Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-26
e. H:GYERB FIGHTERS.
DESCRIPTION OF SEA MONSTERS
- =, ~. - TO OUR NAVY.
THY SPAIN SHOULD SUE FOR PEACE
These Giants Now BuiIdins for Uncle
sam VIII BE the Finest vessels
Yet Launched-Ne1 Feature of
Their Construction.
lcorresnondence Of the plspateh.)

Correspondence Of the Dispatch.)
WASHINGTON, June 25.-Hopeless as
tae war is for Spain. with the United
States navy at its present strength, 1t
Will be far worse for her when the giant
ships that are now building steam away
fully equipped. 70 join forces with the
American fleets. They are beauties, these
rev boats Of ours. Everything about them
Is OF the best from the designs, which
are in accordance with the plans accepted
by experts as the most effective In the
world, TO .Ae last bolt and rivet that
workmen world-famous for their skill
have welded together in the steel frames
Of the sea monsters.
In all there are building for the United
States navy FIVE battleships, ten torpedo
boats and the submarine torpedo-boat
Punger. The battleships are progressing
favorably towards completion. The Kear-
sarge and Kentucky. at Newport News.
are 50 per cent. finished; the Alabama, al
Philadelphia. % per cent, and the Wis
consin. at san Francisco. 80 per cent. The
statement shows that OF the torpedo
boats the Rowan and the Mackenzie are
nearly completed. Their respective per-
centages of construction are 50 IL and SO
per cent OF the other vessels OF this
type the percentages of work done are 80
on the Dahlgren, 90 on the Tom Craven,
81 on the Farragut, IS on the Davis, 81 on
the Fox, rs on tho Stringham, on the
GoldsbOrough. and PIP on the Bailey.
The Plunger is 70 per cent. towards COM
pletion. The battleship Illinois, building
al Newport News, is 46 per cent finished.
The five battleships will comprise in
themselves a fleet that any nation would
DO proud 10 own. They are Of two types,
the ,Kearsarge and Kentucky being twins.
The new ships differ in design from any
OF the battleships at present in commits
sion. such as the Indiana, Massachusetts,
and oregon. Since 1890. when these last
named vessels were built, radical
changes have taken place in the designs
OF battleships. and our new vessels are
built on new lines. The main differences
are observable most plainly In the Ala
bama. They consist Of the raising Of the
freeboard, and the separating by wider
space Of the batteries Of heavy guns
from the smaller Tapid-ire guns.
change that has been approved by the
designers of every navy.
A defect that has been noticeable IN
the battleship Indiana will be remedied
IN the designing OF these new vessels.
Sith the belief that II would enable the
gunner 10 fire ahead or astern at the
same time. eight S-inch guns were placed
IN four turrets around the central bat
terry OF the Indiana. The guns could not
be fired in the manner intended, however,
without the men in the fighting hoods
Of the l3-inch-gun turrets being in dan
ger Of death from the conclusion, and SO
the arrangement of the guns was dis
advantage.
In the new battleships a double-deck
idea has been adopted, which will enable
The guns to be trained either beam or
crectly ahead. without the danger refer
red 70. as the s-inch guns protrude so far
out OF the turret that their fire Will not
illure the man In the sighting hood OF
the l3-inch gun.
The new battleships are. therefore, an
Improvement on the old In this partic-
lar: that while the Indiana cannot fire
her guns dead ahead or dead astern. the
new ships can bring their guns 20 bear
IN any direction. so that the effective
power OF the batteries is doubled In
Big sea fight.
Il is not probable that the double-deck
pan Of arranging guns In turret VIII De
repeated. So rapidly do the designs OF
warships change that already objections
have been found TO the double-deck plan
tat are regarded as sufficient 20 prevent
Il being used again. The naval experts
are opposed 10 Il chiefly because II places
the guns OF q shis too close together ana
affords TOO great an opportunity Tor the
c-i-.r'ioo O. fhe r~ein batteries ~ m"
one shot. Two batteries. separated by
wide space on a battleship, are less ike
D. 10 be oamagcd 20 such an extent as 70
render all the guns useless. as Is bat
terry made up Of two batteries In one.
While the doubie-deck turret would per-
haps be smashed by one broadside. tur-
rets In separate parts Of the ship wonIo
be less likely 10 be hit simultaneously
Another change is the substituting OF
fourteen 5-ineh rapid-Gre guns for Ine
inch guns Of the older battlesnips. Inc .
inch gun throws & shell weighing nity
sounds wbua ibs s-inch gun throws 0hs