Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-21

The Navy Department has Just executed
contract with Cramp Sons, shipbuilders, Of
Philadelphia, for the construction Of the ar
mored cruiser Brooklyn. She will be 900 tons
larger than the New York, said by good author
lty to be the finest all-sround ship in the U. s.
navy, and carries heavier armament tha.. that
vessel. The speed of the two vessels ia about
the same-20 knots-but the Brooklyn carries
one-ffth more coal and will be able to steam
from New York around the Horn to San Fran
cisco without recoaling. The extra displace-
ment OF the Brooklyn has been used in i'm
proved seagoing qualities. coal endurance and
battery power. forecastle deck has been
added, the freeboard forward increased eight
feet and the forward turret correspondlugly
raised. The result is that the forward guns
can be worked in a rough sea, while the
crew secure greater comfort by their
increased berthing space. The tumble home
sides amidships give an easier curve Of stabil-
ICY, decrease in weight of hull to make up
partly for the increased freeboard forward. and.
above all, fore-and-aft fire for the broadsdo
turret guns. The Brooklyn carries two more
S-lnch guns than the New York. and her twelve
rapld-fre guns are 5-inch instead of 4-inch.
The placing of the main battery is also made
more effective than in the New York. The prin-
cipal dimensions of the Brooklyn are as follows
Length on load line. .. 400 so feet
Beam, extreme. ............. Ga SO feet.
Draught. mean, normal. w 2400 feet.
displacement, normal. ......... $3.50. 90 tons.
Displacement trial .. $3.50 90 tons
Indicated horse power. 10000 90
Speed In knots per hour. 1000
Total coal capacity. .... 1,65000 tons.
Coal carried on normal displace-
ment .................. 800 90 tons.
This vessel will have twin screws. the engines
TO be OF the vertical triple-expansion type,
four in number, two on each shaft and in four
compartments, the forward engines to be
readily uncoupled from the after engines for
cruising at low speed. The boilers are placed
III three compartments and are seven in num-
Der. five of them being double-ended and two
slngle-ended. The hull is TO be of STEEL not
sheathed. with double bottom and close water
tight subdivision to about twelve feet above the
water line. The arrangements of decks above
water will provide ample freeboard and berth
ing accomm odations.
THE MILITARY MAsTs.
1t is contemplated to fit two military masts
with fighting tops to carry no sail. The boats
will be slowed clear of the blast of the guns.
but two hfeboats must be SO carried that they
may be readily lowered under all conditions of
weather.
Protection of the hull is to be afforded by
means OF steel protective deck worked from
stem to stern and supported by heavy beams.
The bottom edges of this deck, amidsbips, are
TO be five feet six inches below the 24-foct water
line the top of the deck rising to this water line
at the center of the vessel.
On the slopes of the deck, over machinery
and boilers. the armor is to be six inches thick:
On the horizontal portions the armor is to be
three inches thick; forward and abaft tho ma
chnery and boilers. to stem and to stern, the
deck is to be at the thinnest part at least two
inches and half in thickness
Below this deck are TO be placed the propel-
ling machinery, steering gear, magazines, shell