The record-union., 1897-01-01
One to be Built at San Francisco, the
Other at Philadelphia.
The Two Vessels to Cost Three rlillion
Dollars in Round Numbers, and
Will Represent the Latest and Best
Type of Marine Architecture, With
a Speed of Twenty-Five and One
Half Knots an Hour.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31-Twenty-
four months from this date the rap
idly growing Japanese navy will be in
creased by the addition of two swift
cruisers of American build. The con-
tracts We're signed to-day at the Jap
anese Legation by Minister Hoshi, rep
resenting the Japanese Government,
and by Messrs. Henry Scott of San
Francisco and Charles H. Cramp Of
Philadelphia, representing the Union
Iron Works and the Cramps ship
yards, respectively.
Shortly after the termination of the
Chino-Japanese war, when it became
known that the japanese proposed
building large navy, the American
firms sent agents to Toxic to secure part
of the work. Their efforts were for a
time unsuccessful, but they were ably
seconded by the lega tion at Washing
ton, particularly by its naval attaches.
and by the further fact that after
careful investigation of the great Eu-
ropean and American navies the jap
anese Government satisfied itself that
the Americans had reached the per-
lection of naval machinery, and that
our engines and boilers were superior
TO those of other nations These fa-
Vorable influences induced the Japanese
Government to award the contracts for
two second-class protected cruisers, to
be completed in two years.
These two vessels will cost Sc. 600, OOO
in round numbers, and represent the
latest and best type Of marine arch
1tecture. Each will have a dispIace-
ment of AGO tons, or 26O tons more
than the Chicago, which was one of
the original quartet of steam vessels
that marked the renaissance Of the
new navy. Their length over all will
be 3l4 feet, with a breadth of 4S feet.
an extreme depth of 80 feet, and
draft of II feet inches.
In point Of speed they will outstrip
any vessel in the American navy ex-
cept the Minneapolis. which steams
trif1e more than % knots an hour The
new vessels will aeske 22a knots under
forced draught, which is a fraction
faster than the Columbia, the sister
ship to the Minneapolis. They will be
constructed with longitudinal and
transverse bulkheads, divided into COM
partments, an armored coming tower.
and the engine and boiler-rooms will
be protected underneath by a double
bottom.
Their main battery will consist of
two o-1nch guns, one in the forecastle
and the other in the poop, with a sec
ondary battery of ten 12-centimeter
guns, twelve 12-pounders and six 2h-
Founders. The 12-centimeter guns and
the 12-pounders will have a broadside
completed by the addition of five tor
pedo tubes.
The vessels will be built of the best
quamty OF American steel ,and repre-
sent the newer types of American con-
struction. The engines will be triple
expansion, with cylindrical boilers. In
the provisions for the crews and galley
they will differ somewhat from the
American type. Some of the guns vii,
be made in England, and the remainder
IN the imperial yards of Japan. The
steering gear can be worked by elec-
tricity or by hand, as desired.
A similar contract will be given tn
an English ship-building firm. With n
view to testing the relative merits of
American and English SKILL If the two
vessels IN question prove satisfactory
rhey Will, 1T is believed, point the wav
to future contracts for American buiId-
ers.
1t was stated this afternoon by Com
mander Martha of the japanese Lega-
tfon that the vessels composing the
American fleet in Eastern waters dur
ing the past year have proved an in
structive object lesson to the japanese
Government as showing the capabilities
OF the Americans in the art of ship
building. The Olympia, the superb pro-
tected cruiser Of nearly 5000 tons dis
placement, and carrying a battery of
four S-inch and ten 5-inch rapid fire
guns, was sent to the China station a
year ago, where her fine sea going
qualities won for herself and. Incl
centally for her builders, unstinted
praise, and created in Japan the i'm
preston that the Americans are to-day
building the best ships in the world.
The contracts signed to-day were the
first given by the Japanese Govern
ment since the war with China
TRAGEnY TN GE0RGTA