The sun., 1895-03-06
Works Wonders
1HE yArAL pRosEAmME.
Lewis Nixon Speaks OF the Importance or
the Composite Gunboats.


Mr. Lewis Nixon, the weil-known battle ship
designer and marine expert, who recently left
the employ Of the Cramps to engage In ship
building under his own management in Eliza
beth, said yesterday that the country ought TO
be glad that the new Naval bill provides for
moro battle ships.
lie also said that the Importance Of providing
for several composite gunboats ought not TO be
overlooked. Mr.. Nixon added;
~ am much pleased, too. to some COM
posite gunboats, though l think they rather
too large. England manages to have vessel
whenever and wherever needed, and she does
It by having nearly one half OF her vessels on
the active list of the small composite gunboat
class.
"As our navy increases the cost OF main
tenunce will increase also. and it seems wise to
consider the question of economy in cruising.
For ordinary peace work a vessel carrying sixty
men would be just as efficient as one carrying
four hundred men. much more so at Bluefields,
for example. where the Columbia had to anchor
so far away that she was out of sight.
THE vessels should have ample sail power so
as to make most of their passages under
sai They should have single screws and the
Engineer-in-chief should have freedom to get up
lent type as those designed for the revenue
steamer Window.
For such machinery forgings can be made on
an anvil from bars heated in the boiler furnaces.
Such repairs can be made at any time. and far
from home. With their coppered bottoms these
vessels could remain on foreign stations for
years.
Ter of'nen more vessels an be ihaaned .ssico
same money. x strong effort may be made
to get them above 1000 tons. This will
will be increased several thousands OF dollars
over what they would be for vessels under 1000
tons Thsse small vessels viii also give the
:. In speaking Of the new battle ships. MIR.
II am sorry the bill did not authorize three
instead of two such vessels. Our policy for
fighting purposes should be to add battle ships
building. It would have been great mistake to
have made break in work of such vital i'm
March oi Cycers are
delighted with the action OF Congress in provd-
ing for six li2ht-draught gunb0ats of about 900
tons displacement to cost not more than S2GO.-
600 each and to be of composite construction.
Ever since Chief Constructor iIichborn's tour
1885 he has been urging upon the proper au-
thoritles OF the United States this method OF
begun at once, and by reason Of the STIMULATION
that not more than two of the vessels shall he
built in any one shipyard, it is expected that the
commission year after the contracts are let:
The United States now has comparatively few
of such useful ships. The Castine and Mach HAS.
Of l.l17 tons each, are our only new vessels OF
similar size and capabilities. although the three
gunboats of 1,392 tons now building at New
port News closely approach them In adaptRbilty
for duty in the shallow harbors. In the new
designs the department will probably adopt a
displacement of 1000 tons, and on account of
the cost limit will omit many Of the expensive
internal luYuries which crowd modern
ships, and will thereby secure increased coal
capacity and engine room without sacrificing
speed comfort
The value OF this class OF vessels is clearly
shown in the of the Petrol. asteel gunb0at of
only 300 tons displacement authorized March 3.
1885, the appropriation for her being S215, 600.
This vessel was commissioned in $50. cruised on
the Atlantic coast a year, went to China i'll 1891.
anu cruised tho following two years. spent last
mud dock at New ChwanE the past wintcr. She
has been in constant service since she was com
peted. She is of steel throughout, but it is now
conceded that vessels of the small cruiser class
should preferably be of the composite construc-
tion, with steel framing and upper works. but
with the bottom planked with wood and sheathed
with copper
The chief advantages of this method of con-
struction are that the copper sheathing is anti
fouling, preventing accumulation of marine
growth by which the speed of the ship is re-
duced in extreme cases to only about half what
IL would be with clean bottom. Also, small
vessels like these must frequently be sent into
oughy charted, SO that they will be less in
danger Of touching bottom than larger ones.
The thick plank bottom, though no stronger
than thin steel plating under ordinary. con-
ditions afioat, Is much better qualified by it's
elasticity to resist the pounding and grinding
the recent case OF the Kearsarge, which. though
landed bodily upon hard rock bottom, pounded
for some hours before sufficient damage was
done to permit large influx of water.