The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-24


The main features of the Kearsarge's
design involve the following dimensions;
Length Of load water line, 56o feet
Beam. extreme. y feet 2-5 inches.
TreebOard forward, II iect . lnches.
Freeboard aft. u feet inches.
Mean draft with 40 tons OF coal, p
feet 8 inches.
corresponding displacement, 1850 tons.
Speed, per hour, Is knots.
Indicated horsepower 10000.
Total coal supply, loose stowage, Ito
tons.
Torpedo tubes, two each broadside, in
stem.
TO serve the batteries. 4Sl tons Of am
munition will be habtually carried on
each ship. distributed as follows;
Thirteen~inch breech-loading rifles, 20
rounds.
Eieht-inch breech-ioading rifles, 500
Five-inch rapid-hre rifles. $500 rounds.
Six-pounder apid-hre fies. lo.Oo0 rouni
One-pOuuQer rapid-Ine rifles 2i.vJj rounds
Zach MAGAZINE is intended 10 contain
20S 900 rounds of - calibre cartridges, 10
be fed into the Unsuitable maws OF the
four Gatlings, each capable OF dischargihs
] 800 shots a minute; 10000 rounds OF zoo
calibre nickeled pellets for the repeating
rifles vi N MlicN JACK ar anu t'.
marines viii shortly be equipped. ana
5000 rounds of IS calibre bah cartridges
for the self-cocKing. long naval revolNers
10 be useful in boarding an enemy. tlsht
Whitehead tOrpedOes Will ordinarily be
stored ready for launching, and for land
ing purposes a mounted regulation field
gun has not been omitted. II Is consef-
vatively estimated that the kearsarse,
In commission. will have sufficient am
munition aboard 10 KIN or disable over
a million persons. and that she will be
able TO fire 1t all away within five hours
the calculated duration limit of a fierce
fight anoat.
Every comparison Of these ships with
any foreign battlcship. built or building
Is clearly favorable to the American
design. The United states ships viii
carry heavier guns and more OF them,
and heavier arm0r. more widely distrio-
uted and protecting more thoroughly the
vtals Of the ship and gun crews. While
their norral speed of sixteen knots will
d. less on paper than that Of some for
eign battleships il Is notable that II Will
be obtained with a very moderate forced
draft for a period OF four hours and
without unduly pushing the engines, so
that at any time this velocity can be du-
picated by our vessels. foreign battle
ships VIGOROUSLY never again approaching
The United States has never fallen into
this error with its batteships but IN
every case has required that the maxi
mum contract speed should be obtained
under conditions which could be repro
duced a any time upon g. well-drlled
ship. As illustrative of this point. the
Indiana. upin her recent official trial run,
although she had been in the water for
over a year. and presumably lost half
a knot through the roughness OF her bot
tom. due 10 accumulated marine growth.
IN averaged a Is l-2-knOt rate four
hours. the contract requirement being
fifteen only. The Indiana class may
prove 10 he really l6-knot ships and bat
tlcahips Nos and 6. with about tho
oeuvre in company with them.
The Kearsarge. when using as bases of
action ports having not moro thai q
feet Of water at their entrances will be
limited TO 40 tons OF coal. which Will
permit her to cruise $50 nautical miles
al a 1s-knot rate. or 1900 miles at ten
knots pC~hOur When operating from
a deep-water harbor, however. her bunk
er-room Is so ample that 1910 tons can
be rapidly stored In her. II being posi-
bio TO dump that amount with the great
est case into the bunkers without trim
miag or handling, and with This amount,
for all ordinary contingencies. or for
service In time OF war along our coast.
at a cruising velocity OF thirteen knots.
she can : cam nearly 400 miles or at
the more leisurely ten-knot rate she can
10 over 5000 miles. In case II became
necessary 20 send her greater distances
she has provision 20 carry temporarily
about 500 tons outside tho bunkers. which