The morning call., 1893-11-19

States navy, al hough they are we'll known
in Others. The KMsern Augusta. which
was one of the very finest vessels at he
naval review in New York harbor, rank
ing. perhaps, highest among the protected
cruisers, if the Blake be reckoned among
armored vessels, had three prnpellers
The Dupuy de Lone, another big
cruiser, of $500 tons, is also provided
with three, as several Italian torpedo
cruisers have been. Chief Engineer Mel
vile. in adopting the system for the
American navy, was not making an un-
tried experiment. Indeed, not only had
these foreign vessels been fitted with triple
screws, but the proper mode of arranging
them had been carefully studied out and
settled upon. The French, in their steam
launch Carpe. found that II the three pro-
pellers were placed abreast. the center one
Host efficiency, and this is how the latter
came to be placed aft in the Dupuy-de-
LONE as in the Column ia.
But with Americans tine choice of three
screws was necessity. The aggregate in-
dictated horsepower needed to give the
Columbia the high speed fixed upon was
81, 900. or very much more than anything
attempted in the navy. 1t was four times as
grea. as the Chicago's. three lines as great
as the San Francisco's and $500 above the
New Ynrk's. With two screws half of this
horsepower would have had to be trans
mitted through each of two shafts. and it
was not clear or probable that 80 big a
forging of the highest character could be
had in this country, at least without a
great delay. The law required that the
vessel should be built wholly of American
material. BY dividing the power among
three shafts this difficulty vanished.
Again, as it is possible to disconnect any
one of the three screws and leave it free
TO revolye, with very slight resistance tc
the progress of The ship. she can be driven
very economi caliy. She can work with
one engine at its full power with one
screw, making fifteen knots, or she can
run with two engines and two screws,
making eighteen TO nineteen knots, when
all three engines are not required. 1t is
also evident that this triple reliance is an
additional safeguard against the vessels
being left helpless on the water.
Still another point Of Importance in the
Columbia is her maximum coal capacity.
which is 1000 tons. and this, at ten knots
an hour, will give her an endurance, ac-
cordng to Mr. Tracy. of 103 days, or a
radius of action Of %. $40 miles. Mr. Wilson
reckons still more. This is a matter of
great consequence to commerce de-
stroyer. AS for her armament, while not
very heavy, it is wholly adequate to her
purpose, for it include one S-inch, two
6-inch and eight 4-Dch guns, with dozen
6-pounders, four 1-pounders and four
Gatlings in the secondary battery. She
has also six torpedo tubes. She has a
heavy armor deck running fore and aft
and covering magazines, engines, boilers
and steering gear. 1t is inches thick on
the slopes and 21a inches elsewhere, and
these further facts are given by Mr.. Will
son. chief constructor:
The vital portions of the vessel being
protected by an armored deck, the space
between this deck and the gundeck will
be minutely subdivided by coai-bunkers
and storerooms. In addition to these
cofferdam feet in width will be worked
next to the ships side for the whole
length of the vessel in bunkers; this will
be filled with patent fuel, forming wall
5,feet thick against machine-gun fire; the
contents can also be utilized as fuel in an
emergency. Forward and abaft the coal
bunkers the cofferdam will be filled with
some watPr-exclndiDg substance similar to
''woodite"
In wake of the 4-inch and machine guns
the ships side will be armored with and
2 inch plates.
The 6-inch guns are mounted in the open.
protected by heavy shields attached TO the
gun-carriages.
%. The accommodations for officers and
crew are spacious, well ventilated and
lighted. All the most approved appli-
ances for exhaustiDg the vitiated air and
for incandescent lighting by electricity
have been Incorporated in the design.
The coal capacity is very large, reach iug
1000 tons; at ten knots per hour this will
give an endurance OF 100 days. or a radius
of action of 26.240 knots.
In appearance the vessel resembles
closely an ordinary merchantmen, the
sides being nearly clear of projections of
sponsors which ordinarily appear ON YES
sells Of war; she will have two signal
masts, but will have no military tops on
them. however.
The function of the vessel is to dest roy
the~commerce OF an enemy; therefore her
general appearance is such as to enable her
to get within range before her character is
discovered
As whole this vessel is the latest idea
OF powerful. econ omical, protected COM
MERGE destroyer.
The hull will be of STEEL the vitals of the
ship and its stability well protected, and
the. gun stations shielded against ma chine
guns.
The subdivision of the hull is such as to
form double hull below the water, and
offers as great security against damage
from torpedo attack as can be given in
vessel Of this class.