New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-03
A NEW SPANISH WAR VESSEL
THE cRIsroBAL coLoNs SPEED AND
ARMAMENT.
FAST SNIP. WITH MORE GUNS THAN THE
yIzcAYA. ON HER WAY To HAVANA"
BUILT IN AN ITALIAN YARD.

A
yrzcAYA. ON HER WAY TO HAVANA
BUILT IN AN ITALIAN YARD.
III. orroored cruiser the Cristoba Colon, wnIch
"a reported TO be on her way from Spa'" '" n"
vana attended ~ Ave torpedo-boa's' - a nv "
ou,.ition to the naval forces OF Aifonso n,'i 80
~ all OF the vessels composing the spanish Navy a.
, havo hoen buIt AT home. This one. how
ever was constructed by an Italian hr" '"'
AnsaIdo.. Mt sestri Ponente. near Genoa
Az long ago az 1891 the italian Government CON
tracted with this firm for six new vessc'', :.
" uniform In size and equipment Inc Ut " y"
delivered within six years. was named the "'"s.Pp'
c.r,haid, and before her completion was SOLO 10
tho Argentine Republic which was theh h"''"e
troube with Chill The second vessers keei "as
laid on September Is. 1895. spain 'heh io"o 49,,
Argentna's example Her overtures were i"'''"..
received Italy not only authorized MesS's. ~
sado 10 turn over the ship to the would-pe ou'c''
49,. ~.r,od her utmost Influence upon the con-
ractore 10 hasten the work Of finishing the Vesse'
The launch occurred In September OF 1872 anu Voc
made the occasion Of good deal OF i'aio opa"''
iubt,ation and buncombe. OF the sort IN wnieh "u'
sIa and France nike TO indulge AZ times i,i' 'e"
sol IVA. named the Cristobal Coon twhich Is az
near as the Sp,niards can get 70 spe'''ns ''
,onhar Columbus never having had good Eng
usb educat ,on) and the christening ceremony "ah
nrrformed by Mime Benomar. vile OF the 'pa"s"
Ambassador at Rome.
A moments consideration OF the chiel o''en'''''
Of this ship shows that she Is slightly INFERIOR III
size to the Vizcaya. which recently Vs'e" ~"
yoru -, her UNIV TO Havana, and l. slightly larger
,ban tho Maine Here are their lengths, ior IN
stance: Vlzcaya. $40 feet; Crstooai 'o'o.' 90
Maine 3lS The Vzcaya's beam Is % rect inc
Cristobal Colons 50 feet Inches ana the 'ia''e
81 feet The Vizcaya dsplaces 1000 tonso water
and the new cruiser o,Sio' the iahhee S''P W.
mage was 66sl
The Crstobal Colon is equipped with water-,uoe
boilers of the Nclausse type. made In Paris. her
engines were built By the Ansaldos. she IS ."i"
screw vessel and her two sets OF engines n''eiope'
an Indicated horsepower OF 1851 on her trial trip
with natural draLght and this would no douot De
considerably ex. eeded with forced draught The
original plan contemplated a maximum OF lt""
horsepower. The Vizcaya develops l3V" Inc
Maine could ony show $3.50 horsepower Inc
American armored cruiser however. was not IN
spees w fGF ss kno ea' r En- is
q a. on her trial trip ate asI sPr q .n ts
for three hours. without using the tans; t min
nnder the same i favorable Conditions
The new cruiser Is not 50 heavily armoseS as
s eass the o @s1 SIX Hs The
Vizcaya's are from ten to twelve inches, varying
ofrensiye armament the cfisiobsl Colon makes
very favorable showing. even as compared with
cas wo Gh The vscaya
oa Of o Ss Sa sre Seh guns while
the Vizcaya's next best 5ia-inch guns. ten In
number. In the rest of her arma ment the new snip
Is distinctly superior to the Nlzcaya, having six
i7-inch guns 10 fhe atters pair Of 2l-nch guns.
ten 22-inch guns TO the Vizcayas eight and ten
l4-nch guns 10 Captain Euate's four. The Maine
carried four big pieces. l0nch guns. pair In each
turret, but she had only six 6nch rapd-fire guns,
eight rapld-hre s-pounders and eight i-pSunders
In passing 1t may be remarked that the Alfonso
XII already stationed In Havana Harbor. Is a
small vessel. of only 5000 tons. capable or making
l7is knots. and with engines OF 4SD horsepower
She is not armored, and her heaviest guns are six
62nch pieces
Experience with the Garlbaldi suggested various
improvements that have been made In the Colon
and aft. so as to have increased range Of about
10 degrees. These pieces can be fired In an almost
true fore-and-aft direction. The steam hosts for
ammunition have been replaced by more powerful
apparatus. worked by electricity. The electric gear
for loading and training the l0-inch guns has been
Largely improved, have also the firing gear OF
the smaller ones. The searchlights are designed
distance. OF course with electrical agencies On
this point Engineering" recently remarked: This
will be a great advantage In the OF night at
tacks by torpedo-boats and. indeed. all
sions when IL is necessary 10 use them"
The periodical also remarked: The for
ward underwater launching tube for torpedoes has
been abandoned, after the result OF the expert
ments made in England. and among other improve
ments may be noted that the protection OF the g.
inch quick firing guns has been increased and three
more boats are carried AS the consequence Of the
altered position Of the boilers the stability of the
vessel is improved and steadier gun platform
thereby obtained.
The Colon is vessel in which the spaniards
may well take pride.