Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-24
NOTES OF sHIPPING.

The Armstrong; Of England, builders
81 the cruiser New Orleans and also
OF the Albany-the latter a sister vessel
OF the New Orleans and now under
construction at their yard-haye pro-
tested against the statements made de-
f"Satory to the stability of the New
orleans. IN letter to an American
correspondent the English firm says:
We have looked for some time for q
contradiction OF the obviously untrue
statements which have been published
,tut 10 such contradiction has appeared.
we should be sorry to think that the
reports in question had been publish ed
with the intention Of unfairly misre-
presenting our work and unfairly pre-
jIdicing us in the eyes of other nations
We cannot suppose that this is the case.
The vessel in question (the New Or
lean) was not. it is true. built in con-
suttatlon with the United States tech
MICA! officers She and the Albany We're
purchased from the Brazilian cavern
nlent IN an emergency With our con-
currence. but not at our wish, and we
venture to think it should be remember
cG that while the New Orleans admit
teuly rendered great service during the
late war, we are at the present time fin
lshlns the Albany for the United States
government without receiving any in
crease in price. four years after enter
ing INTO a contract for the construction
Tor the brazilian government, and the
cost 81 the ma erial and labor have been
increased about 20 per cent Whereby
we have been the losers in a consider
able sum. 1t is trusted. therefore,, that
some way may he seen to remove the
erroneous impression that the para
graphs TO which we have referred muvt
have caused.
IN another private letter the firm
says; 1T is not our custom to take
notice OF vague reports that appear in
newspapers. especially in cases when,
IS III the present. we have had from
your own lips, statements SO directly
contrary, and speaking so highly of the
efficiency of the New Orleans, but we
should feel greatly indebted if YOU
would take any steps which may seem
70 you desirable to remove the impress
made upon officers in the service of the
United States"
A report has also been received at the
Navy Department from the Armstrong;
"hlch gives their side of the case. 1t
furnishes Eoluminous data Of an in
Ginning test made with the Albany. The
snip was in the condition described as
Well advanced toward completion
"nen the experiments were made and
a mean metacentric height Of about
thirty-two inches was obtained. From
shls metacentric height other conditions
We're calcul2ted, giving the results as
follows: -nccr condition one, ship bat
very ana outfit complete. and no water
water Or coal on board. displacement,
2.695 tons; mean draught IL feet inch
the metacentric height of 122 feet or
14.e inches was obtained. Under sec
onu condition. which may be described
AS hight cruising condition. with shin
battery and outfit, crew and water and
machinery completes: ammunition
stores, coal and water half consumed:
displacement Of the ship, 3.4O2 tons:
mean draught, Is feet inches: meta
centric height would be 23S feet. or
over 2Si!a inches. Under a third condi-
tlon. the most favorable with ship bat
terry and outfit. crew and water and
machinery complete: all ammunition
placement. 1854 tons: mean draught.
~ feet inches; the retacentric height
obtained from this condition was oGo
feet, or over 80 inches
Under the supervision OF an engineer
o. me United States light house board
tests We're recently made at F'alkner's
island. off the Connecticut coast, with
me largest megaphOne in the world q
is seventeen feet in length and feet
IN diameter at the mouth and revolves
Enon circular platform, IS feet In
diameter. The plan for the operation
OF the megaphone contelnplates its d.
rectlon, in succession. 20 the eighth
principal points Of the compass. Diff
1erent signal being sounded at each
IN the line of the axis Of the instrument
during a fog will be enabled to deter
'nlne its exact position with relation to
the signal station. This would serve
70 obN1te. of course. the difficulty
when has heretofore existed in locating
sound signals in fog. The
signals projected through the huge
megaphone are fifteen seconds apart
and the apparatus makes a complete
revolution in two minutes In order to
facilitate the recollection Of the code all
the sounds which indicate the genera
direction of west begin with a short blast
and those indicating the general direc-
ton OF east begin with a short blast
the south signals are all shorter than
those farther north
Ihe chief point of dispute in regard
10 the new system was whether or not
II would be possible to distinsu sh c ear
~ between the sounds which were
heard when it was pointed As degrees
from II. which would be the next angle
at which signal would be sounded.
Almost all the highest authorities on
the subject denied that any distinction
could be made. When the first exper..-
ments we're made at Falkner's island
the foG signal used was one of the
smallest sirens procurabie and was
blown with steam at forty pounds and
Ted by ] u inch pipe. This is scarcely
= per cent. OF that of the sirens at
Sandy Hook, Block island and Beaver
Tail. and yet when blown through the
large megaDhone the sound Of the smat il
siren was found to be almost equal to
That of ten-inch locomotive whistle,
and could be heard at ten miles. The
results Of the test We're a complete sur
Prise. 1t was found that sounds sent
from an angle of As degrees instead of
being nearly equal to those sent direct
" toward the observer We're absolutely