The morning times., 1896-04-20
DUMMY WARSHIP TivSnaI1 ivnaII1'
Immense Model Built at the
Navy Yard Here.
DEPARTURE In ARMAMENT
The Lower Turret Is Intended to
Contain Thlrteen-Inch Guns, While
Those Oh the Upper Turret VIII
BE of the Eight Inch Calibre-
Positions of the Monster Cannon.

Down In the ship house at the Washing
ton Navy Yard there is full-siZed model
OF The double turretS which are TO be con-
structed on the TWO Eew battleShips Kear-
sargeand Kentucky. Although the models
not as Notwithstanding as the turTets
themselves are likely 10 be, it is neyerthe
less easy enough TO realize how ferocious
the steel boxes will appear when they are
percned on the decks OF the new battleShips.
The size OF the model is surprising To the
average visitor who wanders into the
ship house on a casual visit OF inspection,
and remarks are made as 10 the imme nSity
of the STRUCTURE.
The model is not very attra ctive in
appearance, Dut il serves Its purpose Well
in Illustrating the size and general char
acter of the real turretS. The model is
made of white pine. and being only
| temporary structure ii is not painted or
finished IN other respects as it would be
If ii were intended To be held intact for
any length of time. The model was built
| by the construction bureau, and is in charge
! of Officers OF that bureau. who are stationed
| at the yard. 1t was built in compliance
with the orders of Chief Constructor Hich
born, as approved by the Secretary OF the
| Navy.
FOR BENEFIT OF THE BOARD.
! benefit of the board of naval officers, who
were recently appointed by Secretary Her
! bert to consider the important subject of
batteries for the four new battleShIps, pro-
| vision for which is contained in the naval
/ appropriation bill recently passed by the
House OF Representatives aud now pending
! before the Senate.
The board, consisting OF Rear Admiral
| John G.. Walker, Commodore Robert l..
NJ
Naval Constructor Joseph j. Wood ward
and Commodore Francis a. Cook, visited
the model a few days ago and made
! thorough inspection OF it. They spent
some time in the inspection, and went
! through the turret from top to bottom. The
1 idea was to get practical illustration OF
| just how one OF these double turrcts will
appear and how they will be operated on
! board battleship. There never has been
! any representation of these turrets except
the plans on paper, ana in view Of the fact
that the question of adopting them for use
on the four prospective battieships Is under
| consideration ii was thought best to havean
! object lesson on them.
TOOK A WEEK TO BUILD.
II took Just about Il week, counting all
! of the labor performed, TO construct this
massive model. As has been said, ii is
made Of pine throughout, and beyond the
use Of supply of nails no other material
was required. The structure rests on Il
raised platform at the north end of the
ship house, Which is located TO the left
Of The main entrance OF the yard.
TIE model is raised quite Il distance from
the ground, and is reached by temporary
wooden stairway. Besides the double tur-
ret itself, q portion OF the barbette rising
| from the armOr deck is shown in tie model.
| The model is as exact a represen ntauon or
the real turret as could be made under the
| circumstances. The guns are represented,
| as aIe two@storics of the turret, and in
side the various apparatus at hand for
the manipulation and firing Of the guns
is shown.
The guns. like the rest of the model, are
OF natural size, and protrude from the
openings in the sides for about eighteen
| feet. In the model tie guns are made OF
long pine strips nailed TO circular pieces
placed al frequent intervals TO give them
the shape OF the real guns.
ONE OTHER MODEL.
In other respects the model, taken as a
! whole, appears to be solid and sound, but
the structure was made to illustrate the two
story idea of the turret rather than how the
guns will appear. so that the appearance Of
the skeleton guns does not detract from
the usefulness of the model as whole.
| Inere mas DeeI pTopduiy olliS oAe olilel
fullsized model OF this character ever built
at the Washington navy yard. Some time
ago representation was made to show the
eliiptical turrets as contrasted with the cir
cular ones whisi had always been in use,
but with this exception there was no other
full-sized model of a ships turret constructed
there. 1t is therefore quite out OF the
ordinary to have this massive structure
standing under cover in the ship house at
the navy yard. II was expected for some
time that the naval committees of both
houses of Congress would visit the yard and
take trip through the model but this
has now been abandoned, and unless the in
dividual members should care to make an In
spection there will probably be no further
use for the model.