New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-20
THE CRUISER CHICAGO.
IMPROVEMENTS ON HER MAY BE FIN
ISHED IN A MONTH
WHEN COMPLETED SHE WILL BE ONE OF THE
MOST FORMIDABLE PROTECTED CFulSHh'
AFIOAT-ONE OF RoACHs SHIPS

Washington Iulv l9-The splendid cruiser chi
cago rejuvenated efter TWO years absence from
active naval service IS almost ready 10 ne put ''''
commission at New-York and perhaps within
month Captain Philip Cooper now commahua''
OF the Naval Academy. will take her to sea.
With her armament and machinery maze equ'''
70 those Of any ship her class aaoat on the
ocean and other important changes "hlch in"'e''
ally alter her appearance including the Suos''"
ton Of a single military mast for her FORMER useless
spars she VIII prove most valuable aduluo" "
the already formidable force OF protected cruisers
with which type OF vessel alone Admiral Dewey IN
his annihilaion Of The Spanish fleet at Mania Say
surpassed the deeds OF Nelson at the Ba'ue oi INC
Nile II SPAIN in the hopeless attempt to vihu'ca'e
her so-called honor" shall decide 10 proIohs 'hD
existing war the new Chicago may yet nave al
opportunitv 70 Join In that Are. merciless IN i's
ac ,uracy and rapidly. which American guns nave
nourad out like a flood and before which Spanish
fortresses have crumbed and Spanish squau'oHS
have been sunk or beached
The cruiser was built under an appropriation
passed in 1888 proposals being invited In May OF
that wear for this vessel with the Boston. the Al
lanta and the Dolphin. The late John Roach OF
Chester Penn was the lowest bidder for ell there
shirs and contracts for the work were entered INTO
with him on August l. 1888. The principal data OF
the Chicago. originally constructed. We're
Length between perpendicuiars. Si' rect iehs'h
on water line 3-5 feet. length over all. SSi feet
inches breadth extreme IS feet 2L5 inches dFausht
Of water al load-llne mean 10 feet Displacement
45u tons: Indicated horsepower. 5"9; main oa.-
terry four s-inch. eight 6-inch ana TWO o-'ic"
breechloading riaes; sea speed II KNOTS, '"p''',,
II coal bunkers $40 tons. bark rig nun Oh ""i'
steel unsheathed. contract price for null. ma
chinery and fittings. exclusive OF mast sP"''' ''e
eIne. sails. etc. $>s9,""
HER ARMAMENT GREATLY STRENGTHbNhp
The Bureau Of Ordnance has given to the ne"
Chlcego n notable Increase IN her powers OF OF
fence While the -FOUR s-inch guns OF the oid de-
sign have been retained the eight 6-inch ana '"o
5-inch have been replaced by fourteen 'ihch '"p'
fire rifes-a much stronger and more Homogeneous
battery She carries also. In the secondary oa.
terry seven G-pounder Ho'chkiss guns. one '-ihch
field gun two l-p0under automatic guns ana Two
4. rnillimc're Colt machine-guns The TIE OF 'no
cruiser has been changed. the masts having reeh
removed and "a military TOP substituted ''ei'A-
~ there was a protective deck over the boilers
ana engines only which gave no defence against
a quarterng or rakng shot In the alterations
which have been made this deck has been *
tended from stem stern. covering fuly inc
vitals ~ the ship
A novel and seemingly most important feature
introduced IN the Chicago IL partial installAuoh
q wateriight bulkhoad doors on thu long arm
system invented by william Cowles. a graduate
II ANNAPOLIS and IL former member OF tho Engl-
neer Corps Of the Navy The object OF this hys-
TEN Is FL brief. to secure bulkhead doors when
will open and close again tightly under head OF
water which Will close tightly through doorway
fun e.. coal. and which are actuated by "A single
opo. Ator who from his station. can move any
Be- ice In the system The importance Of safety N
" respect Is obvious when II IL considered thht
"a a proportion Of the total cost Of any nrs'-cass
ship f. spent IN securing buoyancy. In accident py
subdivision OF the space within her. Although tho
weight and cost ~ the ship are thus Increased
largely modern practice approves the expenditure.
