Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-15

,e,,,,, an them Immediately. BY the de-
,s0e4 drawings and specifications OF the
Ne,v DEPARTMENT il is easy TO show ex-
actlv how the Kentucky VIII look when
eguipped for either cruising or war. Al
tforrb the contractors have three years
in which 20 complete her, 1t is not pro-
liable that it will require that length OF
time 20 build the battleship. Work VIII
De carried on simultaneously on both
the Kentucky and the Kearsarge. and it
IFS probable that they will be ready for
launching az nearly the same time
SECRETARY HERBERTS PRIDE.
Each of the ships will carry a compile
frout of coo men and officers. They are
TIE first hattleships designed under the
sdrninistration OF Secretary Herbert. who
has been anxious that they should be
without question the best Of their class;
hence, all questions arising IN their de-
sign have been investigated carefully and
FULLY. and advantage has been taken OF
he experience gained in the construction
II other battleships in the United States
and elsewhere.
There Is little probability, therefore, that
either ship, when completed and in com
mission. Will be found structurally weak
or faulty in any respect. All the weights
have been calculated carefully, and II the
vessels draw more than twenty-five feet
when loaded with full equipment, LOO
tons Of coal and ammunition, somebody
viii be held responsible for the error.
In general appearance. both ships will
seem rather short for their great beam,
their length being S6S feet; extreme beam
= feet inches: freeboard forward, IL feet
: inches: freeboard aft. l. feet inches;
mean draught, with 40 tons of coal on
board. % feet inches. which means a
displacement Of 1850 tons.
Their speed under full power will be
about l6 knots. or the same as that OF
the Indiana class. These ships will be the
first Of the larger vessels OF the new navy,
for which the department holds out no
speed premiums. but penalties Will be en-
forced for failure 10 make the speed called
f1r in the contracts The machinery is eX-
pected 10 develop 10O00-horse power. and
Il will drive twin screws.
ADVANTAGES OF LIGHT DRAUGHT.
one Of the requirements laid down by
the Secretary was that these vessels
should draw less water. when fully load
"a. than any other nrst-class battleship
either in this country or elsewhere. The
argest foreign ship draws about twenty
eight feet, while the ships Of the Indiana
class will draw but one foot less. The
new shins. however, have been designed to
aM Jul INVENT -llNt AttAr with law NOiiS
% coal aboard. They thus Will be en-
shled 20 reach all Of the principal navy
yards and ports OF the country. and can
be- locked with less difficulty than those
sow building
HEAVIEST POSSIBLE BATTERIES.
ln deciding upon the batteries OF the
vessels there was MUCH discussion wheth-
or the main turrets should be
mounted with l8- or 12-inch guns. the
ordnance officers holding out for the
adoption of the larger calibre, while the
constructor favored lighter guns. in ac-
cordance with he policy Of foreign gov
ernments. which have prohibited guns
of greater than l2-inch calibre on new
vessels. The Secretary, however, in
Wow Of the recent armOr tests. which
c9nclusiveiy proved that a Finch shot
was not capable OF piercing some Of the
heaviest plates under normal conditions.
selected the heavier r7uns. and four OF
these viii Oh on the Kentucky. mounted
i1 two turrets. fore and aft, over which
VIII be second iurrets, each carrying TWO
cights
The waist-hre will consist OF fourteen
'-inch. rapid-Are rifles while the second
airy batteries will comprise twenty G.
FOUNDER rapid-fre. six 1-pounder. and
four machine-guns. There will be also
hve torpedo tubes. two on each broad
side and one In the stem. Two military