New-York tribune., 1899-07-25

Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE]
xraso,ngton July pa serious error has
,ssn discovered in the hull design OF the new
,ottleship Maine. building at Cramps. and 200
.o,s of arrnor must be sacrificed to remedy
.,s defect It is feared similar unfortunate
.onaition prevails In the sister ship of the
Maine. the Missouri. at Newport News and the
Ohio. at San Francisco.
These three vessels are the finest and largest
ever laid down for the American Navy. consti-
,ut,ng as well distinct type OF higher speed
and greater formidability than any others in the
feet AS originally designed. they were dupli-
cates Of the Illinois class OF 16 knots speed
and II 800 tons displacement but through the
energetic agitation of The Tribune their speed
vas Increased 2 knors. and their coal capacity
was doubled. giving them 1880 tonnage by
ne simple expedient Of adding % feet to their
length and demanding greater horse power
This method OF securing the best ships for the
uoney appropriated by Congress was rendered
feasible by the three principal shipyards Of
the country. after It had been supported gen.
eralIy by the press. the naval designers hav-
ing regarded tfe available appropriation too
small 10 purchase better ships than those de-
sened long before the lessons learned from the
war with Spain
Soon after starting the actual construction Of
me Maine. several months ago, when the final
detail drawings Were completed and approved,
4 was noticed that the Cramps had made the
lines Of the Names hull much finer than had
been noticed at first, and a question raised
regarding ITS actual displacement This ref1n-
ing OF The hull had been made TO secure the
extra speed, which, under the contract, was to
be secured by more powerful and economical
boilers, furnishing steam at higher pressures TO
the driving engines. An exhaustive investiga-
ton Of the plans followed. with the result Of
discovering that the fulness OF the hun has
been pared down until the vessel has only
$500 tons displacement. In the mean time the
other preparations for ar1nor, armament am
nunition, equipment, stores, etc, had been
progressing with the warrantable understand
ing that 1880 dead weight would cause the
vessel 10 draw only % feet 1O1a inches Of water
as originally stipulated This limit Of draught
exceeded that OF the Kea-sarge. the Kentucky,
the Illinois the Alabama and the Wisconsin By
four and half inches and was one and hall
inches less than that Of the Iowa. the Indiana,
the Massachusetts, and the Oregon The latter
vessels had proved too deep for ready access to
more than two harbors on the Atlantic Coast,
and II was deemed essential not TO have the
keels Of the later ships 90 any deeper. Many
naval experts insisted that twenty-rhree feet
should be the maximum, but ten ana haH
inches more was finally selected as the limit
for the new ships which would then be capable
Of entering four harbors between Hampton
Roads and Halifax at high tide as well as
enabling them TO be docked at the highest
spring tides at the Brooklyn Navy Yard by re-
moving most OF their coal
ERRORS MAKE THE SHIP TOP HEAVY.
The lack Of 200 tons IN the 1oating power OF
the Maine means negative stability. as well as
five inches increased draught. Her stores guns
ammunition and other essentials had already
been pinched down to the last pound. ano un-
less 200 tons Of her arnnor fs sacrificed she must
draw "a feet PA inches. and wait until deeper
drydocls are built in order that she may De re-
paired in case any such unexpected accident
occurs as crippled the Massachusetts the Brook
lyn the Columbia and other ships which found
Submerged wrecks in the principal ports OF
the United states II the armor Is not lightened
FIVE inches Of her expensive side plating VIII be
submerged and she will be top heavy.
These are the sole alternatives, unless Secre-
tary Long insists that the contractors shall give
the Government the displacement that IS beng
paid for The Maine is TO cost SoVO,OVO VI
this amount s., ,SS5.OO0 is The contract price Tor
the hull and machinery. The Krupp faced arInor
for which Congress had not made surnclent pro-
vision the great batteries and other equipment
are 10 be supplied by the Government as oT4su4a
" designed No mistakes Of calculation are cOul-
tenanced in them, and ordinarily the ms 'aeS S
Of contractors are % be rectifed though N suea
instances Congress has usually been charIIaOle
about claims for extras 49,, r,oard
The matter appeared before the Naval Boar u
on Construction to-day Tor the nIs' ~ .'oveT-
sight by doing away with about two huhuIeu
tons OF arrnor protection. 1t was expIalheu nc
one inch could be taken of the twelve lnch sue
arnor and still leave II amply strong i0I az
practical" purposes. In view OF the raplo III
provement Of steel processes, II was All s- 49,
eleven inch armor TWO years from now 49, 49,
the Maine first begins 10 feel the need OF erInor'
will offer as great resistance 70 per1ordtIou %
armor a foot thick does to-day leaving OUT oL
consideration the Improvement or shell, po"uer
and gun in the same period. other aT1nor' soHe
On the superstructure, II was also eueses'eS'
might be made slightly thinner ana as an Oh
SET 10 these reductions II was enuc'ney PtO-
rosed w increase the length Of armor protection
sixteen feet further forward, following the latest
practice abroad OF spreading Aghter' lVuSLer
plating over a greater area. par e4Ou1N-'S 9
the freebOard-
A SERIOUS SACRIFICE LIKELY.
No decision was reached at to-days meeting
bur the BOARD Will consider the subject again
tomorrow. and unless Secretary Long interferes
the sacrifice is apt 10 be made. II the desired
permission is granted in the case or the Maine
it will have to be duplicated for the missouri
and the Ohio in fairness 10 the builders or those
vessels The actual construction on the AIS.
sour is not begun yet at Newport News, pul
IL is conceded that her contractors having glVer
the Government precisely the same suaIan. s- .ess s
the Cramps. are entitled 10 the same au-
vantageous deductions. With the SCOTS whc
are Just starting the Ohio at the Union lrOn
Works. San Francisco. the conditions are hol
Identical. although they. too. would like TO save
the value OF 900 tons Of hull, and The extra ex-
pense Of attaching 200 tons Of armor, whlch
SIcKJY /MA