The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-16
The Batileships Kentucky and Kersarge
Soon TO Be Launched.
POWERFUL ADDITION TO TIE NAVY
Tho Ships VIII he Very IIcnvfIy Arm
cd-rhcir Turrcta Are of the sup.
criTnpOscil Type ana Capable OF IL
Tremendous ma Concentrate
Fire.

Preparations are rapidly gLiin,g for
ward ~ the great yards OF the y wpori
Ncws Shirbui,iing ana D:ri Dock Com
pa"y on Hampton Roads. for the dou-
Die l1mnsling Of tbs frs; class sea go
ing ba;t!esh.p; keiIsagc and Ken
"ncky. These two magnificent engines
Of destruction Viii Slide IF u. ways
inc The bf,p waters of James river or,
Thursday, the 2Ith instant. The even,
WI! b. Il noyab.e one in many respects.
For the first time in the history of
shipbuiida-g. aA,D great battlsShps will
take the w1gcr with their min llgI
masts ana iightarGc tops standing
Workmcn are now engaged in stepping
theai stroni; s,cel masts into place.
iLo magnsiio=ni a,&lDrcd cruise"
Brolklyr, nov at Hampton Roads.
will probably be present as the repre-
sentative of The AMERICAN navy, pro-
vidsd emergencies do not arise ;hat
would require her presence elsewhere.
Governor Tylsr accompanied by his
staff Mill he present.
Iha kcarsagc. the rnmesake of the
historic old wooden ship thap engaged
the Alabama. VIII he christc3ed by
Mrs Winslow, wife IF LIEUT. Winslow,
u. S. y.
sponsor Miss Christie Bradley, daugh
ter of the Governor Of the Blue Grass
STATE. MIL be ora Of the most power
full ships of war alloat.
The Kentucky bears on I.wr forward
and after deck n double turrct Each
OF these turrets carries two thirteen
inch guns. No Europiar power has
placed on the deck of n war ship any
gun more than twelve h.chcs. Thus
the Kentucky can strike a blow with
Match I.'a power Of no warship can
compare. y sinela bi1w OF this kind
wourh disable If not sink thu. strong
egg stl-' uf battle afloat From bow
G"l stern the Ken ;ucEIi, can fire ST
simultaneously Il thir2srA-inch gun. The
Kentucky VIII draw only twenty-five
fest Of water. three feet less than the
l!gh:esa boats nciM on tn, s,l. She will
be able 10 sail in.5i all u-'n hlr.bors
a"l can he locked with less dIicui;y
than the three other boats now Ecild-
ing. Th1 ''waiSt-iire" consists of four
teen iirr-ir'rh quick firing guns and the
second batteries will be composed of
twenty siX.'rpUl-her rapid firing, six
onc-l-mndcr ana four machine guns
Two 1ilitar, tops. mounting guns
completes the ships a:mam1nt, which
is far h>avicr shan Ant Of n,Y ship
Of the Ecn;ucky's displacement in the
lMNild. tNo war ship cen deliver more
metal Al Il broad:!,'ce than can ;!rc
Kentucky, AID mons, viii have the
rardy concentration If fire.
The feature Of the Kentucky Is the
form dt her turrc2a, which is quite
new. Ii''art. is n large saving in weight
which gives the boat more room. 10:
hea|y armament and more powerful,
machincnN for propulsion. She will
carry LILO tons OF coal, which will en-
able her to steam 5000 miles at the
rate rf ten klo;s an hour.
Whan the lighting machines glide
frclI h.ac!r cradles into the river on
Thursday, March 2ith. they will pre-
s:c-t pictures of real ships. From the
mass tid glory will wave in the breeze
and the ships will he decorated with al!
the c0l0rS Of III" navy.
That n; Newport News is probably
the onr, shipbuilds2g plant in u:r
United SyitCs tina, has the facilities
for putting the mas:s in position or, a
warship before she Is launched Tha
maSts weigh many tons each ana they
are carried - the iccks by huge trav-
cling crac:',s.
Every preparation is being made for
the laumh. Nilich will no doubt be at
tended In / trclrrndlus crowd. includ-
ing a g:ra; many kcatuck.anS
Tn" Navel Reserves of this city. hi
visions y and Il. will attend the launch
Ing of the hattlsSsh!ps The boys viii
probably -, over III th4ir ow1,, cutter