and vet The strength q chain IL that % its
weakest Ink" and tho doors. absolutely essential
through these bukheads must be not only tght
when closed hu: capable Of instant closure IN a.
most any contingency. to vent at critical times
tho impairment OF tho cellular subdivision OF the
ship
MERITS OF THE LONG ARM" SYSTEM
The Importance OF this matter. especially In war
ships. IL AT once obvious when there j. considered
the number a. Compartments and - Communications
between them In any vess". % large size. Thus III
the battlc-shlp Indiana there are 22 "nt"r-tght
compartments. 35s water-'isht doors and matches
and "a valves for ventila;lng draining. ana Hood
Ing tho hull The long arm system consists essen
italy in the operation OF these various devices by
/ hydraulic power. controlled. usually by an oper-
ator "A central station. Tho experimental istaHa
ton IN the Chicago consists OF eleven vertical sid
ing doors. al in the engine ana boiler compart
ments With the necessary mechanism FOR their oper-
alton.
when one turns to Tho propell,ng machinery Of
the Chicago he finds most vital Improvement In
her speed and sea endurance Propelling power
was given her originally through twin screws
actcateG b. two sets o, compound. overhead
bean, englnes-a type adopted by the naval Ad-
visory Board az that day ia order 20 get vertical
engine OF long stroke beneath the protective deck
The step was wholly novel in warshps and pro
voked unfnvoratlc comment abroad Indeed
leading British engineering Journal declared that
| II these engines were successful. English marine
engineers might as well close the books and begin
anew the study Of thef profession Despite ms ms
| somewhat premature verdict these engines. huiit
I'm iss3 are only being renewed In ls's and in the
/ sneed through many "a knot ~ blue water.
/ Tn. new prOpeii'ug machinery was designed by
the Bureau OF Steam Engnecfing and IS similar
( 10 that Of the Newark the flagship OF Commodore
/ Watsons squadron II consists OF two sets or
triple expansion. dlrect-actng. horizontal engines
| ~ 40-inch stroke. with cylinder diamri"ts or
/ 33is 5ji1 and ~ inches There four single
/ cndcd cylindrical boilers. which Will furnish steam
and WiicnSS tubuIons boilers which will give the
additional power required %hen inc snir II 20 ,b Se
/ original engines was about br| "hIch gave a
weight, viii all appurtenances. WAS about 1850
/ tons The marked advances which have been
| the new engines. Although they weigh abOu; l55
| tons less. their horse power Is 500 WIN cor
| Of The cruiser Philadelphia somewhat similar
ship-of about nineteen knots. The Navy Depart
| work OF IT'S stan OF designers
A NOVEL WAY TO SECURE DRAUGHT
Aupliances for forced draught. on the closed fire.
room system, are fitted In the vessel strong
natural draught however. Is produced by the
smokeppcs watch are unusually high being over
80 feet from the lowest CRATE the top OF the pipes.
For the Introduction Of these tall pipes In naval
vessels maritime nations indebted to the present
Engineer-i chief OF the United States Navy. who
fitted them. in tie first instance. In the nrmored
cruiser Brooklyn In answer TO objections which
were advanced he showed that the high pipe gave
decreased speed without injury 10 any mechanism.
that II gave increase In life 10 the boiler due
TO the absence OF forced draught. that there
was ar ircrease In the economy OF combustion
through its owing TO tn. smaller num-
Der OF boilers employed and the more energetic
combination OF the oxygen Of the air with the
fuel, and, finally that there IL a saving in repairs
10 the blowing engines ana in the labor OF OPP
Grating them since the hgn pipe gives ncrea scd
combustion equivalent usually 10 about one-half