The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-19
Battleship Alabama Becomes the
Bride Of the SEA.
AUsPIclous CIRCUMSTANCES.
Not . Hitch Of Amy Sort to Mar the
Cramps Shipyards-Misn Emory
Morgan Christens the Ship for
Her Native State-COmparisOn Be-
tween New Weasel and the Oregon.

PHILADELPHIA. May 1s.-The battle
snip Alabama was successfully launched
at Cramps shpyards today.
There was not a hitch Of any sort to
mar the success OF the launching. Miss
Emory Morgan. daughter of Senator Nor
gan. christened the ship for her native
state. The weather was beautiful but
only a few persons witnessed the cere-
rnony. fear of Spanish treacnery keeping
the gates or the shipyards closed against
all except about 30 invited guests ana
newspaper men. The ship can be made
arrnor is delivered promptly.
The Alabama is the first 10 be launched
OF three baitieships OF her type, the other
two being the Illinois and Wisconsin. She
presents marked divergences of design
from the first three. the Oregon. Indiana
and Massachusetts,. The differences In
yolva both the arrangement of the battery
and the disposition of the armor. and there
is considerable increase In size and dis
placement. The first type had the armor
arranged in water-l.ne belt and case
mate amidships with the ends. forward
and after belt protected by submerged ar
mored decks, and their batteries were
mounted as follows:
Four 13-.nch guns In two turrets: eight
s-inch guns in four turrets. one at each
corner of the superstructure. and four
s-inch guns mounted al the corners of the
cassernate below the superstructure.
In the Alabama the water-line armor is
carried clear forward to the protected
deck. instead of being submerged. as In
former ships; is raised to the level of
as in protected cruisers.
The s-inch guns OF the Indiana type are
done away with entirely, the main bat
terry OF the Alabama type consisting OF
four 13-inch guns In turrets and fourteen
s-inch rapid-firs guns. Of which ten are
mounted on the gun deck. eight In broad
side between the turrets and two firing
straight ahead forward OF the fore turret
on the gun deck. -Four are mounted in
a small redoubt on the casemate deck,
two on each SIDE. The broaGside e-inch
guns. instead OF being mounted to pro-
tecting sponsors, are mounted In recess
ports in order 10 secure extensive train
forward and abaft the beam.
The general dimensions of the Alabama
class are as follows: Length over ali sa
freeboard aoaft the after ,urret 10 feet
( inches. draft . feet inches, displace-
mcnt II.sao tons. The guaranteed speed
is TO be sixteen knots and the estimated
horsepower 1900
The main battery has already been de-
scribed. The secondary battery consists
Of seventeen s-pouDdsr rapid-hre guns
six l-pounder rapid-fire guns and four
gatlings
The arrangement OF the boilers IN the
Alabama class differs from that 10 the
Indiana IN being eight slnEle-end boilers
instead % folr d0ubIe-endefs and n be-
ing PLACID a,hwsyt saips. sfore and aft
flreroon Instead Of longitudinal at'1wart
ships flFerooms rs in the former c.ass-
Examinations OF the plans os The Ala
bafna as compared with those of the earlier
slaiEas Will show that the departure ~ the
details OF construction are m The dirsc-
tim % simplicity and also IN the rednc-
ton OF the number OF different cailbers
ot ammunition 20 be carried on board. the
effective waight Of are In various positions
remaining substantially the same. Dis
peusgng with the s-.nch iaffetS also clear
" reduces the weights 20 De carried high