Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-10-04
MOST POWERFUL OF ALL
The Illinois, to Be Launched Tues
day, Far Surpasses Other YES
sells of Present Navy.
The POINTS WHEREIN SHE ExcELs.
going Powers, Great Fighting Abil-
ity and Can Use Her big Guns in
Rough Weather Description Of
Her Dimensions and Equipment.

Rough Weather Description of
Her Dimensions and Equipment.
Washington, Oct. 8. = Next Tues
day, at II o'clock, there will glide off
the ways at the yards of the Newport
News Shipbuilding company the big
gest, most powerful and probably
the most generally effective battleship
in the United States navy. This will
be the Illinois, which is expected by
the naval designers to be worthy
godchild of the state whose name she
bears. Larger by thousand tons
than the Oregon; larger than the
Iowa, now the biggest battleship in the
service, the Illinois is still so designed
that she will be able to ent erany harbor
open to the smaller battleships, while
In the matter of speed she will rank
with any of them. The most striking
difference between the Illinois and the
-battleships now in the service is the
high freeboard of the former, enabling
her to fight her guns from their great
elevation above the water in seas so
heavy that the guns of the lower yes
sells would be submerged and useless.
Splendid sea-going powers are also ex-
peoted to result from this increased
freeboard, by which is meant the
height Of the hull above the water
line.
Some of the details Of the great ship,
which vary in many important partic-
ulars from existing types, are given in
the following description prepared by
Chief Constructor Hichborn:
1.-THE dimensions and capacity of the II.
linois are as follows: Length on load water
line, 1858 feet: beam, extreme 70 feet 2ls
inches; draft on normal displacement Of
I,b26 tons, 20 feet incres; maximum
displacement. all ammunition and stores
on board 1925 tons; maximum indi-
Gated horsepower (estimated), 10000; prob
able speed, 161s knots; normal coal supply,
soo tons; coal supply, loose storage, 1920
tons; full bunker capacity, 1,40O to 1,500
tons; complement of officers, 40; seamen,
marines, ETC., 449.
Her Batteries and Armor.
'"The main battery will consist of four
18-inch breech-loading rifles In Hchborn
balanced turrets, oval in shape, and placed
In the center line Of the vessel, and IA six
Inch rapid-fre guns. The secondary bat
terry will consist Of 1e six-pounder rapid
are guns, two Colt guns and two field guns.
The armor belt, which extends from the
stem to abaft the after turret Is to be 181S
inches thick at the top and 91a inches thick
at the bottom, except at the forward end,
where 1T will be tapered to four inches at
the stem. This belt armor will extend from
four feet below the normal load line to 81
feet above 1t and will maintain the full
thickness amidships between the turrets
and for the distance occupied by the engines
and boilers. Diagonal armor, 70 inches
hi alP ftSrr y t. te1t 4.
bettes and extending from the slopes Of
protective deck to the top of the side belt
on each side is worked to give protection
from raktng fire.
Excellent Protection.
''The vessel will be protected against the
entrance OF water, in case of injury to
the side at the water line, by Golfer
dams extending for the length of the vessel
on each side. Independent of the numer-
GUS small watertight pockets or cells form
ing the entire scheme of cofferdams, the
inner bottom and hold. the platforms,
splinter and berth decks are divided into
between 200 and 300 watertight compart-
ments.
1.-THE turrets will be operated by electric
power; also the ammunition HOSTS and
the dynamo and auxiliary blowers for ven
tilating purposes.
There viii be some 80 odd auxiliary en-
gines in the vessel, adding greatly to the
efficiency of the ship. The Introduction Of
these auxiliary engines Is brought about
mainly by the variety and nature of the
work to be done and the demand for the
latest and best In every branch of me-
chanics represented In man-of-war.
Manual labor is therefore reduced to
minimum, condition of affairs which
must result in a greater interest and de-
velopment of the crew In their special du-
ties, as now required in a modern battle
ship. where fighting and all that leads up
10 thorough efficiency In that line of art
Is not handicapped by constant drudgery.
Location of the Searchlishts.
-Four powerful electric searchlghts are
provided-two on top of the forward chart
house and two on each side of the after
military mast, all having an elevation of
Is feet above the water and commanding
complete al-round range
'"The first keel plate of this vessel was
laid February 10, 1897 not quite 20 months
ago, and the percentage Of work COM
pleted to this date, based on the vessel
fitted out and ready for sea, is now report
ed between SO and "a per cent. The con-
tract price was s2,595,000 and the date of
completion is set down as October 8, 1892"
Start for the Launching.
Springfield, ILL.,, Oct. 3.-Gov. and
Mrs. Tanner, Col. and Mrs. j. Mack
Tanner, and Mr.. and Mrs. John T.
Peters left for Chicago, where they
will remain until Sunday. when the
governor will be joined by members
of his staff and others, and leave in
the afternoon by the Big Four for Gin
cinnati, thence by G. & o. for Newport
News, to attend the launching of the
battleship Illinois Tuesday.
Piano Thief Is Caught.