Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-02

II
launched just as she would enter 6ph,
"''h turrets. upper works. and guns in
posiuon, while still resting on the ways.
AZ is surprising TO read somo OF the west
eIn papers, even some OF the leading ones
puoHshed in Chicago and note the ignor-
a"Se OF the writer's regarding the man.
ner In Which ship Is launched. One Chi
cago paper OF recent date states that "the
committee is unable at this time to send
out the invitations TO the banquet and
mop, as the ship-yard officials have not
intimated just how many people the Ili-
hois can carry to Old Point, where the
TWO events will be held" To those who
expect to make the trip to Old Point on
the Illinois next Tuesday. II will be dis
appointing TO know that the battleship
VIII not have steam I'm her boilers under
nine or twelve months, II them
The Illinois will be launched without her
military masts In position. This decision
was reached several days ago. The masts
havo been completed. and are now lying
In the yard near the ship. The Illinois OF
to-day is nothing more than a mammoth
nun OF thin steel. gracefully shaped and
painted in bright red. Ii is not launched
In its complete state, for the reason that
1t is impossible 10 attach the armor-plate
and build the upper works while the ship
is high and dry on land. Even If this
were possible. the vessel would not make
safe journey 10 the water. being en-
urely too top-heavy. The ship is con-
structed in cradle which rests on the
permanent ways, and the last plank TO he
sawed releases the cradle which starts
down to the river under the heavy weight
Of the hull The bow pointing inland. the
stern strikes the water first. tending to
better buoyancy.
THE BANQUET.
When the ship is towed to one or ,ne
piers. the guests of the ship-building
company will be escorted through the
mammoth plant and will later board the
steamer Newport News and enjoy sail
10 old Point Comfort. ten miles distant
by water. At 2 o'clock the banquet will
open and the guests will hear, perhaps,
the best array of speakers that ever at
tended a launching. Secretary Long will
respond TO the principal toast, "Our
Navy" Governor Tanner is expected to
respond 70 the toast, -Illinois." and Gov
ernor Tyler to Virginia" There will be
other toasts by officers Of the navy and
army men OF high standing in civilian
life. The launching hop, in the evening,
Will be the event of the season at Old
Point
1t is learned from a trustworthy source
that the members of naval committees
of both houses of Congress will attend,
almost to man, and the Illinois dele
cation will be largely represented.
1t is not unlikely that President Nc
Kinley may change his mind at the last
minute and decide TO make the trip to
Newport News on the Dolphin. He has
not yet declined the invitation EXTENDED
TO him to be present.
The principal question that is worrying
the naval people now is the number OF
ships that can be spared TO participate
at the launching. The cruiser San Fran
cisco and monitors Puritan and Terror
are in Hampton Roads and will doubt
less be in condition to drop anchor in
the James before Tuesday. An effort is
being made to have several Of the armor-
clads sent from New York, but no as
surances have been given on this point
DESCRIPTION OF THE SHIP.
The Illinois is the newest American
warship and is trihe less than 873 feet
over all and a shade over 72 feet beam.
Its width is somewhat greater in proper
,tion to length than that Of the other bat
tleships, but IL is calculated that this will
give steadiness in a heavy sea, and VIII
enable the gunners more accurately 10 de-
termine ranges When fully loaded, with
all its guns, 1,2O0 tons Of coal, and a full
supply of ammunition and other stores,
the ship will draw a little less than "a
feet of water With one half it's fuel aai
other supplies it Will draw only about q
feet.
OficiaIly described, the Illinois is TO be
a double-turret battleship. Unlike the
Oregon and Iowa however. II will have
no smaller turrets above those containing
the 13-inch guns. The rest of the main
battery will be placed on the main, spar
and forward decks. and will be protected
by armor-plates. The turret guns will be
protected by plates, II the name can be
applied TO masses OF steel II inches in
thickness.
The turrets will revolve on delicately
adjusted wheels, the power being furnish
ed by hydraulic or electric motors. The
sides will be protected by belt OF Har-
veyized steel, which will be 9l-2 Inches
thick at the bottom. increasing TO IL "a
inches at the water line and l6 1-2 inches
at the top. The armor is at such an an
gle that a projectle will be DETECTED
downward on striking. The barbette ar
NOR will range from 10 to 10 inches In
thickness. This is about 2 inches thinner
than that of the Massachusetts or Ore
eon. for example but owing to difference
in construction It is believed Ii will be as
effective in resisting the impact of shot.
The deck ordnance will be placed behind
shields of steel ranging from b IL to +
Inches. They will be mounted In such
position that twelve can be trained on
target at the same time. Every casting
of this armor-plate is to be subjected 10
Al thorough test before ii is placed on IN he
vessel and the naval constructors say
that the best quality of steel ever turned
,ut for a warship in the big Pennsylva-
MIA furnaces will be used on the Illinois
CoRN-PIT ARMoR-BELT.
Then. the Illinois is to have an inVisi- |
Die protection, which is an innovation In
United States naval construction. rms Is
One would scarcely hmagins
hat the stalks from an Illinois corn-held |
could be manufactured into matellai
which would form d protection against a |
Inch steel shell. but the government be- |
,aves IN cornstalks That is what cella- |
osa is-simplv the pith OF corn-stalks. |
.hredded and cut so that ii can be COM
,reesed and baled like hay, bat which is |
ense and elastic. At the proving grounds |
m the Potomac 6-inch and S-inch guns |
,a,a heen fred into few cubic yards OF |
ellu,ose at a comparatively close range.
,f course the metal entered II, and IN |
,anv instances passed clear through. But
,,oet of the tests show that the hpre
aorIv IL not entirely, closed the aper-
rra and the effect was the same as II
,rad into a bale of cotton. Ceilulose
alxes nm nut little space, and Is far sh-
erior 10 cotton in oounteracting ihe pen
,ra,ipo effect of tho prOjectile. Nearly |
? ooo cubic yards OF it will be used as a