The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-31
NAVAL DEFINITIONS.
The Various Kinds of United States
War Vessels.
Philadelnhia Times

Some time ago, during the siege of SAINT
1ago, there was an inquiry regarding the
meaning of the various terms used to de-
scribe Uncle Sans war vessels Similar
expressions of curiosity are now again made
apr0pOS of the naval pageant that Will
enliyen the waters OF the Delaware this
few people thoroughly understand what is
meant by the terms battle ship, ''ar-
"gun vessel or "gunboat.' as used in de-
scribing different types and classes of naval
vessels. They are not strictly limited in
their scope of significance. Generally
speaking the term battle ship is applied
to type or class of vessels which are pro-
tected by heavy armor and armed with
as heavy guns as they can carry on given
displacement and at the. same time leave
sufficient flotation to enable them to carry
machinery powerful enough to drive them
at fair speed, usually about fifteen knots
per hour, with a good supply Of coal and
stores.
protected by arrnor and having Its guns
mounted in turrets or shields. The essen
tial difference between battle ships and ar
mored cruisers is that in the latter the ar
NOR is much thinner and the guns smaller
and lighter and the ship itself is much more
highly powered for greater speed, and also
has what is called greater radius of ac-
ton" than battle ship; that is, it can
steam a greater distance on one coaling.
The protected cruiser is a ship with
that is to say, without armor placed verti-
caly on their sides. The word protected"
means that the ship is provided with a pro-
tective deck. This is structure which be-
gins at each side of the ship some little
distance below the water line and slopes
upward on each side towards the middle
the water line, and then the inner edges
of these slopes are connected by a fiat deck
covering what is known as the vitals of the
ship, that is to say the boilers, machinery,
MAGAZINES and the larger part of the coal
bunkers. The thickness of this protective
deck varies in different ships, but usually
q inches SlODeS
and about from one and one half to two
inches thick on the fiat, or horizontal part
armed steamer of comparatively small di-
mansions with no protection OF any KIND ex-
cept usually water tight deck OF oraih nlsII
ship plate, which Is worked over the Doll-
ers machinery and magazines
Under each of the above heads there are
again wide diversities OF type and model.
In most navies battle ships are divided into
two, or sometimes three, classes-trst, sec
ond and third In our own navy thus far
there are but two, the frst rate peing rep
resented by such ships as the Indiana, Iowa
and Oregon, and the five new ones now
building and also the three new ones just
contracted for; the second rate nein d, rep
Armored cruisers are similarly elassliled
At present we have but two armored crlls-
ers strictly speaking. in our navy, the New
York and Brooklyn. Protected cruisers are
also classified in most naVleS into three
different rates. Under the English rating
cruisers IN our navy. The Columbia and
Minneapolis are the only protected cruisers
we have which would be ciassed as nrst
rate in the British navy. The Olympia,
which is the next largest. would be rated
as a second-class protected cruiser In the
British navy She Is generally considered a
first rate protected cruiser by our naval
authorities
The tendency of more recent designs is to
reduce the distinction when has hitherto
prevailed between the battle ship and the
armored cruiser types. That Is TO say. in
the designing of the battle ships within the
last two or three years naval architects
have reduced the thickness and weight of
armor and also the caliber OF the guns ana
increased the engine power and speed, in the
direction Of the armored cruiser type. while
on the other hand there has been tend
ency to increase the size and fighting power
of armored cruisers to a point more nearly
approaching the character OF the battle
ship. Consequently at this timc the line of
demarcation. from the nava architects
point of view as between the battle ship
and armored cruiser. is becoming quite in
distinct. In fact It may be said that about
the only material distinction between the
two in the most modern designs is that the
azmored cruiser Is planned 10 DO two or