The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-11-30

Sir Edward Reed, ex-chief constructor of the
British navy, has been engaged by the Chilean
Government TO superintend the construction
of battle-ship of $500 tons and a cruiser of
1900 tons, the latter tohaye speed of twenty
three knots. Both vessels are being built al
Elswick.
Drydock Is in the Penn broke dockyard has
been practically completed and water let into
ii. In case of emergency the dock is ready for
use. but as no ship is likely to want it the work
of finishing will not be hurried. England is
steadily adding to her docking facilities in the
docky ards, a policy which has been partly
followed in this country, with this notable
difference, that docks have been built here
where there are no repairing facilities and
where vessels CO only enter when the moon
is full.
There is considerable activity IN navy build
ing in Russia. An $500 ton battle-ship OF the
Rotislaw type is to be laid down at Nikolaieff.
The gun vessel Gilyab of 900 tons will be
launched during this month from the new
Admiralty yard to make room for the Pallada,
a cruiser of the British Diana type, to be built.
At the Baltic yard enlarged Russia OF
$4,000 tons has been begun and several tor
pedoboats are under construction. The bat
tle-ships Oslabga and Peresriet are to be
launched next spring At st. Petersburg
miral type is also to be laid down.
The Loire, a French steam transport of 1900
tons built in 1855, and for many years laid
up at Saigon as hulk, was recently sold TO
ship-breakers. Lee Sing zee, a Hongkong
Chinese, bought her for $9025 and will tow
her to Hongkong. This will cost $4,000 but
still the purchase is very profitable one, as
the copper in her hull is worth over $l2, 900,
her oak frames and planklng may bring
$4,000 and the fittings $4,000. Old-time
ships of the navy or merchant service are
vastly more valuable than metal ships OF the
past TWEEN y years, the material of which all
goes in the scrap heap and brings but beg
carly amount after heavy expense in break
ing up the ship.
The armored cruiser Carlo Alberto, sister
ship to the Vetta Pizsni, was launched at
Spezzia on September % in the presence OF the
King OF Italy. The ship is of $500 tons dis
placement-about 2O00 smaller than our New
York-but much has been accomplished on
this small displacement. She has an all
around belt with additional plating in wake
of the battery, the. maximum thickness OF
steel being inches. The battery is case
mated; the guns are separated by bulkheads
protected overhead by. Pinch steel, and the
armored deck underneath is IA inches in
thickness. The main battery consists of
| twelve 5.9-inch quick firers, of which eight are
on broadside and four in the corners of the
casemate. She carries also six 47-inch, ten
2. 2-inch, eight 1.4-inch quick firers and has
| five torpedotubes. The machinery is triple
| expansion. calculated to develop $4,000
horsepower and give speed of twenty knots
The coal supply will be 1000 tons and the ship
will also have arrangements for carrying
| liquid fuel. Her complement will number
| 46O officers and men, The New York of the
United States navy displaces with 1900 tons
OF coal on board about $40 tons, at which
| her sea speed may reach 20 knots. Her belt, 4
inches thick, extends along amidshirs for
about 160 feet. but there is no further protec-
| ton to her battery than of the six S-inch
rifles in turrets while the twelve 4-inch rapid
| frers have only the usual shield protection
| Her secondary battery consists OF eight
| 6-pounders, four 1-pounders and four gat-
| lings. The New York is capable of attacking
| armorclads with moderate protection, but the
! Carlo Alberto is more competent TO deal with
| cruisers,