Arizona republican., 1898-06-04
NEW BATTLESHIPS.
They will Cost About Three
Million Each.
These Giants of fhe Wafer Are to Be
Like fhe Alabama. Wisconsin and
Illinois.

New York, June 3.-The navy de-
partment called upon the shipbuilders
to prepare to build the three battle
ships authorized by the present ses-
sion of congress with limit of cost,
excluding armor and armament, of
s., 000, 900 each.
Heretofore the limit of cost was
somewhat larger as it included armor,
the navy always building its own
guns. Proposals will be invited under
two weeks, the first on the department
plans and specifications and the sec
ond upon designs to be furnished by
the bidders, which must, however.
fully cover certain limitations laid
down by the board OF construction.
This board, after continuous ses-
sions for a month, has decided that
the three new ships shall be almost
identical with the Illinois, the Wlscon-
sin and the Alabama, now building at
Newport News. San Francisco ana
Philadelphia respectively, and in all
probability the new vessels will be
built at those places, the Cramps. the
SCOTS and the Newport News compa-
MES possessing the patterns, which
will enable them to do the work more
expeditiously and at less expense than
other establishments.
The circular which issued provides
for vessels of 1850 tons displacc
ment, with coal capacity of 1000 tons
IN mean draught OF % feet, a lengtl
Of 1868 feet and II feet beam. The hull
will be of steel. with double bottoms
and close water-tight subdivisions,
with ample free board and berthing
on decks above water.
There will be no sails but two mill
tary masts with fighting tops. Two
life boats will be carried so as to be
rapidly lowered in all conditions of
weather.
The side armor belt will be TX feet
broad and 1917 inches thick through
engine boilers spaces, tapering to a
thickness of four inches at bow and
stern, and will be transverse armor
forward and aft IL inches thick. Bar
bettes for the 13-inch guns will be Is
inches thick, except in the rear, where
they will be IA inches throughout. The
ships sides above the armor belt as
far as the main deck will be protected
by five and one-haf inch armor, be-
hind which coal is to be carried for
| further security. The vessels will
have a protective deck throughout the
entire length two and three-fourths
| inches thick where fiat, and three
| inches forward and five inches aft
where it is inclined. A cellulose belt
will be fitted along the sides for the
whole length. The coming tower will
be 10 inches thick and there will be an
additional armor station aft 5 inches
thick. All six-inch guns will be pro-
tected by five and one-half inch armor
and by one and one-half inch splinter
bulkheads between the guns, and
smaller guns will have shield protec-
ton and extra side plating.
The vessel will be driven by twin
screws, with two vertical, triple ex-
pansion four-cylinder engines, one on
each shaft and in separate water-tight
COMMITMENTS There will be eight
cylil t-ical single end boilers with a
| worl y pressure of 210 pounds, in
| four separate water-tight compart-
ments. The weight of the machinery
is limited to 1,13O tons.
These ships are to be completed, I'M
der penalty, within two and one-hali
years. After they are delivered to the
government their guns and other
equipment will be installed. Their
main battery will be composed of foul
13-inch guns in two barbette turrets
one forward and the other aft, and 10
6-inch rapid-fire guns in broadside on
| the main deck, and four similar wea-
pons on the upper deck with the super
structure Two submerged tubes will
be provided with eight 17-foot torpe-
does. Accommodation must be ar
ranged for a complement of 500 officers
and men. The turrets and ammun1-
ton hoists are to be operated by cleo
tricity. A speed of 16 knots is re-
quired, with heavy penalties for any
deficiency, and if the vessel fails to
make Is knots she may be rejected al
| together.
No-TO-Bac F1fty Ceurs.
Guaranteed tobacco habit cure makes weak
| men strong. blood pure SOC. a. All druggists