The Portland daily press., 1895-09-16
PURELY AMERICAN Ships.
That Is the Character Of the War
Vessels Now Building.
AMERICAN IN DESIGN, ARMOR
GUNS, MACHINERY AND BUILD.

Three Battle Ships to Be Completed With
in a Year-The Two Ships Authorized
by the Last Congress to Be Larger Than
Their Predecessors in Guns, Armor and
Speed.
Washington, September 15.-It is the
proud boast of the Navy Department
that the war vessels now building are
American from turret to keel, from stem
to sstern. The designs were drawn by
American draughtsmen in the bureau
of construction; the armor in which
they are sheathed twas forged at Bethle-
hem and Pittsburg, Pa. the process by
which the armor was hardened, and
which thus permits lighter weight OF
steel to be used without impairing its
relative strength, was patented by an
American; the guns with which the
ships are armed were built of American
steel by American mechanics at the Wash
ington Navy yard, the machinery itself
being of American manufacture, while
the contractors and their workmen who
constructed the vessels were also Of the
same nationality.
While ten years ago there was not in
the United States shipyard capable of
building anything larger than an ordl-
nary cruiser, there are today scores OF
shipyards in which such ships can be
built, while four of the number, namely,
the Cramps of Philadelphia, the Union
-
Iron Works of San Francisco, the Bath
Iron Works of Maine, and the Hunting
ton yard at New Yort News, all possess
plants in which the largest vessel afloat
can be as cheaply and as rapidly built
as at any other shipyard in the world.
The battle ships cost "a, 600, 600 to build
with their batteries on board. and when
ready for commission the cost will be
increased to an aggregate of sc. OOO. COO
each. The battle ship is essentially
fighting ship, and the four now in pro.
cess Of construction will be the best OF
their class and the equal of any in the
largest European navies Each carries
in it's main battery four 13-inch. eight
S-inoh, and four 6-inch guns, in addition
to powerful econdary battery. Three
of the four vessels will be in commission
within the next 10 months. The In
diana, which is the farthest advanced,
will be completed on January l, next
The Massachusetts, will be in commits
sion three months later, while the Oregon
will be turned over to the government
during the summer. On October 30 next
the plans and specifications for the two
new battle ships authorized at the last
session of Congress will be completed and
bids for their construction will be an
nounced The bids will be open on No
vember 80, and the work upon these YES
sells will begin not later than anuary l.
Secretary Herbert insists that these YES
sells shall be ready for sea within three
years after the contracts shall have been
let. Not only will there be no delay in
delivering the armor as has been the case
in years past, but the work in other dl-
rections will also be expedited.
Advantage will be taken in the con-
struction of the two new battle ships OF
the instructive object lessons furnished
these lessons is the enormous advantage
which results from the use of the rapid
fire guns in action, and as consequence
each will carry fourteen 5-lnch rapid
firing guns, in addition to four l3-lnch
and four 8-inch guns, and the secondary
battery. They viii differ from their pre-
decsssors. now rapidly nearing compile, pie
tion, in having displacement, OF l2Oo
additional tons. They will have the more
complete ar1nor protection which is afford
ed by the use Of the Haryeyized plates,
without any corresponding increase In
weight. They will steam 16 knots an
hour, and their construction will include
the minimum of combustiblesmaterla
even the furniture, to a large extent, be-
ing of iron manufacture
To one extent these vessels Will De an
Innovation in naval architecture. This
innovation is one which experts differ
widely. IT consists in double-deck tur-
ret in which the. 13 and S-inch guns will
be placed, with the purpose of concen-
tratfng the fire upon the enemy's ship
While it's advantages are obvious, its
disadvantages, it Is said, more than
counterbaIance it, in view Of the fact that
any disarrangement of the machinery,
such, for example, as the breaking OF
hydraulic pipe, would throw the turret
out of action. Secretary Herbert re-
ferred the whole matter OF the double
deck turret to board of line officers, the
majority of whom pronounced in its fav-
or. 1t was therefore adopted by him, al
though the constructors OF the navy uni
formly pronounced against it. Each Of
the vessels will be fitted out as flagship,
and each. like it's predecessors, will be
kept in commission until the.ofdcers and
men of the navy shall become sufficiently
familiar with it's mechanism to handle
and fight it properly.
The lack ssof an appropriation from
which to pay the expense OF nttlng the
cruiser Chicago with new machinery will
lose to the government the services of
this vessel for two years and possibly
longer, if Congress does not make such
ansappropriation next winter The Chica-
go is now laid up in ordinary In New
York. She has had 10 years continuous