The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1893-06-16
THE MASSACHUSETTS.

The Launching OF the Great Battle-Ship
Massachusetts, at the Cramps Yards-A
Sister Ship of the Indiana and Oregon
A Powerful War Engine.
PHILADELPHIA, June IL. - The big
battle-ship Massachusetts, was success
fully launched from the ship yard at
the Cramps at $50 o'clock, in the pres
ence of Secretary of the Navy Her
bert, Attorney-General OIney, the lat
ter representing the state of Massa
chusetts, number of distinguished
naval and army officers, and multi
tude of 10, 900 people. Miss Leila Her
bert, daughter of the head of the
navy department, christened the YES
vel with the customary and prettily-
decorated bottle of champagne.
The Massachusetts is the second of the three
10,200-ton battle-ships which were authorized
to be constructed during Secretary Tracy's
term as the head of the naval department. She
is the sister ship to the Indiana, recently
launched by the Cramps and to the Oregon,
now being built at San Francisco, and her lead
ing characteristics are great battery power and
her enormously heavy armor, which is IS inches
thick at the water line.
The redoubts, which project 31l feet above
the main deck. and protect the turning gear of
the turrets are IL inches thick as also are the
steel protective deck, AZ feet below the water
line, at the sides, while coal bunkers are
worked over the belt deck, and cofrerdams OF
water-excluding material are placed on the
slopes of the armor deck, forward and aft.
There is powerful ram below. The armored
coming tower is of 10-inch plates. The mill.
tary mast has two tops for rapid-fire machine
guns, the ammunition for which is sent to them
inside the masts. Many water-tight compart-
ments aid the defensive strength of the vessel.
Il -N-T<-
Massachusetts. even more striking, if possible.
is her aggressive power. She can throw at
single discharge 6,924 pounds of projectiles, or
more than three tons, with a total energy of
10000 foot tons.
The armament will consist OF four IS inch,
eight S-inch and four 6-inch breech-loading
rifles, twenty 6-pounders and four 1-pounder
rifles four Gatiing guns and six torpedo tubes.
The 13inch guns are to be mounted in pairs in
two turrets, one forward and one aft. The
turrets are at such a height that the guns are
~ feet 8 inches above the load water line and
feet above the deck, over which they fire.
The guns can be loaded in any position or
horizontal train, which advantage is possessed
by few. If any foreign battle-ships, the largest
guns of which can be loaded in one position
only.
The 8inch guns are to be mounted in pairs
in armored turrets. They are to be "a feet
inches above the water, and can fire over the
turrets on the deck below. The 6-inch guns are
to be mounted "a feet 10 inches above the
water the main deck without any super
structure.
AS to speed, the contract requirement is a
sustained average. through the trial, of Is
knots. The engines of the Massachusetts,
which are to develop 9,000-horse- power at the
maximum, are of the twin screw vertical triple
expansion, direct acting, inverted cylinder
type, in watertight compartments, separated
by bulk heads. The diameters of the cylinders
are: High pressure. 3415 inches; intermediate,
4S inches There are four double-ended and
two single-ended auxiliary steel boilers of the
horizontal retUl n-fre tube type, all constructed
for working pressure Of 100 pounds per square
inch
Electric light and ventilation are properly
cared for. and the system of drama ge is
sfmplined, while any compartment can be
pumped out either by hand or steam. The
quarters for tho officers and crew are unusually
commodious and comfortable, and from stem to
stem the vessel will be fitted with all the latest
improvements adapted to the steamers. The
Massachusetts has a length of 348 feet,
a breadth of 69z feet. and a mean draught of
"a feet giving her displacement of 10 200 tons,
Her draught is suited for some of the shall |
lower harbors, and yet she can take the sea In
all weathers.
The Cramps secured the contract for the
warship October 7, 1890, on bid Of g, ,o20, 900.