The times., 1899-10-18
THE BUILDERS PROTEST.
Criticism of the Cruiser New Or
leans Calls Forth a Reply.
A Letter From the Armstrong; to the
Navy Department - Officials Diyid-
ed i'm Opinion as to the Vessels
Stability - Report of Test VIII
Not Delay the Ships Departure.

The test made Monday at the Brooklyn
navy yard to determine the stability of the
English built cruiser New Orleans was
ordered by Rear Admiral Philip Hichborn,
Chief Constructor of the Navy. The naval
authorities are awaiting with interest the
report of the test, but it is hardly likely
that an expression of opinion by Assistant
it, that her metacentre is not high enough
and that she will roll dangerously in a
seaway will cause the department to re-
woke the order for the New Orleans to
leave Brooklyn for Manila on Thursday.
Some time ago similar test OF the New
Orleans was made at the Brooklyn yard
by Naval Constructor Bowles. Objection
was made by the Armstrong; the English
firm who built the New Orleans, and are
building the sister ship, the Albany, to
the opinion of Mr. Bowles that the New
Orleans was not stable, and it was on ac-
count of the protest of these shipbuilders
that the test conducted Monday was order
ed In a letter forwarded to the Navy
Department by the United States Attache
at A-OhAOAs TIC
I'VE have looked for some time for a
contradiction of the obviously untrue
statements which have been published, but
no such contradiction has appeared We
should be sorry 10 think that the reports
in question have been published with the
intention OF unfairly misrepresenting our
work and unfairly prejudicing us in the
eyes of other nations. We cannot suppose
that this is the case. The vessel in ques-
tion was not, it is true, built in consulta-
tion with the United States technical off
GERS. She and the Albany were purchased
from the Brazilian Government in an
emergency with our concurrence, but not
at our wish, and we venture to think ii
should be remembered that while the New
Orleans admittedly rendered great service
during the late war, we are at the present
time finishing the Albany for the United
States Government without receiving any
increase in price, four years after enter
ing into a contract for her construction for
the Brazilian Government, and the cost of
the material and labor have been increased
about 20 per cent, whereby we have been
the losers in a considerable sum. II is
trusted, therefore, that some way may be
seen to remove the erroneous impression
that the paragraphs to which We have re-
ferred must have caused"
The Armstrong; also furnished to the
Navy Department technical data of tests
made by them TO obtain the metacentric
height. Opinion at the Navy Department
as TO the structures of Constructor Bowles
appears TO be divided. While some officers
believe that the ship rolls entirely too
much in a seaway, others point to the fact
that she ran out gale with perfect safety
and without extraordinary discomfort to
those on board when her bunkers were
nearly empty, thus causing her to set high
in the water. 1t is maintained by officers
who dispute the adverse opinions, that with
the weight of good supply of coal on
board the New Orleans is as stable a ship
as there is in the United States service.