The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-01

served q leave OF absence. IN OCT IL eA-
actly three months after the ships were
authorized. the bids for constructing them
were opened. The Cramps were awarded
the construction of the Indiana and Massa-
chusetts and the Oregon was gwen to the
Union iron works of San Francisco.
The Indiana is the eighth war ship that
the Cramps have launched. and Is the larg-
est ever gent from their ways. Up TO this
time the Now York. with tonnage OF 5000.
was the largest. The Indiana, the most
formidable of the vessels built or building
for the new American navy, Is war ship
OF which any nation might be proud. and Is
q triumph for American shipdesigners,
shipbuilders, and, it Is hoped. of American
marine enginebnilders. OF course. so far
as her engines are concerned, their power
and efficiency will not be ascertained Tor
considerable time, but the contracts call
for high power and good speed. The keel
OF the Indiana was laid on May z, 1881. she
being the first of the three vessels author
lied by the act of Congress.
The Indiana Is q steel coast-line battle
ship, having a length of 3i6 feet on the
load water line, an extreme breadth of GA
and mean draught OF "a, while her dis
placement 10 10000 TONS The advance
made in this respect Is visible on noting
that the displacement of the Texas is G, 200
and that of the Maine 6.6iS. She is de-
signed for sea service In all weathers.
while her draught Is suited to work In our
shallow harbors.
AS described by Chief Constructor Will
son. the hull is protected By belts of heavy
armor ia feet wide. turned in forward and
aft to sweep around the bases of the ar
mored redoubts the whole including about
IS per cent of tho water plane area. For
ward and absft this belt are heavy under
water protective decks, sloping at the sides
to Ala feet below the water. There 10 also
an armored deck over the belt. Coal bunk
ers are worked over the belt deck, and
belts of water-excIuding material are
worked on the slopes of the armOr deck for
ward and aft. Above the belt armor and
extending from redoubt to redoubt the side
Is protected by five inches of steel.
There Is water-line belt. 3 feet above
and 419 feet below the water line. of 1S-lnch
srmor. Rising from this. at each end, are
armored redoubts of IL inches in thick
ness, extending above the main deck Sl5
feet. giving an arm0red freebOard OF 15 feet
2inches. These redoubts protect the turn
ing gear of the turrets and all the opera
tions of loading The turrets are inclined.
II inches thick and powerfully strength
ened. The horizontal thickness of the tur-
rets is 90 inches The side-armor belt is
backed by inches OF wood, two 94-inch
plates and 1O-foot belt of coal. The YES
sci above the belt has inches of armor
protection. The S-inch guns have barbettes
of 10 inches. inclined turrets of SD inches
ana cone bases ana loading tuOeS OF 8
inches. The 6-lnch guns are protected by
b inches of armor. and have Pinch splinter
Dulkheads worked around the deck, inside
of which the ammunition of three guns is
set up. The 6-pounders. when mounted be-
tween decks, have Pinch armor worked
around them; elsewhere they have the
usual service shields. The 1-pounders are
protected by inches of steel. The deolk
over the belt is pa inches. and, at the ends.
the underwater decks are inches. These
a ALL f.f Valyr Of
h-inch mild steel plates. with the remain
ing thickness all In one plate of steel
Rrmor There is q 10-inch armored CON-
ming tower. with finch tube for protect
ing the voice-pipes. electric wire and steer
ing connections.
The armament consists of four 13-inch So
calibAe breech. loading rifles eight S-inch
breeeh-lOading rifles, four 6-inch Dreech-
loading rifles, twenty 6-Dounder rapij-tire
guns. six l-pounder rapid-tire guns, two
GsslinQs and six torpedo tubes or guns.
This represents q weight of armament
superior TO that of any of the latest battle
ships laid down by foreign powers. The
lS-inch guns are 17%s feet above the water.
and have great arcs of train. The 6-inch
guns are IA feet 10 inches above the water.
and all ire across the center line. The
S-inch guns are mounted 244 feet above
the water. and can fire over the tops of the
13-lnch guns, having train of ii degrees
across the middle line. These guns can
pierce at two miles the armor of many of
che modern armOred cruisers OF great coal
endurance. They can be brought into &C.
tion earlier in the engagement on account
of their great height, and can be used with
great effect against the lighter armored
and unarmored parts of the heavier battle
ships. Special attention has been paid to
the ammunition supply. and q rapid. eff
cient and thoroughly protected supply has
been secured.
THE INDIANRs STRONG POINTS.
vril no a.
of the chief constructor that in the Ind Iana
and her mates the features of battery
power and armor protection have been
greatly emph9eszed. A fighting ship. as
has often been said. is necessarily a COM
promise among several desired qualities,
none of which can be carried to their
highest point. Accordingly the stress laid
on guns and power in the Indiana has
caused so9e diminution in two orther
points. speed and radius of action. Her en-
gines. which. as usual. are of the twin
screw, vertical. Jriple-expansion type. are
TO develop 5000 horse power. and are to
give her speed of 1872 knots at the maxi
mum. aud an average or sustained sea
speed OF Is knots. In the Iowa. the fourth
battle ship, of nearly 1000 tons greater
displacement, the speed anu coal carry in z
capacity have been increased. and cOnse-
uuently we find not so thick ermor OF so
Iowa, IN fact, Is the first vessel OF q new
class. that OF the sea going as distinguished
from the oOast-line battle ships.
The complement of the vessel, officers
and crew, will be AGO persons. Good quar-
ters and accommodations are provided for
them and all the latest sanitary improve
ments Will be placed on the battle ship.
The Indiana Is designed especially as a
vessel to tight. and not to run away at all.
And IL Is the opinion of those acquainted
with marine affairs that she will answer
fully the purpose for which she was built.
Her cost IS s., 020.O 00.> The Indiana can lay
alongside of any vessel that could reach
our shores and give aud take fair battle In
tho style exhibited by the American navy
In the time of Paul Jones and Decatur
There are six powerful search lights ar.
ranged along the sides to locate the enemy
mt night and TO guard against small boat
attacks under cover of darkness. The com.
plement OF twelve boats and one balsa are
slowed well above the fash of the guns
and are handled by means of powerful
cranes. The vessel Is also provided with Q
complete lncasement of torpedo netting.
OF the Indiana and her mates Secretary
Tracy said. in his report for 1890. that iii
these battle ships the department conf
IDENTIFY asserts that the United States will
become possessed of three vessels of the
highest power, whose equal as fighting
ships does not exist at the present day
Since those words were written the de
fensive effectiveness ofthese vessels has
been greatly increased by the application
of the Harvey process TO the armor to bs
used IN their construction.
What shape Shall the state Souvenir Take:
To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal
Idesfra ~ thank vou for vonr asiitoriaI In 70