New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-25
followed In shaping the lines OF both vessels IL
IL said, will enable the ships TO attain re-
markable rate of speed for their heavy class
TWO SPLENDID FIGHTING MACHINES
DESCRIPTION OF THE BATTLE-sHIPs KEARsARGE
KENTUCKY

AND KENTUCKY
There are larger battle-ships on the ocean than
the twin sisters Kearsarge and Kentucky; there
are even larger armored cruisers In the hrI'sn
Navy such as the splendid cruisers Po"eriu an"
Terrible yet II Is doubtful whether any prudent
naval commanders. even leaving out o. his calcuia-
lions the great factor represented by the superb
lighting qualities OF the American sailor. would
care to venture a hostile meeting with one OF these
steel bulldogs OF the sea. for the now America"
battle-ships embody In their design ana consuuc-
ton the highest development up to TINS date III
offensive ard defensive naval warfare into th'lr
broad hulls are packed all the engine power the
armor and ordnance that the highest scientific ahE
is able to concentrate in floating structure which
is able seek base OF operations. supply % t"e
and ammunition and an opportunity TO heal wounds
received In battle. Larger ships those OF deeper
draught necessarily, cannot enter or attack nited
States ports at fighting range and this considera-
ton was always kept in mind by Chicf constructor
Hichborn when the Kcarsarge and the Kentucky
were planned. This is tho explanation o. the fact
a new one in naval design-that those ships. with
displacement o. II 52j IONS. draw only q feet
inches OF water less than tho armcred cruisers
New-York and Brooklyn. which would not COM
bincd be equal in combat to one OF tho battle
ships. Light drauCht on heavy dlsplacomcnts Is
only one OF the many valuable qualities OF tho
batte-shps. though by no means the Least Except
the Indiana class they carry tho heaviest batteries
in accord with modern naval practice. and with
primary batteries fully equal 10 that class they
mount secondary guns in such fashion as 10 make
the combination almost unequalled in naval archi-
lecture The big rifles four in number are mounted
In two turrets. ono sweeping the entire sea from
directly ahead 10 fully hall way astern the other
with equal range. placed 50 as 10 command the
sea from either bow or straight amend. They are
OF l3-nch cabre. while tho British Navy now
confines its guns to the Pinch calibrc. In inches
the difference seems small, Yet the American gun
has abou, p per cent more power.
NOVELTY IN TJ'RRETs
At this point in the armament OK tho ships the
American designers have made bold and enter
prsing experiment. tho result OF which will he
awaited with interest by the whole naval world.
Instead o. descending at on" move from the heavy
primary battery the snall-caihre lapid-hre guns,
a. is done in the case OF cruisers It has become
the custom OF avail architects to !ntorpose a bat
terry CT medium-calibre guns. Or inch FOR in
stance and these arc paced in small independent
turrets about tho ship 1t occurred 20 tho Amer
lean designers that II they could dispense with
the weighty and space-consuming machinery at
tachcd TO those turrcts such ne tho turning
Sines and machinery. Independent ammunition
HOSTS. etc. much engine power could
be placed in tho hull OF the ship and much
armor could be carried They solved the
problem by rigdly attaching the smaller turrets.
each containing Two S-nch guns. to the TOP Of the
his l]-inch turrcts, The plan had another ad-
tended 10 2 terrible CONGO ntration OF IRE Proba-
bly, the ship does not float that would survive
the awful impact from the four guns Of OF
these combined turrets on one small section OF It's
nun. and because they trained in unison their
proiecties must strike close together
With the saving In weight, the designers
able 10 give splendid armor protection to the ships
All the armOr is OF Harveyized ncke-stee Of
American invention. and the best in tho world mp
10 this date. s shown by the many European
efforts TO equal II by other processes Of manufac,
NO. Moreover. II is sklfully disposed. TO
make every ounce Of steel count for the protection
OF tho crow
The big turrets are seventeen inches thick in
front. diminishing In thickness 10 fifteen in the
rear where they arc less likely TO be struck be
'ause I'm action the guns supposed always to he
turned toward the enemy. The smaller turrets
above. for a Ike reason, vary In thickness from
eleven 10 nine inches To make that no stray
shot strikes the ammunition hoiss. leading from
the magazine 10 the turrets. the former in
cased in tubes Of hardened steel fifteen inches in
thickness. Mounted In this fashion. the guns
almost invulncrable from the S-inch rifles mounted
high I'm air. with good range and capable of pierre
ing the walls Of most armored ships at fighting
quarters TO the big l3-inch guns. that project
their armor piercing shots a dozen miles