Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-28
THE BATTLE SHIP MAINE
She is Now Said to Be Structurally De-
fective in Many Respects.
Some of the Serious Defects Enum-
erated-The Cause Said to BE
Blunders I'm Design.

The battle ship Maine, which has just
been put in commission at the New York
navy yard, is said to be structurally de-
fect!ve. Many of her predecessors in the
new navy were similarly criticised upon
their entry into the service. Practical
experience with these vessels, with one ex-
ception, has since effectually disproved
the grave charges against them, and the
naval authorities are confident that the
charges against the Maine will be similarly
exploded.
Alleged Blunders In Design.
According to an unofficial report, coming
from New York. it has just been 6scov-
cred that serious defects exist in the
Maine, the result of inaXcusable blum
ders in her design. 1t is alleged that the
vessel draws three feet more water for
ward than she does aft. and that she lists
considerably to starboard: that is the right
hand side of the vessel looking forward
sinks deeper than the left-hand side. Her
critics say that being now ready for sea,
and having taken aboard her full coal sup
ply of 500 tons and her complete outfit of
men, stores and ammunition, she should
float symmetrcally If she was properly de-
signed. They assert that ner defective
flotation lines must be due to radical and
permanent causes, and not to n mere tenn
porary misplacing Of weights.
Some Defects Admitted.
1t is admitted, however, that while the
alleged depression of the vessels bows is
a serious matter. as indicating grave err
rors Of calculation, 1t need NOT detract rer-
manently from her general efficiency. On
first leaving port, with all her stores and
coal, she will be wet forward in a moderate
Seaway, and will doubtless be somewhat
retarded in speed, but as soon as coal has
been used out Of her forward bunkerS to
the amount of about one hundred tons, her
bow and stern will probably have about
the same draught.
The alleged list to starboara is a more
serious defect. When all the vessels inter-
nal weights have besn slowed systemat
ically, if the ship has n list to starboard,
one side must have been built on different
lines from those of the other s.de-a con-
dition that would affect her stability and
her value as a gun platform.
Designs by Constructor Wilson.
The Maine was built at the New York
navy yard, from designs prepared by
Naval Constructor Wilson. Her principal
dimensions are: Length over all, 224 feet
AZ inches; length Of load water line, 31S
feet 3 inches; extreme beam, 81 feet; mean
draught 81 feet 6 inches; displacement,
6,6S2 tons; speed, II knots. She has eight
steel horizontal boilers; vertical inverted
cylinder. direct acting triple expansion
twin screw engines of 5000 indicated horse
power. She carries 80 tols of coal, with
which she can steam 2,T70 knots at AS
knots an hour, 1900 knots at 10 knots
an hour. She has double bottom and nu-
merous water-tight compartments
Her armor consists of a side armor belt,
twelve inches thick. Four ten-inch rifles,
en- barbette in turrets, constitute her main
battery and six siX-inch rifles on the bat
terry deck form the auxiliary battery. Four
siX-pounder. eight three-poundar and two
one-pounder rapid fire guns, four revolving
cannon and four Gatlings make up the
secondary battery. There are armored
tops on each of the two masts.
What Constructor HichbOrn Says.
Officials at the Navy Department are reti-
cent in regard to the Maine. Those APP
preached say that they could not talk
on the subject in the absence of Of
fetal informatb n. There is nothing on
record at the department to indicate that the
vessel is structurally defective. Chief Con-
structor Hichborn says he is satisfied that
the Maine is all right and that she Will
show proper trim when fully equipped with
men, stores and ammunition. The alleged
forward dip Of the vessel, he says Will dis