New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-16
PUSHING WORK ON WARSHIPS
THE BROOKLYN WILL MAKE HER TR1A-
TRIP ON AUGUST %.

WHEREIN SHE WILL. oUTcLAss HER sisrD
CRUISER NEw-YoKK-THE THREE Ne"
GuNBoATs NEARING COMPLETION
fsr TELEGRAPH TO the TRiBrNEI
Washington. Aug. n-secretary Herbert Is hur
rylng up the builders Of four new naval Vesseis, -
armored cruiser Brooklyn and the gunooats Nssn
Vile Wilmington and Helena. Al the navy pepai'
nent A. Is said that the Secretarys order dfecu''
expedition has special significance. 1t Is ne'er
theless fact that the Secretary has eVihcen con
Germ in the matter. and that he proposes t"a' y"
vessels shall have their officers and men al ua'
considerably earlier than had been intended omcl@
mystery In the case ADDS interest 10 TIE "0-'S'
course. 5000.
one official less reiicent than others, says mat
is good policy for this country to hasten the col"
pletion of new vessels OF war. especially Al u'"
when the relations between Spain ana TINS "o'
| eminent are somewhat strained and wnen IN
Spanish authorities making attempts 70 pur-
chase yarships from European countries England
he added would increase her fleet under less ser'ou
crcumst ances.
The Brooklyn is being built by the Cramps "n
for the last six months have displayed nouceao''
energy in the completion OF their contract puTsudh'
to special orders from the Navy Department
short time ago a member OF the firm reported &c
the Department that the vessel would be READY 'or
her official trial trip by August p Accordingly ina
date has been fixed for her test. The onicia's
be a successful one. Under instructions from Mr.
Herbert received here just before ne saiied Tor
Europe orders have now been issued 70 pui the
ship in commission october l.
TO JOIN ADMIRAL BCNCE'S SQUADRON.
II is proposed to add the Brooklyn TO Admirai
Bunce's fleet She will materially add TO the powei'
and efficiency OF the squadron In every respect she
will be the best OF armored cruisers. She Is an I'm
provement upon her sister, the New-lOrk. ana SUI
peror in most qualities 10 any foreign vessels OF her
type. She is 927l displacement, as against ~"
of the New-York Her mean draught is "a feet that
OF the New-York % feet ga inches Her length - ="
feet inches that Of the NewYOik $50 feet oi2 ncnes
In breadth she is ls inches than her sis
ter is "a feet 81. inches Her normal coa. s@pi
bunker capacity is l. 753 tons that OF the NeW-io OK
l. 2sO Her maximum draught aft is % feet incnes;
and that OF the New York % feet !ncnes, sne
CLASSIFIED official tables as ship o. 2, knots speed
The NewYork rate Is recorded a, ~ KNOTS, exceea
the best speed Of her sister ~ about Than
that of the NewYork. She will carry eight Ign IN,
inch guns and twelve fve-inch guns as nam pa
terry The New-York has six eiehtnGn Natter
twelve fournch guns IN her sfSon oanSAor rsnd
the Brooklyn will have twelve siX-pouhuer 'S Sdwr
fire guns four one-pounder rapid IRE guns ana IVu,
Gatlings The New-York mounts eisnl Ak e. y1p
rapid fire guns four poHn,der rapif n tornedo
fubes the %ewYork three The BROOKLYN side ar,
NOR is three inches thick her turret armor nNe anu
fo eh nc c tRieH Her protectye deck the
slopes six inches thick and on the nat three 'c"e'
THE GCNBOATS
As to the gunboats Wilmington. NashNiNe ana
helena Secretary Herberts order 10 the Newport
News company the builders. directs that all possl-
bic expedition in the completion Of the ships be
observed II is his desire that the vessels oH rea'y
for service not later than January !. ana as much
EARLIER as practicable. There has been some delay
i'm the v ork IN these vessels The Secretary mas
called the attention OF the company 10 the tact
and expressed an earnest wish 10 the erect that
lost time be made up and the vessels De IeduN a.
tho time designated Evidently he anticipates that
his instructions will be carried OUT. Tor ne mas
ordered that the stores for the wilmington ann
Helena he collected and delivered AT New-l ork on
December and that the supplies for the Nashviile
10 mt the ships in commission soon after that
time possible.
VALUE OF THE LITTLE VESSELS
The three little vessels VIII not add greatly 70 me
mower of the commissioned ieet. but they Will 10
of much value in Chinese and South American
waters for which they have been specially designed
For service in home 'crs they would be usefui.
particularly river duty and IN shallow harools
The batteries of each consists OF eight four-ncn
raDd-frc guns. four six FOUNDER rapid-nre guns.
two one FOUNDER rapid-lire guns and two GatlinZf
Each has a protective deck threes g ms 81 an incl
thick on the slopes and Ne-siNtcenths or an Inch
the fiat ,, 1870,
draiIght and displacement The two largest are 2o
feet inches long ~ feet IA. inches wide, teet IN
draught and have displacement Of l3;2 tons Their
sneed will be about 1912 to l42 knots and the aver
age normal coal supply l25 tons. with an average
fun bunker capacity Of about $50 tons