The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-25
THE BATTLE SNIP MAINE.

THE BATTLE SNIP MAINE
| One OF Secretary whitney's Armored vesssae
| which IL Now to Have = Dock Trial.
WASHINGTON. Juno 24.-when the Maine was
designed. and. indeed. for years thereafter. she
| was called an arnored cruiser. In fact, the
| very last report OF Chief Constructor Wilson
| himself, who planned tho vessel. speaks OF her
| as steel armorcd cruiser" and he ought to
know what she is, in type and class. Secretary
Tracy, however, In his annual report. calls both
the Maine and the Texas "armorcd battle ships
of the second class" Tho discrepancy seems
to be due to tho changes in rating and naming
that have been put into effect since the Maine
was begun. Tho names Of States. In tho new
feet, instead OF being givcn to all Illustrates.
according to tho old plan, have since been oon-
fined to single typo Of vessel. the arTnored
battle ship. AS the Maine had already been
christened. 1t seems to have been thouRhe
better to change her classification than her
name. although she is designed for cruising
purposes and will havo speed surpassinG
that of many of tho worlds armored cruisers.
Exactly what that speed will be can only b
determined later in the season. when she has
her sea trial. The coming weeks dock test
OF her engines was simply arranged In justicoto
the contractors. whose work on the machinery
had been com peted and deserved payment
W q naVo nau tIlulB unuSr horbo-
power and trials under contract for speed:
trials on the measured course and also under
Chief Engineer Mevles system OF judging Of
contract speed by the number ofrevolutlons a.
carefully noted and corrected on q short meas
ured distance. But this Is to be the trial OF
machinery In q stee, ship built In navy yard
instead OF a private yard, although the CON.
struction OF the machinery was given out to Q
private firm. the Quintard Iron Works. Ten
L 49,
to watch the trial
The act OF Aug. 3. 1880. called for two seagoinG
dou BILE bottomed vessels Of about 5000 tons
displacement designed for a speed OF ut least
sixteen knots an hour, with engines capAblor
OF forced draught and with complete tor
pedo outfit and effective armament The
Navy Department thereupon issued circular
calling for plans for two vessols one the
armorod cruiser now the Maine. with Q
maximum drauEht OF - feet and the other
battle ship OF % feet now tho Texas Both
were to be built OF steel. with ram bow, twin
screws. protected deck throughout the ship.
and pun ping drainage. ventiating. and oleo-
trio outfits. Each was to make seventeen
knots whom fully equipped. with great coal
endurance. The cruiser was to have two
thirds sail power. OH two or three masts. and
to carry four 1O-inch and six 6-inoh guns,
with q secondary battery. which was then
specified. but has since been somewhat
altered. The protection for the heavy guns,
was also specified but has since boon inv
creased. IS will presently be noted. =; .rr no
Secretary Whitney threw tho competition 2
for plans for the two ships open to the whole
world. and no fe yer than ten competitors on.
tered the lists. with thirteen different designs
Shortly after his call had been made the Navy
Department took the precaution to request
the chiefs OF bureaus to prepare plans OF their
own. This precaution was justified since. al
though plans came from foreign countries %
we'll as ours. and the Barrow Shipbuilding
Company secured the handsome prize offered
for the battle ship Texas. yot the Board re-
ported as follows on the armored. cruiser:
lures OF the designs OF armored cruisers Of tho
Barrow shipbuiiding Company; Lieut. W:
%oks and
vent their classification In the order Of merit.
Each exhibits features which strongly com
slider it advisable for the Goverpmentt to build
vessel upon any one OF these plans"
the Gsgn o
tor T. D. Wilson. which was based upon that Of
eo. built in England, and considered one Of the
best vessels Of her size ana type then sSas
have been made so that it win b., sqfiicient to
consider the Dimensions Of the Maine as she =,
She he has a length on load ~ater line of s1s
feet; q breadth 81 50 feet and a mean drapght
Of y feet. giving her dlsplacement Of S.81a
panson nH engines e oi 300 maHlmum Indicated
horse power. which are to give her q! speed Of
leaders. and, a secondary battery Of twelve six
had prescribed that the heavy guns were to
BE- sy 1t inches
armor. properly backed. Wills, the 3-inoh
wa line holt RI ba ut least IT ipchaa thick nt
the maximum. As it turns out. the side armor
q the Maine is II inches thick. while her TIVE
steel barbettes. containing each two OF the 10
inch guns, are II inches thick. with the turrets
1 TRe Maine s' had her keel laid in 1888 Bids
were duly invited for the construction OF her =
machinery aSsording, to the cat Ta q
cylinder OF 49, inches. an informed ate Of 81.
with a common stroke OF 3ii inches. The re-
qured 5000 collect i've horse power was to be
% e se erh ss Soer
ani u
groups in two water-ticht compartments. The
i ie. ae sa The crate surface 55s square fe.t
wh viii the two three; Lladed proDellers were 70
''f Tie only lid was one Of s7s5 900, made by
\; +. Palmer. IT, 4 Co Of the Qnintard Irol
hem Iron Works The first steel stem was
cast in Pittsburgh, but was sprung or warped,
and a new one made by tho Standard Steel
Casting Company OF Thurlow Several
changes in her details have since been made.
but her general features are as already noted.
She Is to have three nasted schooner rig
instead Of tho bark rig at first intended. Her
arm3red tops are protected by circular steel
for hull and machinery WAS s2,50OOO0. and Q
calculation some time ago indicated that they
might bs built for 81. 4SI. BOB Since the Maine
was designed great ~ vances have been made
In our ar ored vessels both OF the battle shin
and cruiser type. Nevertheless. she will form
an effective source OF reliance in her way. and
while hor type will not be repeated In our
navy. she will be a welcome addition to II.
nEsTARRMm n