The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-03-11


VeSuvlus 9So
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How many additional ships could
you have in commission within 80
days after next July if their services
were needed"
"We could have two fighting ships,
the battleship Iowa, of LAO tons dis
placement. and the Brooklyn, an
armored cruiser of the New York type
but larger and more powerful than
that splendid vessel, of 9,27l tons.
There is also the Chicago, which is
now undergoing repairs and nine
other vessels, mostly of the gunboat
class, which could be used at that
time. Our small fleet of torpedo boats
on October 1 next would be supple
mented by seven others now building.
The list have given you, continued
Commodore Hichborn, docs not in
clude any OF the old turreted monitors
or any of the old cruiser class, either
of wood or of iron, though doubtless
some Of them might be moderately
serviceable in war with any but a
first class naval power"
How many vessels are there in the
Spanish navy that compare favorably
with the Indiana, Oregon, Massachu-
sets and Iowa2"
There is but one ship in the Span
ish navy that can be compared with
the Indiana class in our navy. The
Pelayo, launched in 1887, is of about
the same displacement, thickness OF
arrnor and speed, but carries in her
main battery two 12.6.inch and two II
inch guns, as against four 13-inch guns
by the Indiana. The Pelayo's second
ary battery consists of one 6.3.inch
and twelve 4.7-inch guns, as against
six 6 inch guns by the Indiana. They
have six modern second class battle
ships, as follows: The Almirante
Oquedno, Infanta Maria Teresa and
Vizcaya of 1000 tons displacement,
13,00G indicated horsepower and 20
knots estimated speed, launched in
1890 and 1891; the Cardinal Cisneros,
Catalina and Princess de Asturia of
6,65S tons displacement and the same
estimated speed, are still under con-
struction. All six are of the same
general construction, with a narrow
water line belt of 12.inch armor, and
carry two 11-irch guns in 105-inch ar
mored barbettes and ten 5-inch guns
protected by shields. They have one
ship, the Emperado Carlos V, of the
same type of the New York, having
5000 tons displacement, and 30 knots
estimated speed, launched in 1895, and
not yet completed. She has no side
armor except Pinch casemate around
the upper battery, but has an armor
deck of the same thickness as the New
York's. She carries two 11-inch guns,
as against the six S-inch guns of the
New York, and eight 5.5-inch and
four 4 inch guns, as against twelve
finch guns Of the New York. Besides
these, the only armored ships in the
Spanish navy are Numancia and Vito
ria, of 1000 tens displacement, launch
ed in 1868 and 1865, and carrying
muzzle-loadiug guns, and the PUG
cerda, a small monitor, built in 1874.
Of modern unarmored ships they
have the Alfonso XII, and Lepanto.
of about 5000 tons displacement and
30 knots estimated speed, carrying
four S-inch and six 4inch guns; the
Alfonso XII, Reina Christina, and
Reina Mercedes, designed for trans
ports. ofabout 5000 tons displacement
and II knots estimated speed, carrying
six 6.3-inch guns; seven gunboats of
the Infanta Isabel class, of l, 130 tons
displacement, each of what is known
as the torpedo catcher class, with
high speed. Besides these, they have
few old wooden ships, and about As
very small gunboats of no fighting
value, and have built number of
small vessels for Cuban service since
the present trouble there commenced.
They have IS first-class and 3 second
class torpeco boats, and vidette
boats, but few, if any, OF them could
make an ocean voyage.
\ summary of the fighting value of
the two fleets will be as follows:
Type of ship. L. S. Spain.
First. class battle-ships. -.
Second-class battle-ships. S &
ArmOred ram.
Armored cruiserS....,....
Unarmored cruisers above
1000 tons. s...............
Unarmored cruisers above
5000 and below 4, 600 tons
Unarmored cruisers above
- .,Hn