New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-26
PLANNING NEW WARSHIPS.
SECRETARY HERBERT APPOINTS A
NAVAL BOARD.
TO CONSIDER BATTERIES FOR THE VESSELS EX-
PECTED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TO CONSIDER BATTERIES FOR THE VESSELS Ex-
PECrED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TON OF THE CHICAGO RECOMMENDED.
Washington. March %-secretary Herbert issued
an order to-day appointing a board OF officers 10
meet at the Navy Department March 81 ITO
consider and report on the best plan for the in
staaton Of the main batteries OF such battle-ships
an Congress may authorize during the present SEES
sion" The members Of the Board are Rear-Admira
j. G. Walker, Commodore r. J. Phythian, Captain
p w. Cooper. Chief Engineer Edward Farmer and
Naval Constructor ]. j. woodward. win Lieu'eh-
ant S. A. Staunton recorder.
Secretary Herberts action in appointing the
Board was taken in view Of the paragraph in the
Naval Appropriation BILL reported TO the House yes
terday providing that contracts for the -FOUR pat
e-shps authorized shall be awarded within nine
ty days after the passage Of the bill. when the
plans for the batteries of the Kearsarge and the
Kentucky were being considered last year there
was considerable difference OF opinion, and secre-
tary Herbert is anxious TO have the BOARD Ap-
pcnted to-day profit in its investigation by all that
has been done heretofore. The attention OF the
Board will be called particularly to the result OF the
recent gun tests on the battle-ship Indiana, the
renort ON which has been withheld from publica-
ton because the arrangement Of the batteries Is
shown 10 have caused considerable trouble ana the
members OF the Board will be directed 10 inspect
the vessel personally II they deem 1t necessary.
An important meeting or the Naval boa'u y"
Construction was ted to-day. and as a result sew
eral recommendations for changes IN warships
will be sent TO Secretary Herbert. REQUEST from
the Cramp Company Of Philadelphia, that eighteen
months and twelve months extension OF time De
allowed for the completion Of the battle-shp Iowa
and the armored cruiser Brooklyn was laid before
the Board The Cramps made the assertion tha'
they were entitled TO the extension on the ground
that the original drawings for gun supports ana
the roller paths for turrets were changed by the
Navy Department more than year AFTER the coi-
tract was awarded. This the Board con
s.dered good and decided TO recommend 10 t"e
Secretary that the request be granted a.,
The Board also decided 10 recommend tnat inc
forward compartment Of the batte,snips Massa-
chusetts and Oregon NOW practically ready I"i
transfer 10 the GovernmenD should be nivide1 in.o
an upper and a lower section so that II me io".i
becomes filed with water the upper compartment
will be -, ,
The plans for the construction OF the cruiser
Chicago were laid before the Board Ihey propose
10 increase the deck protection over me pows anu
clear to the stern. thus giving a protective deek
and to change her spar plan so as 10 TAKE away az
her heavy top hamper. These plans were approved,
and il was also decided 10 replace the present
armament with fourteen fve-inch RAPID -nre guns
II WAS also agreed 10 recommend that the morse
power OF the vessel be increased from 6VD 10 'o'
mus giving an increase OF speed from nfteen 10
eighteen knots an hour, and also pro'IuiHs sp"'e
for 800 additional tons OF coal -
II these recommendations Of the Board are car
ried out IL will take about two years 10 turn ,ne
Chicago into a new vessel. The Appropriation lot
the nirpOse contained in the Naval bill reported
Yesterday will be adequate for the work