The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-20
THE KENTUCKY
AND KEARSARGE.
CONTINUED from First PageD

reer went down on Roncador reef few
years ago
A special provision had TO be made by
Congress for this. as. under the laws
ships Of this size must be named Tor
States, and Congress alone can modify
this requirement. The name Kentucky
was chosen for the other by the officials
OF the Navy Department, but, in Accord
ance with the usual custom of construc-
tors, they have been known as mo. o.
and mo. G." and will be up to the time
OF their actual baptism. the four other
battleships having been the Indiana,
Massachusetts,, Oregon and Iowa.
FIRST SHIPS UNDER LAST SECliE-
TARY.
The Kearsarge and Kentucky were the
first battleships authorized and designed
wholly under the last administration, and
the last Secretary Of the Navy was exceed
ingly anxious that they should be. with
out question the best Of their class.
One OF the paramount requirements lald
down was that these vessels should draw
less water. when fully laden. than any
other hrst-class battleships, either I'm this
country or abroad. The largest foreign
battleships. when fully laden, draw in the
neighborhood OF twenty-eight feet of wa
ter. and the previous American battle
ships touched twenty-four feet at normal
displacement, but with all weights on
board. owing not only TO the increase due
to the weight. but 10 the settling by the
stern accompanying the increased weight,
draw twenty-seven fet.
Battleships Nos. and G. however have
been designed to draw but twenty-five
feet with twelve hundred tons of coal
stored on board and equipped with all
stores and ammunition. This will enable
them TO reach all Of the principal navy
yards and ports Of the United States,
even when fully laden. and will make
their docking less difficult than that OF
the other battleshiDs.
The question of the callbre and DISPOSE
ton Of the large guns gave rise TO more
discussion than any other question in
connection with these vessels
NOVELTY IN CONSTRUCTION.
The chief Of ordnance proposed the
novel scheme of two double-decked tur-
rsts on each ship; I'm the lower part were
to be mounted two 13-inch guns and in the
upper part two S-inch guns making the
heavier battery consist Of four 13-inch
guns and four S-inch guns in two tur-
rets.
The department finally adopted this
plan, and the 13-inch and S-inch guns
will accordingly be mounted on double
turrets. one rigidly superposed upon the
other and the relative advantages OF the
innovation, Of putting all the eggs I'm
a single basket" will have to be demon
strated in actual practice
These gun positions will have complete
armor protection from a distance OF four
feet below the water line to the top OF
the S-inch turret. This armor. as well
as all other armor used on the vessels.
will be Of solid nickel steel, Harveyized
and re-tempered. The lower part Of the
protection. the barbette, so called, VIII
have armor fifteen inches in thickness.
The armor OF the 13-inch turret guns
will also be fifteen inches. except imme-
diately in front. where it will be made
seventeen inches. The armor protecting
the S-inch guns will be nine inches. but
that also will be made two inches heav-
Ter Immediately in front
In addition to these heavy guns a sec
ondary battery OF fourteen 5-inch rapid
fire guns will be mounted on the main
deck between the turrets and viii be pro-
tected by continuous armor SIX lnches
thick. a splinter bulkhead two inches
thick, being worked between each two
guns stations.
A numerous battery of smaller six
FOUNDER and 1-pounder guns will be car
ried such smaller guns being placed
wherever they fire 10 advantage.
PROTECTION OF THE HULL.
The protection Of the hull against in
Jury TO the water-line region VIII be ell
fected by n cans Of a side armor belt OF a
maximum thickness of sixteen and one
half inches. with a mean depth Of seven
and one half feet. so disposed I'm reference
to the load line that the vessel, with 40
tons of coal on board, will have three
and q half feet of this belt armor above
the water. and with 1.2l0 tons of coal on
board will have two feet above the load
line.
The belt will extend from the stem 20
the after barbette. and will maintain the
maximum thickness from the after end
Of the belt to the forward boiiler-room
bulkhead whence II will taper gradually
to a thickness OF four inches at the bow.
Protection will be afforded above the
main side armor by a steel belt five
inches thick. extending up to the level
Of the main deck and running In fore
and-aft direction from the centre Of the
forward to the centre of the after bar
bette On top of the main side armOr
belt will rest fiat steel deck two and
three-quarter inches I'm thickness, and
forward and abaft the machinery and
boiler spaces the deck will be inclined at
the sides and the thickness on the slopes
increased TO three and five inches.
Further to protect the vessel against
bulkheads Of armor ten and tweleve
inches thick at the points where the
deck Is worked with inclined slides. In
addition 10 the armor plates. cofferdams
filled with 1000 cubic feet Of compressed.
fre-proofed American corn pith celulose.
recently tested with such satisfactory re-
suits. will be worked the entire length Of
the vessel in the region Of the water line.
The coming tower will have armor zen
inches in thickness. with tube seven
inches in thickness leading down 10 the
armor deck for the protection OF the
voice pipes. telegraphs. steering rods.
etc.
FRlGHTFUL DISCHARGE OF STEEL.
Protected by this comparatively invul-
nerable citadel OF armor. the guns Of the
kearsarge and Kentucky will fire "A
broadside once d minute OF nearly four
tons Of conical chilled steel proiectiIes.
driven by nearly 1900 pounds OF smoke
less powder. Between these frightful
discharges the fourteen 5-inch rifles could
each be discharging 5O-pound shells at the
rate Of six minute. or with only half
of them in operation would rake an enemy
with nearly one every second. In an en-
gagement the twenty 6-pounders would
be raining shot in a continuous rattle.
and the amount Of damage which would
be inflicted in five minutes would be sim
ply incredible.
Throughout the vessel the use OF wood
is reduced to a minimum.
AS these ships will undoubtedly be
flagships, their compliments will be $40
persons. officers. 'seamen. and marines. a
greater number than in other American