The subdivision o. tho hull Ia such as to form donhls
nli below the water. and oilers great security |
Iainst damage from torpedo attack as can b. gwen
a vessel of this class.
That the Columbia Is magnificent vessel no |
ne cnn doubt. and the liveliest homes are on |
'rtnined that she will mako n trial record even |
lore brilliant than that OF the New York.