Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-12

bow AT each end of the thickest part OF
me SIDE belt a twelve-inch bulkhead of
steel VIII run athwartship to the barbette-
opposing raking fore-and- aft fire ON the
Tour heavy walls thus formed will rest a
fiat protective deck of steel two and three
quarter inches thick. and below and within
TINS compass viii rest the engines bul.rs
magazines and shell rooms. and beneath
the added shelter of the water without and
many feet of coal within
From these athwar,ship bulkheads two
SiantlhS decks Will run TO the bow and the
stern The after one will be four inches
thick, and the forward one forming the
backbone for the murderous ram bow will
be an inch thinner.
A continuous belt OF corn nth cellulose-a
material swelling rapidly when wet and
capable OF automatically plugging holes adj
mltuns water-will be worked from stem to
stern, experimenting the protection Offered
10y tne disposition of coal and the six-!nch
steel along the sides above the heavy part
Of the armor belt
In addition to the many water-;ipht conn
partments into which the shin will lie cur
for added safety. a double bottom reaching
from the keel up to the lower edge OF The
armor belt. and honeycombed 10y minute
SUBDIVISIONS. Will help to minimize and
localize damage
The least possible amount Of wood will be
used. and that fire-proofed by the process of
known efficiency. that the chance of fire
ana nying splinters may be reduced to a
minimum.
On each mast set of electrical signals
VIII flash their messages at night and dou-
bic the chances of directing against The ar
cident of battle, while incandescent CLOVIS
VIII spread a happy sembance OF sunshine
through every nook and crook of the ship
Down the lower half OF the mainmast
great blowers Will draw fresh air and force
1. into every secret recess. driving away the
noxious fumes and gases that may gather
there.
Immense pumps. with a minute capacity
OF thousands of gallons will draw water
from the Injured compartments or fill them
more quickly in case of fire.
-Four score and more of auxiliary engines
Will ease the tax upon the crew 10y turning
the turrets, raising the powder and shot
from their stores below and placing the
heavy weights in the guEs themselves by
turning the rudder from side to side against
the rush of tons OF seething water by dis
charging ashes. loading coal. raising and
handling the boats. and by doing other
services leyond the power Of the whole
crew combined.
The propelling machinery will consist of
two triple-expansion engines. each in its
own water-tght compartment having CYL
inders of 33.5. 81 and as inches in dame
ter, with a compound stroke of four feet.
Steam will be supplied by eight large sin
gle-ended boilers in four sc parate compart-
ments.
Under way and at full speed the engine
room of such a craft is a sight never to be
forgotten. Complex but not confused has
tening. but no. hurrying, the engines make
one hundred and twenty turns a minute
the struggling mechanisms to the two six
teen-foot screws. which In turn force the
ship through the water with a speed and
momentum that mean destruction to every
thing struck.
The exhausted steam is turned into the
condeEsers cooled by the discharge OF ira-
mense pumps driving through them q
steady stream of thousands of gallons OF
cold water. ard. after wandering
through miles of piping, is turned out
ready for reconsumptior by the boilers.
With twelve hundred tons of coal
board. at cruising speed of ten knots. the
ship will be able to go six thousand knots
and at speed of thirteen knots will Re
able to cross the Atlantic, and then have
more.
No speed premium is offered. but a pen
atty, at the rate of S250OO a quarter knot
is imposed for failure of the first half kno.
below the maximum: but the liberal gov
ornamental margin of safety leaves room, II
liz said. for no fear on that score.