The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-23
THE new KBARSARGE
Powerful American BattleShipS About to
be Built.
They VIII Cost 100000 Each, and
VIII be the Most Destructive War
Vessels Afioat-Nothing Could Stand
Up Against Them-First DeScrip-
ton of These Formidable Vessels.

Up Against Inem-F1fSt DeScr1p-
ton of These Formidable Vessels.
copyright by the United Press, 1890
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-Within a
year after the famous frigate kear-
sarge was wrecked on Roncador Reef
Congress determined to perpetuate the
name by giving it to the most powerful
defender of American rights that could
be designed by our naval constructors
and by its Act of March :, 1880, auth
orized two great armored battleshlps,
to ultimately COST complete, about 3d.
100000 each, and to be invulnerable
against the heaviest sea-going fighters
OF any foreign navy. The specific pro-
vision that one of these vessels should
be christened Kearsarge made an ex-
ception to the law STIMULATING that ships
of this class should be named for States
OF the Union, and Congress alone had
power to modify this requirement. AS
no suggestion was made in the case OF
the sister ship the suggestion has been
made that she be called after Secre-
tary Herbert's native State, the other
sections of the country having been re-
RENDERED in the Oregon, Indiana,
Massachusetts and Iowa. This ques-
ton will not be pressed until the
launching time comes-about two years
hence-and in the meantime, in accord
ance with the usual custom of the Navy
Department, the vessels will be OIL
cially known as battleShipS No. and
No. 6. Legislative authority also de-
clared that one of the vessels should be
built on the Pacific Coast, unless rea-
sonable bids could not be secured from
that locality, and the limit of cost, ex-
elusive of armament, was fixed at 81,
100000.
These being the first great warships
designed under the present Administra-
tion, it was resolved that no effort
should be spared to make them, with
out question, the highest types of their
class; and for the past six months lively
controversies have ragged in the Navy
Department over their smallest details,
every portion of the designs having
been eXhaustiYely discussed by experts,
and every advantage of experience
gained from other battleships con-
structed both at home and abroad haV-
ing been fully utilized.
One essential requisite laid down by
Secretary Herbert was that these yes
sells should draw less water when fully
laden than any other first-class battle
ship, either in this country or abroad.
The largest foreign battle-shipS, when
ready for sea duty, draw in the neigh
bCrhood of tWenty-eight feet of water.
Our existing battleshipS, while draw
ing twenty-four feet at normal dis
Placement, owing to the settling by the
stern due to increased weight, really
draw about twenty-seven feet. Battle
ships ) and have been designed tC
draw but twenty-five feet, with 1,2Ot
tons of Goals and all stores and ammu-
milton on board. This will enable then
to reach all the principal navy yards
and ports of the country even when
fully laden, and will make their dock
ing less difficult than that OF the other
American battle-ships.
The question of the caliber and dispo-
sition of the large guns gave rise tc
more discussion than any other ques-
ton in connection with these vessels
Chief Constructor Hichborn, who is re-
spOnsible for all designs under the new
1uIing of the Navy Department, heIo
Views differing radically from those OF
the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
who designs and builds the guns. The
chief constructor advocated that the
largest guns should be twelve inches
caliber-four being carried in two tur-
rets-and that eight-inch guns SHOULD
BE- carried in four turrets, making six
proposed the novel scheme OF two
double decked turrets on each ship, il
the lower part of which were to bC
mounted two 13-inch guns, and in the
upper part two S-inch guns, making the
heavier battery consist of four l3-incf
and four S-inch in two turrets. The
department, upon the majority vote o.
the Council of Bureau Chiefs, finally
adopted this plan, and the 13-inch anc
S-inch guns will accordingly be
mounted in double turrets, one rigidly
superposed on the other.
These gun positions will be elliptica
in section, with major axes in the line
Of fire and will have complete armol
protection from distance of four feel
below the water line to the top of the
S-inch turrets. This armOr, as wei
as all armor used on these vessels, vii
be solid nickel-steel, Harveyized. Th'
lower part Of the protection, the so
called barbettes, as well as the 13-incl
turrets. will have armor fifteen inches
thick, except Immediately in front
where it will be increased to seventeen
inches. The armor protecting thu
S-inch guns will be nine inches heavie
where the guns protrude.
In addition to these heavy guns, {
battery of fourteen 5-inch rapid-fir'
guns will be mounted on the main deci
between the turrets and will be protect
ed by continuous armor six inches thick
a splinter buIkhead two inches thicl
separating each gun station. num-
erous battery Of smaller siX-poundel
guns and one-pounder guns will b'
placed wherever they can fire to advan
tage.
The protection of the hull against in
fury to the vital regions along th'
waterline viii be effected by means o
q side armor belt of sixteen and hal
inches maximum thickness, with ;
mean depth of seven and half feet, 81
disposed in reference to the loadlin
that the vessel with 40 tons Of Goa
aboard, will have three and half fee
OF this belt armor above the water
and with 12l0 tons of coal aboard, TIVE
feet will be exposed TO view. The bel
extending from the stem TO the at
barbette and maintaining a maximum
thickness from its after end to the for
ward boiler room bulkhead viii tape
gradually to fou. inches behind tn
ram.
Protection will be afforded above III
main side armor by a steel belt Nv
inches thick, extending up TO the leNe
Of the main deck and running in fore
and-aft direction from the center o
the forward to the center of the afte
barbette on top Of the main side ar
NOR belt will rest a fiat steel deck tw
and three-quarter inches thick, an
forward and abaft the machinery an
boiler spaces this deck will be in
clined at the sides, and the thickness
on the slopes increased to three an
five inches To further protect tn
vessel against raking fire athwartshiI
bulkheads of armor ten and lively
inches thick Will be placed at tn
points where the deck joins the IN
clined slopes. In addition to the armo
belts cofferdams filled with com
pressed. fireproof American corn-pitl
cellulose. recently tested with sue
satisfactory results. will be distribute
the entire length of the vessel in tn