The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-03
TORPEDO BOAT DEsTROYERs.
The Swift and Powerful Craft to Be
Added to the navy.
From Harper's Weekly.

FROM harper weekly
The torpedo boat destroyers are excep-
tionally fine boats, and in compass consid-
eraDly overreach anything now built or
building. They may really be said to be
the Spanish "destroyers" bettered.
The departments design covers craft
245 feet long, of beautiful model, having
a maximum beam of only % feet. and
drawing, upon a trial displacement of APO
tons, practically eight feet of water. The
usual turtle-back has given way to
a flush forecastle-deck, promising fine
seagoing qualities, and affordiug at the
same time superior accommodations for
the crew of sixty persons. There. are two
coming towers, one on the forecastle deck
and one way aft on the main deck, and
the vessel can be handled from either al
though only the forward tower will have
its steering gear worked by steam. On top
of each of the towers there will be a r.
FOUNDER rapid-fire gun, and a very wide
arch of fire is assured each. On an extern
sion of the bridge upon the forward tower
there will be a third steering wheel, by
which most of the navigating will be done
In reasonable weather, and on a stand
reared above this steering station there
will be paced an effective search light
The boats will be lighted thoroughly by
electricity, and the running lights and the
night signal code will be worked in the
same way. There are fine ventnating ar
engagements In the snaps of numerous
blowers; and an extensive pumping plant
connected with each of the numerous sep
arate water-tight compartments, provides
against all reasonable demands in case of
either fire or leak. All wood work will be
carefully fireproofed, and the decks will
be covered with linoleum instead of the
usual planking. The crew will be placed
forward, and the officers aft. The captain
will have state room and a cabin, while
each of the other officers will have a COM
Portable state room, There are quarters
art, too, for dozen petty officers
The armament will consist of two 12-
FOUNDER and four 6-pounder rapid-frc
guns and two large torpedo tubes. The
6-pounder guns will be mounted in con-
venient places on the main deck, two of
them having bow fire; and the torpedo
tubes, one amidships and one way aft.
each on the center line, will be able to
fire on either side and through wide arcs
of train. For the rapid-fire guns seven
tons of ammunition will be carried. and
the power of that battery, where each gun
Is capable of rate of twenty aimed shots
minute, can easily be estimated.
The boats will have twin screws driven
by two triple-expansion engines of the
four-cylinder type, each In separat to
compartment, and will develop 5000 indi
Gated horsepower when making 327 revo-
lutlons minute. Steam win be supplied
by four water-tube boilers, two forward
and two aft of the engine spaces, and
at working pressure of 800 pounds. A
coal supply of at least 100 tons. slowed
abreast the boilers and engines, will give
an effective radius of action. The law
man can hardly appreciate the power Of
these engines, the weight of which, to-
gether with the boilers and auxiliaries
is practically half the displacement of
the vessels, but they develop a drivine
force for these boats four-fifths as great
as that required to propel one of our IL
50O-ton battleships at a rate of sixteen
knots. The care and proper management
of such machinery and boilers require the
highest kind of skill, and the navigation
of such craft Is very much akin to he
control of locomotive loose upon an
untracked surface where but the slight
est initiative movement would involve a
dehrious sweep. To fall overheard from
such a boat would certainly mean a
broken neck, and to make the most of
her at top-rate speed demands the great
est precision of judgment from every
working member of her complement-from
the navigator at the wheel to the humbest
stoker in the tireroom
The average cost limit for the destroyers
Is 1926, 0O0 and substantial advantage is
promised the bidders guaranteeing the
highest speeds, the best sea-going quail
ties. and the promptest deliveries, either
upon the departments design or upon
plans of their own.