The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-19
THE ALABAMA LAUNCHED
Fear of Spanish T~reachery Kept
the Gates Closed.
NO HITCH OF ANY SORT
b First OF Three Noble Battleships of
the Same ~style-she Will Make a
Great Fighting Machine A
Year Before She Is Ready.

a hitch of any sort to mar the success
of the launching Of the battleship Ala
bama to-day. Miss Emory Morgan.
daughter of Senator Morgan. christened
the ship for her native state. The
weather was beautiful, but only a few
persons witnessed the ceremony, fear
OF Spanish treachery keeping the gates
of the shipyards closed against all ex-
cept about 200 invited guests and
paper men. The ship can be made
ready for commission in a year IL the
armor is delivered promptly.
The Alabama is the first to be launch
ed of three battleshlps OF her type. the
other two being the Illinois and wiscon-
sin. She presents marked divergences
OF design from the first three, the Ore
gon. Indiana and Massachusetts,. These
differences involve both the arrange
ment of the battery and the disposition
OF the armor and there is considerable
Increase in size and displacement. Tn
first type had the armor arranged In a
water line belt and casemate amid
ships, with the ends Of the forward and
aft belt protected by submerged armor-
ed decks and their batteries were
as follows: Four 13-inch guns
In two turrets; eight eight-inch guns in
four turrets. one at each corner of the
s~uperstructure, and four six-inch guns
unite at the corners of the case
mates below the superstructure.
In the Alabama. the water line ar
NOR is carried clear forward: the pro-
tective deck, instead OF being submerg-
ed, as In former ships, Is raised to the
level Of the belt by slopes at each side,
the same as in protected cruisers.
The eight-inch gum Of the Indiana
49, l1.o ..x, ,.stA nntfraIx- fhA
main battery OF the Alabama type con-
sisting of -four 13-inch guns in turrets
and IA six-inch rapid-fre guns. OF
which 10 are mounted on the gun deck,
eight in broadside between the turrets
and two firing straight ahead forward
OF the fore turret on the gun deck. -Four
are mounted in a small redoubt on the
casemate deck. two on each side. Tn
broadside six Inch uns instead of be-
ing mounted to projecting sponsors. are
mounted In recess ports in order to Sc
cure extensive train forward and abaft
the beam.
The general dimensions of the Ala
bama class are as follows: Length over
all. 374 feet; breadth. II feet: free board
forward. 20 feet: free board abaft the
after turret. 10 feet 4 inches; draught.
% feet 3 inches: displacement, 1l.520
tons. The guaranteed speed is to be 16
knots and the estimated horse power
10000.
The main battery has already been
described. The second battery con-
sists OF IL six -pounder. rapid-fre guns.
six one-pounder rapid-ire guns and
four Gatlings.
The arrangements OF the boilers i'm
the Alabama class differs from that in
the Indiana Is being eight single-ender
boilers. instead OF Tour double-enders,
and In being placed at athwart ships
a. A. A.a nf
longitudinal with athwart ship fre
rooms. az in the former class.
Examinations OF the plans OF the Al
ALBANIA as compared with those OF the
earlier ships will show that the depart
ure in the details OF construction are
In the direction Of simplicity. and also
the reduction OF the number of different
calibers of ammunition required to be
| carried on board. the effective weight
of fire In various positions remaining
substantially the same. Dispensing
with the eight-inch turrets also clearly
reduces the weights to be carried high
above the water, which IL is believed
will be an advantage In a heavy sea.
ON the whole. the armament, armor
and speed OF the Alabama, with a dis
placement OF II. 500 tons. compares ia
vorably with the latest type of battle
ships abroad with a displacement of
Is. 900 tons.
The maximum thickness of armor on
the water line is 1914 inches, taperlng TO
nine and a half inches at the bottom OF
the belt. The easement armor is v
and a half inches thick, n the super
structure armor Ii OF the same thick
ness. The armor of the l3-inch gun
turrets is Is inches. except In the port
hole plate, which Is II inches thick.
The armor of the barbette on which the
turrets rest Is Is inches thick. h
thickness OF the protective deck armor
on the fiat over the citadel amidships,
n also forward and after. Is two and
three-fourth inches. and the thickness
of the slopes forward and aft of the
midship citadel is IA inches. The con-
ming tower is cylindrical. and 10 inches
thick. The total weight of armor is
2,720 tons. and the protective deck ar
NOR sos tons. The weight OF arma-
ment with normal supply Of ammuni-
| ton. which is two-thirds the full war
supply. is SEA tons.
The builders say the construction of
the Alabama has been delayed over a
year by the failure of the last congress
to provide the necessary armor. which,
had prompt provision been made. the
Alabama would at this time. instead of
being launched. be fitting out for serv-