The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-25

heaviest OaIterfSS III accord WIKI MOD
ern naval practice. and with primary
batteries fully equal to that class they
mount secondary guns in such fashion as
TO make the combination almost IN
equaled in naval architecture The big
rifles. four in number, are mounted in
TWO turrets. one sweeping the entire sea
from directly ahead, fully half way
astern; the other with equal range, plac-
ed SO as to command the sea from either
bow straight astern. These are OF th,r-
teen inch caIibre. yet the British navy
now confines its guns TO twelve inch. In
inches the difference seems small. yet the
American gun has about . per cent more
power.
At this point in the armament of the
ships the American designers have en-
barked in a bold and enterprising expert
ment. the result of which will be awaited
with interest by the whole maritime
world Instead Of descending at one
move from the heavy primary battery to
the small-caHbre rapid-fire guns, as is
done in the case of cruisers. it has be-
come the custom of naval architects TO
interpose a battery of medium calibre
guns, six or eight-inch guns for instance,
and these are placed in smaller indie
pendent turrets about the ship. 1t oc-
CURED to the American designers that if
they could dispense with the weighty and
space-consumins machinery attached to
these turrets. such as the turning engines
and machinery. independent ammunition
hoist shields and the like much more en-
he nj IN ha hull 90
the ship and much more armor could be
carried. They solved the problem by
rigidly attaching the smaller turrets,
each containing two eight-inch rifles. to
the top of the big thirteen-inch turrets
The plan had another advantage than
weight-saving. theoretically, II tended
to a terrible concentration OF the fire of
the ship. Probably the craft does not
float that would survive the awful impact
from the four guns of one OF these COM
bined turrets upon one small section of
its hull, and because they are trained in
unison their projectiles must strike close
together
With this saving in weight the design
ers were able to give splendid armored
protection to the ships. All of this ar
NOR is Of Harveyized nickel-steel. Of Am
ertcan invention. and the best in the
world up to this date, as is shown by the
many European efforts to equal 1t by
other processes of manufacture. More
over, it is skilfully disposed. so as to
make every ounce of steel count for the
protection of the crew. The big turrets
are seventeen inches thick in front. di-
minishing in thickness to fifteen inches
in the rear, where they are less liable to
be struck, because in action the guns are
supposed always to be turned toward the
enemy. The smaller turrets above, for a
like reason, vary in thickness from elev-
en- to nine inches. To make sure no stray
shot strikes the ammunition hoists lead
ing from the magazines TO the turrets,
the former are enclosed in tubes of hard
ened steel fifteen inches in thickness.
in this fashion the guns are al
most invUlnerable, from the eight-inch
rifles mounted high in air with good range
and capable of piercing the walls OF most
armored ships at fighting quarters, to
the big thirteen-inch guns that can pro-
Jet their armor-piercing shot a dozen
miles across the sea.
The combination battery is supplement-
ed by a numerous auxiliary battery of
smaller guns perched in every convent
ent point of the superstructure. All are
-apid-fire or machine guns. for the navy
department. has profted by the lessons
aught in the Chino-Japanese war of the |
terrible power of guns of this type. About |
Jour motions suffice 10 load, discharge |
and reload one of these guns, and in rap |
dity of fire they are equal to three of !
he ordinary navy breech-loading guns |
The largest are five-inch calibre, four |
cen in all. sheltered behind six-inch |
steel walls and separated from one an
other by two-inch steel walls to mini |
nize the effects of an exploding shell in |
my compartment. Then there are six |
FOUNDERS. one-pounders and Cuttings |
mainly for the warm reception of hostile |
orpedo boats or to clear a deck or an 1
,pen portfolio or earthwork. To facilitate |
his some of the machine guns are placed /
Ugh in the military tops where they can
ain bllets down below. To protect the /
null which carries all OF this offensive !
powder. 49, inches OF armor is placed /
llong the sides, dipping four feet below
he water line, and numerous heavy bulk
reads are disposed to prevent any shot
hat many enter from traversing. The
the vitals of the ship. are COW
red by an arched steel deck two and
inches thick. placed on an
.ngle calculated 10 defect and throw
Upward any projectile.
Under that deck lies 1000 horse power
f boilers, engines and other machinery.
apabie Of pushing the vast hull through
he water at the rate Of at least sixteen
,nots. a good speed for a freight train
n land. and besides there are no less
han eighty smaller engines 10 hoist an
hors. pull I'd boats. drive dynanos and
Their wise help the crew. The big tur-
cts swing noiselessIy and quickly by
lectricitv the largest application yet
made Of electric power in this way. and
verywhere in the ship. from vinches and
entIators TO lighting and telephony, the
lectric fluid plays a useful part. .
The Kesrsage and Kentucky are 3ss .
let long. p efet inches beam and ,
aet inches draft. They carry normally
10 tons Of ocaI. but may take aboard
20 tons. ard 81 officers. sailors and ,