Evening star., 1896-03-21

water. In all the suggestive lightness OF
white paint one would hardly imagine her
a floating mass of H. 41O tons of STEEL but
such in fact she will be when fully equip
ped and prepared for service. IL
Protecting the Vitals.
The motive power and machinery of a
ship, aside from the guns and their protec-
ton, are termed the "vitas:'' and to shield
them from an enemy's fire Is prime con-
sideration. To that end. on the Iowa.
water-line band of armor ~ feet wide and
Il inches thick, 3 feet above and Az feet
below the load line. running forward and
aft for distance Of 1S5 feet amidship,
offers broadside- protection The ends of
this belt are then Joined inboard by
athwartship bulkheads IL inches thick.
and resting, like roof, upon the four walls
thus formed is protective deck Of steel,
2A inches thick. strong enough to defect
any shot passing in through the five-inch
armor, which reinforces the sides from the
top of the heavy band up to the main deck.
Above this roof and extending to the
sides are many feet of coal, SO wisely dis
posed that its preser ce may give added pro-
lection to the boilers, engines and maga-
zines that lie below and within this box of
heavy steel. From the lower edges Of the
thick cross-wise bulkheads. spreading from
side to side and running thence to the bow
and the stern, are two decks of three-inch
STEEL the forward one termiE a ting at the
stem and forming the spine for the ram be-
yond. Golfer dams on each side and for
ward and eft Of the vital region, filled with
ce,lulose a substance swelling rapidly when
wet and capable of plugging automatically
shot holes admitting water, will give added
protection to the parts less heavily shielded.
Within the outer hull for distance of 294
feet, the space occupied by the v1tals there
is another or inner bottom, extending up
to the protective deck or armored roof of
this region. seeming. as it were. smaller
craft cut off abruptly at each end and fitted
bodily within the larger vessel The space
between this inner bottom and the outside
skin Is divided into numerous water-tight
compartm ents, under the control OF power
full pumps, having individual capacities OF
thousands of gallons a minute. The entire
interior Of the ship Is further cut up INTO
other but larger compartments, that can be
filled or drained at will to quench fire or
to overcome leak.
Way down in the depths Of the craft. be-
meath the water and under the protective
deck and those tons and tons Of coal-each
in its own compartment-are five ponderous
boilers and two sets Of triple expansion en-
gines, which must develop the power need
full to drive the ship through the water at
the rate Of sixteen knots an hour.
Powerful Machinery.
With barred breasts and arms, a corps Of
coal beavers and firemen will shovel fuel
into those thirty odd glaring mouths and
torment with long slice bars the furious
may be goaded to their working pressure Of
1GO pounds under the added draught of nu-
merous fans. Deft engineers and assistants
will watch the intricate maze Of pulsing
steam and water pipes. the lightning
strokes Of shining piston rods and crank
shafts, and keep cool with a frothy emul-
sion of oil and sea water the burdened jour-
nails and the immense thrust blocks that
bear the push Of those driving engines and
transmit that awful power to the movement
of the craft.
No less than a hundred auxiliary engines,
steam, electrical and hydraulic, will lessen
the tax upon the muscular energies Of the
crew of 45O souls. perform tasks beyond the
power of that whole aggregation, consid-
cred as unit Of energy. and add to the efi-
cheney Of the craft by lifting and lowering
the boats, raising the anchors, loading coal
and stores, discharging ashes. bringing
shot, shell and powder from their rooms be-
low to the several gun stations, turning the
turrets and swinging the great rudder from
side to side against the pressure of hum
dreds Of tons OF rushing water, and that at
the merest pressure Of the lightest hand.
The exhausted steam Is not wasted, but
turned instead into two large condensers,
where, after wandering through miles Of
cooling pipes, it Is turned out in the form of
hot water ready for reconsumptfon.
The Wonders of the Interior.
Steam will spread Its cheerful glow
throughout the living spaces and keep
them dry anu W6Tu uuOcE luo udTQeBC OF
weather conditions, and great blowers will
send fresh air into the bilge and coal bunk
erb and drive therefrom the noxious fumes
and gases that may gather there. An elec-
sric plant will develop the light needed to
shed the refulgence Of hundreds and thou
sands Of candles Vithin her darkest cor
ners or to guard without against sudden
assault at night: distillers, with a daily
output Of 1900 gallons, will supply plenty
OF fresh pure water: large Ealleys win