New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-14
EVERY INCH AMERICAN.
TUE NEW BATTLE-sHIPs THE PRIDE OF
THE NAVY
m DESIGN. CONSTRUCTION. ARMoR AND ARMA
MENT THEY ARE ENTIRELY OF HOME

-, nrsrGN CONSTRUCTION. ARMoR AND ARMA-
MENT THEY ARE ENTIRELY OF HOME
MANUFACTURE.
r..,,nston Sept l3-It Is the proud boast OF the
x.yy Department that the vessels now
..,rs built are American from turret to keel and
,-,r, stem to stern. The designs drawn by
.ner,can draughtsmen in the Bureau OF Construc
.,,n the armor In which they are sheathed
,.,ged at Bethlehem and Pttsburg Penn. the pro-
...s by which the armor hardened. and which
Tins permits lighter weight OF steel to be used
~,hout impairment to its relative strength was
talented by American; the guns with which
~. ships are armed were built OF American steel
NJ American mechanics at the Washington Navy
yard the machinery itself being OF American manu-
,.c.ure while the contractors and their workmen
who constructed the vessels also Americans.
While ten years ago there shipyard in
,h. United States capable OF building anything larger
than an ordinary cruising vessel. there to-day
scores OF shipyards In which such ships can be
huilt while four OF the number-the Cramps, at
philadelphia the Union ron Works. OF San Fran
cisco the Bath Iron Works o, Maine. and the
Huntington yard at Newport News. Va.-possess
plants in which the largest vessels ahoat can be as
eheaply and rapidly built at any other ship
yard in the world
The large vessels above referred to. and which
are technically known as battle-ships. cost &ce.VN
20 build With their batteries board and when
an aggregate OF 100000 each.
TIE batte-ship is essentially a hghtns ship and
ire four now in process of construction will be the
hest Of their class and the equal Of any In the
largest European navies. Each carries In its main
battery four thr;een-uch. eight eight-inch and
four six-nch guns, In addition TO powerful second
srv battery Three OF the four vessels VIII be IN
commission within the next twelve months. The
Indiana which is the furthest advanced, VIII ne
completed on January l. 1856. The MASSACHUSETTS,
vii be in commission three months later While the
Oregon will be turned over TO the Government next
sumner on October 30 the plans and specincauons
Cor the two new batte-shps authorized at the last
he5r construction will be invited The bids will be
opened on November 30 and the work on the vesseis
Will begin not later than January l. secretary
herbert insists that these vessels snail De ready
FOR sea within three years after the contracts are
let. 1T, - 80 ,r,oy..,or
q, naval architecture. This feature is one on
which experts differ widely. II consists IN q
doIble-deck turret In which the thirteen-inch anI
eght-nch guns will be placed. with the purpose OF
DISCRIMINATING the fire on enemys ship. While
,.s advantages obvious. its disadvantages IL =
.s,d more than counterbalance them. in view OF
the fact that any dsarrangement OF the machinery
would throw the turret out OF action
The brilliant achievements of the old WOODEN
corvette Kearsage which defeated the Confederate
cruiser Alabama OF the coast OF France, III ,ne
civil War and which was wrecked on hohcauVr
Reef a year ago will be perpetuated In one OF the
new vessels by giving her name TO H. Following
the general custom however; the osher Nesst. vii
receive the name OF one OF the States Each VIII
no fitted out as a flagship. and each. ike rs pre-
decessors will be kept in commission until me me
familiar with its mechanism 10 handle and hght II
properly.