Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-09-23
A PEERLESS VESSEL
Splendid Tribute to the Battle
ship Kearsarge.
SHE WILL DO HERSELF pROUD
Her builders Have Every Reason to De
Gratified. An Hxpert Oplnlon o. the
Fighting Craft by Naval
Constructor Bowles.
SHE WILL DO HERSELF PROUD

Under the caption of "1Nha Peerless
i>earsarse." the current issue or lhs
Nautical Gazette contains the following
fine editorial: -
mo vessel of our new navy has
been the subject OF such interest as
that bestowed upon the new batteShip
!>earsarse. This splendid ship. to he
ranked among the finest of fighting
craft Of the world, came into New Yorl,
harbor a few days ago. direct from tn,
hands Of the builders. on her way to
The Massachusetts coast to test h"r
| speed officially. Those who saw l,cr
We're struck With her beautiful appear
an>e, for. Notwithstanding that sna is
u vessel displacing l1.a25 tons. she is 50
veil propolttioncl ara inganiously de-
signed as to bear a resemblance to 4
handsome steam yacht.
"Cll the way up the coast her sea
going qualities were thoroughly tested,
and she WAS found to stand up under
;1eavy armament as Well as the stead
lest merchant steamer. thus I,rovln:,
he wisdom ana clevern"ss Of her de-
slSne:S. For the kearsarge is blIilt
upon i novel plan. having supcrrose,l
turrets both fore and aft. feature
that has caused the old fogies Ia Shake
their heads ominously over and to Pre-
dict all sorts Of dire calamity.
The ship was locked at the Brook
lyn navy yard. Where the coating OF
harnacies that had grown on iler bet
tom during the year and twenty days
since she was launched were removed.
ana With her hull smooth and clean
she Will DE in prime condition for her
trial on Monday next. Constructor
Bow!es. Of the navy yard. in speaking
OF the craft. said:
: The new battlcship is a big i'm
provement over the Indiana type Of vas
sci. both as to her seagoing qualities
and lighting ability. When under way.
there is practically no roll to her on
her trip up from Newport News she
only showed two degrees roll which IS
remarkable record. In respect to- her
lighting abilities, She has n Zig aGvan-
tage over the Indiana and Massachu-
sets in the placing of her big guns
With the big turrets on the Indiana.
the centre of gravity of the guns and
turrets is not in the centre Of the tur-
ret. The centre OF gravity of a ,urret
alone IS in the centre Of the iurret. but
Inc centre of gravity OF the guns is
not in the centre OF the turret, SO that
when the guns are turned to port or
sta1board. the battleship is caused 10
A'-'l ~! lAidl oileClloH. In the case of
the Kearsarge. both the turrets-which
are elliptical in plan-and the guns find
their centres Of gravity in the centre
Of the turrets. This was brought about
by the arrangement of the ar,,pr on
the turrets and by fixing each super
posed eiSht-inch gun turret somewhat
back on the top of the corresponding
main turret. so as to countelact The
oVerhang of the thirteen-inch guns;
therefore. no matter in what direction
the guns are trained, not the slightest
list is caused
The kearsa-ge Will undoubtedly do
herself proud on the official run The
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry
Dock Company, her Builders have Ger
tainly reason to feel elated over their,
promptness in turning out this great
lighting machine. she is bound to BE-
credit to them. and that the United:
States possesses a plant capable Of
constructing such q. ship should De A
continual source of gratific cat 10
every patriotic Citizen