The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-10-05
POWERFUL
The Mew BatzlesAlb Illinois
MI Be LQNHCke10u
Tuesday.

IL o'clock there will glide off the ways at
the yards OF the Newport News Shipbuld-
ing company the biggest. most powerful and
probably the most generally effective bat
tleship in the United States navy. This
will be the Illinois, which is expected by
the naval designers to be a worthy sod-ch.ld
of the state whose name she bears. Larger
by LOCO tons than Oregon. larger than the
Iowa, now the biggest battleship in service,
the Illinois is still so designed that she will
be able to enter any harbor open to the
smaller battleships, while in the matter of
speed. she will rank with any of them
Some OF the details of the great ship which
vary In many important particulars from
the existing tyres. are given in the follow
ing description prepared by Chief Construc-
tor Hichborn:
Length on load water line, 1868 feet: beam
extreme, q feet 21k inches draft on normal
displacement of ,525 tons. % feet inches:
maximum displacement. all ammunition
and stores on board. 1926 tons: maximum
indicated horsepower (estimated), 10000:
probable speed 1872 knots; normal coal sun
ply. 500 tons; full bunker capacity, 400 tons
to $4,000 tons; complement of officers, 40:
seamen, marines, etc, 449.
The main battery will consist Of four
thirteen-inch breech-loading rifles in HIGH
born balanced turrets. oval in shape. and
placed in the center line Of the vessel and
secondary battery will consist of sixteen
siX-pOunder rapid-fire guns and two field
guns She will carry four torpedo tubes.
The armor belt, which extends from the
stem to abaft the after turret, is to be 16lh
inches thick at the top, and 91a thick at the
bottom, except at the forward end where
it will be tapered to inches thick at the
stem. This belt armor will extend from
four feet below the normal load line to az
feet above it, and will maintain the fu1i
thickness omidShipS hotu
and for the distance occupied by the eneines
and boilers. Diagonal armor u inches
thick, connecting this belt armor and bar
bettes, and extending from the stones of
protective deck on top Of the side belt on
each side, Is worked to give protection from,
a raking fire. Abaft the after turret the
protection will be completed by thickenins
the protective deck to inches on the
slopes, with pa inches on the fat. On the
slopes of this deck forward 1t is 2 inches
thick and ~ inches on the fat The armor
on the thirteen-nch gun turrets will be ~
inches on the front and Is inches on tho
rear and sides, while on the barbettes for
these turrets. which are circular in shape
will he - inches on the front and 10 inches
on the rear and sides. The sides of the YES
sci above the belt armor in wake of the
six-inch battery and forming the casemate.
will armored with inch steel, extending
between the turrets with diagonal armor
of same thickness at the ends, connecting
with the barbettes, and worked above the
Pinch diagonal armor below. She will be
protected against the entrance of water
in case of injury to the side at the water
line, by Golfer dams extending for the length
of the vessel on each side, and having a
general width Of three feet, with a total
capacity of about II 500 cubic feet for stow
age Of fireproofed corn pith cellulose. All
these many compartments are provided
with pipes connecting with powerful steam
pumps for the purpose of removing any
water that may get in them either from ac-
cident Of design. Arrangements are also
made for flooding all ammunition rooms in
the event of fire on board the vessel.
All these compartments, together with
all living spaces, StaterOOmS, etc, occupied
by the officers or crew, have special pipes
or ducts arranged with view of supplying
fresh air to the occupants and to make
the temperature of all stOrerooms, even in
the most remote parts of the vessel, COM
Portable and healthy. These pipes all con-
meet with powerful blowers which draw
fresh air by means of ventilators extending
from 10 to 20 feet above the ships deck.
The forward coming tower armor will be
10 inches in thickness, oval In shape, size
in the clear xii feet, with an armored tube
OF seven inches thick extending down to the
protective deck, TO house all wires or other
means of interior communication, so that
the officer coming the vessel In action can
be in constant and safe communication
with all parts of the vessel. An after con-
ming or signal tower is also provided, hav-
ing an inside diameter of six feet and
thickness of six inches. The turrets will be
operated by electric power; also the am
munition HOSTS and the dynamo and auxil-
iary blowers for ventilating purposes. There
will be some so odd auxiliary engines in the
vessel thus adding greatly to the efficiency
Of the ship.
The cranes for handling the boats are
operated by steam, also deck winches,
pumps, windlass and steerage gear this lat
ter is located beneath the protective deck
and several feet below the water ine). The
int, o6uCticn of these auxiliary engines is
brought about mainly by the variety and
nature of the work to be done AMI the
latest and best every branch Of mechanics
represented In man-Of-war. Manual
labor is therefore reduced TO a minimum;
q condition of affairs which must result
in a greater interest and development Of
the crew in their special duties as now re-
Qu,td in a modern battleship, where fight
ing and all leads up to thorough efficiency
in that line of art, is not handicapped by
the constant drudgery so universal in the
oii-time vessels of our navy
The height of free board forward of the
vessels hun power is 20 feet. and at the
stern, 14h. feet. The floor of the pilot house
is Al feet high. thus placing the eye of
the steersman, for ordinary cruising, about
80 feet above the water. The sight holes
In the armored coming tower for use in
close fighting are 34la feet above the water
have an elevation of Is feet and the after
13-ircl IL feet above the surface Of the
water. The six-inch guns vary fror, Is
to 221. feet and the six-pounders 80 to 40
feet above water according to their Local
ton on the vessel. The smaller guns are
mounted in the military tops, at heights
from 70 to 80 feet. This great height above
the water of both main and second batter
les will enable the vessel to be fought in
any weather, quality always sought for,
but obtainable only in vessels Of good size
and considered of immense advantage by all
naval authorities. She is also provided with
bilge keels applied before and aft the mid
ships body, so as not to interfere with
docking her. These kees have maxi
mum depth of three feet and will largely
tend tc lessen her motion in a seaway end
so contribute to her steadiness as gun
platform; so essential for correct gun fire.
Four powerful electric searchlights are
also provided, two on top Of the forward
chart house, and two on each side Of the
after military mast; all having an eleva-
ton of Is feet above the water and COM
inanding all-round range.
There will be two sets Of triple expan-
sion, twin screw engines, each in its own
separate water-tight compartment; the col
1ecttve indicated horse power will be about
D.000 with 120 revolutions per minute1