The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-25
THE TWO SHIPS.
Descriptions of the Kearsarge anu
Kentucky.

The Kearsarge and Kentucky are sister
ships when completed they Will be the
most formidable Of Uuncle Sans fight
ing machines They were provided for
By act of Congress approved March .
1895. and on the End of to following Jan
uary their construction AS AWARDED 10
the Newport News Shpbuilding and Dry
Dock Company for the individual con-
tract price of 81, 10000 and that too
without the usual inducement OF a bonus
for excess of speed. The ships are hoat-
ing fortresses Of a formidable type ana
in action would render a good account OF
themselves in behalf Of Ola Glory. The
dimensions Of one apply equally TO the
other and their general data are:
Length on the load line 36S feet; BEAM
extreme 70 feet. inches; draft on nor
NAL displacement % feet, inches; nor
mnl displacement II 525 tons; maximum
indicated horse pOw9 Indicated 10000;
maximum speed. required by contract
I6 knots: normal coal supply 40 tons
compliments officers. seamen and ma
rines 5ll
MAIN BATTERIES.
The power 10 meet an enemy viii be
centered in the @ guns forming the main
batteries. and these will consist Of:
Main battery. four l3-inch breech loading
rifles. auxiliary battery. fourteen 0-inch
rapid-hrc rifles and four s-inch breech
loading rifles For the purpose of re-
sisting torpedo boat attack and enfilading
the open decks or unprotected gun sta
tions Of the enemy ~ siX-pounders.
one-pounders and 4 gattlinss will keep
ND destructive mitrailleuse. and woe 10
the small craft that exposes itself TO the
fury Of that steel-clad blast Four tor
pedo tubes. two on each side amidships,
will complete the offensive phase OF the
ships. The l3-inch and S-inch guns are
housed in two-storied turrets. The S-inch
guns are in the upper half. which is fixed
rigidly TO the lower deck, and the whole
structure has swing Of 2l0 degrees, and
all four guns are pointed in the same
general direction and swing from side 10
side by the one great turning gear en-
gaging the lower half. The S-inch guns
are sheltered behind walls generally nine
inches thick. but augmented 10 eleven
inches at the front. The lS-inch guns are
covered by fifteen inches OF hardened
steel also, except at the front, where there
is an added thickness Of two inches. To
pierce the walls OF the lower turret.
shot would have to strike them. from a
distance Of 500 yards with all the pent-up
fury equal To bearing that shot quite
thirteen miles. Mounted in the super
structure is the auxiliary battery OF four
teen 5-inch guns where II faces an
enemy. 1t is surrounded by hardened
steel six inches thick, and no explosive
6-inch shell could get through that bull
wark Each gun station is separated
from the adjoining gun by a pinch wall
of steal so that the effect OF penetra-
hill l.. L..
lied Each of these guns has a service
rate Of speed of six aimed shots a minute.
Each shot weighs % pounds. The six
FOUNDERS are mounted in part on the
berth deck forward and aft The rest
OF them are placed in the superstructure
above the J-inch guns. where they have
a desirable range OF fire. The one-pound-
ers and gatlngs are placed on the bridges
and Gp in the military tops. To fqed
all these guns. each ship will carry 80
tons of ammunition.
PROTECTED FROM ATTACK.
The water line OF the sides will be pro-
tected from attack by a broad band OF
is l-3-inch armor. running alongsides and
amidshps for a distance OF ia feet. and
tapers thence 10 four inches at the stem.
This belt is l-2 feet wide, and under
normal conditions only l-2 feet will be
above the water line. At the extremi-
ties OF the thickest part. athwartship,
bulkheads turn inboard and end against
the barbettes or heavy tubes OF l5-inch
steel which rise from the protective deck
and shield ammunition holsts and the
turning gears OF the turrets. The forward
bulkhead is ten inches thick: the after one
twelve inches. A protective deck OF steel
Pa inches thick rests on the four walls
formed by the athwartship bulkheads
and the inner edge of the inlaid side
armor. Under the protecting shelter of
this heavy roof and many tons OF coal
lie the engines. the boilers and the maya
zie and shell-roOms. A broad band of
cellulouse. extending from stem to stern.
and back OF the 5-inch armor which
protects the sides amidships. will auto
matically plug all shot holes admitting
water.
The turrets will be controlled by cleo
tricity, and the same power will bring
the ammunition from the store rooms
TO the breeches Of all the large guns
Each mast will have its own signal OUT
At. and the lower half OF each mast
will form a vast widpipe down which
fresh air will be drawn TO the depths
OF the craft.
Two sets OF triple expansion engines.
each in it's own water tight compart-
ment. will actuate the twin screws. while
nve great boilers with pressure OF