The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-11-04
THEY HAVE BEEN sorcHEp.
the Three New Cruisers Should Keep Nea,
Shore.

NEW YORK, Nov. There has been
q suspicion for some time in we'll posted
naval circles that the designs of the
now cruisers Detroit, Montgomery and
Marblehead have not been q success,
but 1t is only within the last few days
that the facts concerning these cruisers
have become known. From most ex-
cellent source OF information it is now
learned that important alterations will
have to be made aboard the Detroit,
Montgomery aud Marblehsad in order
to assure safe sea going qualities to
these three ships. The fact that the
Detroit has made the passage from
New York to Bahia without any re-.
ported trouble does not lessen, it ia
naid. the gravity OF the mistake which,
1t would appear, has been made by the
naval constructors in the designs of tho
three vessels.
The Detroit, Montgomery and Mar
blehead, three sister cruisers of 2,OOs
tons displacement each, were designed
1t is announced, to have metacentrit
heights of four feet. OF the three ship,
the Detroit is the only one SO far com
missioned, but an examination of the
actual metacentric height possessed by
the Detroit reveals it, it is declared, ta
to be only fourteen inches.
The Montgomery and the Marble.
head were built on the same lines al
was the Detroit. There is, conse
quently, no reason to believe thai
either the Montgomery or the Marble
head will be more stable when ready
for sea than is the Detroit.
1t is further pointed out that in the
designs for the Detroit she was to
possess draft, when down to this
meanload water line, of two feet more
aft than forward. The meanload
water line was assumed at the draf,
each of the ships of the Detroit clas
would require when coaled and pro
vided with stores and ammunitioni
sufficient for cruise. With her bunk.
ers filled and the ship ready for sea tn.
Detroit draws two feet more forward
it is announced, than she does aft
From the fact, as reported, that tn.
vessel was designed to draw two fee
more aft than forward, It is eviden,
that the naval constructors have mis-
calculated the draught of this fine ship
by just four feet
AS II it was not enough that the new
navy should suffer by the bad calcula
tions made on the 1000 ton cruisers
the news now comes that the biz
cruiser New York has been made ts
suffer by bad calculations. The New
York, it is stated, was designed t.
draw considerable moro water aft tha.
forward. As a matter of fact, 1t is an
nounced, the big ship is too much dowr
by the stern as to prevent the firing O,
the stern torpedo tube. The stern tor
pedo, II fred, will, it is declared, jump
Immediately into the huge following
wave. This following wave will, in ali
probability, toss the torpedo
back against the ships
stern, there to explode, II
indeed it ever permits the torpedo tc
escape from the tube. At any rate,
officers on board the New York give
out that the stern torpedo tube of the
New York Is useless so long as the yes
sci is down to her sea draught.
The stability Of the new gunboat
Machias is 80 much in question that II
will probably be necessary to strip thai
vessel of u portion of her battery in
order to assure for her good sea going
qualities.
1t is now proposed in the case of the
Detroit, Montgomery and Marblehead
to strip these fine cruisers of their
bow and stern six-inch breeck
loading rifles and also to re.
duce the number of spars carried. 1,
Is proposed, in addition, to shorten tn.
tunnels and to arrange, further af,
than Mt present, lockers for the storage
of the heavy chain cables.
The change proposed may make the
Detroit and her sister craft fit, it i,
said, to be sent to sea. though at los,
OF efficiency which was not aimed al
by congress when it literally appro
Priated for these three ships 81, 800, 600
Nor will it, it is pointed out, max,
good the committal Of mistakes, which.
at this advanced period in the construo
tion of ships, will be held by most per
sons to be deemed proof Of culpabls
inefiiciency.