The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-19
OREGON IS SAFE.


bama, built for the Confederacy in an En-
gi IEf ship yard during the rebellion.
49, Inc Alabama is the first to be launched of
the three new battle ships of her type the
other two being the Illinois and Wisconsin.
She presents marked Emergencies of design
from the first three-the Oregon, Indiana
ana Massachusetts. These differences in
volve both the arrangement of the battery
and the disposition of the armor, as we'll as
a considerable increase in size and displace-
ment The first type had the armor ar
ranged IN water-line belt and easement
a az snip with the ends forward and aft
armored decks, and their main batteries
were mounted as follows: Four 13-inch
guns, in two turrets; eight S-inch guns in
four turretS, one at each corner of the SUI
perStructure and four 6-inch guns mounted
at the corners of the casemate below the SUI
Water-line armor is carried clear forward;
the protective deck, instead of being sub
level of the top of the belt by slopes at each
SIDE, the same as in protected cruisers. The
S-nch guns of the Indiana type are done
away with entirely, the main battery of the
Alabama type consisting of four 13-inch
guns in turrets, and fourteen 6-inch rapid
firing guns, of which ten 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 small redoubt on the
casemate deck, two on each side. The
broadside 6-inch guns, instead of being
mounted on projecting Sponsors are mount
ed in recess ports in order to secure extern
The dimensions of the Alabama class are
as follows: Length over all, S74 feet;
breadth, Y feet; free board forward, 20 feet;
free board abaft the after turret, IS feet 3
inches; draught, 20 feet inches; d1splace-
ment, $50 tons. The guaranteed speed IS
to be sixteen knots, and the estimated
horse power 10000.
The main battery has already been de-
scribed. The second battery copslsts OF
seventeen 6-pounder rapid-fire guns, six l.
FOUNDER rapid-fire guns and four Galtings.
The arrangement of the boilers in the AL
ALBANIA class differs from that in the IN
diana in being eight single-ended boilers in
stead of four double-enders and in being
placed athwart ships. with a fore and art
fireroom, instead of longitudinal, with
athWart ship fireroOms, in the former
class. On the whole the armament, armor
ment of II, 800 tons, compares favorably with
the latest type of battle ships abroad with a
displacement of 1900 tons. The maximum
thickness of armor on the water is l612
inches tapering to 91a inches at the bottom
of the belt. The casemate armor is 512
inches thick, and the superstructure armor
13-inch gun turrets is IS inches thick, except
the port hole plate, which is IL inches. The
armor of the barbettes on which the tur-
rets rest is 10 inches thick. The thickness
of the protective deck armor on the fiat over
the citadel amidship and also forward ana
aft is "a inches, and the thickness OF me
slopes forward and aft of the amidship
citadel is inches. The coming tower IS
cylindrical and 10 inches thick. The total
weight of armor and bolts is 2,lO tons, and
of the protective deck armor 59S tons. Inc
weight of armament, with normal supply
of ammunition, which is tWo-thirds OF the
full war supply, is Stations.
The builders say the construction of the
Alabama has been delayed over year BY
the failure of the last Congress to provide
the necessary armor. Had prompt provl-
sion been made for the manufacture OF the
armor, the Alabama would at this tlme m
stead of being launched, be fitting out Tor
service