Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-08
TINE NEW wAasAIPs.
Piaas Being Drawn and Work Will Be Rushed
as Fast % Possible.

the three big baftleships authorized by
the naval appropriation bill. just
passed. are being worked out. The gen
eral features Of the ships have been de-
fined subjects 10 the approval Of the
secretary The battleships will be 1000
tons larger than the Maine and Mis-
souri, class. OF a total displacement Of
1850 tons. making that by far the
largest ships in. the American navy.
about equal in dimension To the hest
type of battleship now being con-
structed abroad under the new prac-
tice. Though larger than the Maine.
the ships will be laid on almost the
same lines being only n little greater
in every dimension.
They will carry each four 12-inch
guns in turrets. This calibre is an
inch less than the guns carried by the
Oregon, but by improved design they
will be almost equal in Preventative
power. The s-inch guns of the Oregon
type. although they did very effective
work at Santiago and Manila. have
been abandoned. But instead Of eight
s-inch guns the new ships will have IS
guns of 6-inch calibre, all rapid firers
and 21-pounders. This battery repre-
sents the ideal proportion between
guns as taught by practice of our own
fleets during the Spanish war and the
Chinese and Japan vessels during the
Japanese Chinese war.
The speed of the vessels will be IS
knots. an advance of two knots over
the Oregon class. but just equal to that
of the new Maine.
For protection against the enemy's
shot the ships will have one belt of
armor feet inches broad. running
clear around the water line. feet 6
inches above and 4 feet below. 1t was
originally planned to have this armol
10 inches thick. but the designers have
now reduced the thickness to II inches.
This change was made to strengthen
the easements which will be made ia
inches thick instead of inches
Altogether there is noticeable alb
sence of new features in the designs of
the battleships. which fact taken in
connection with the small amount of
progress reported in the designs of the
Maine class, may be an indication that
our naval designers have very nearly
approached the ideal battleship in
heir work. The fact that the navy de-
1artment is limited to $500 per ton In
the purchase of armor makes it i'm
possible to build these ships in the alb
,ence of further legislation and he
department will be obliged to content
Itself with the mere preparation of de-
allied plans during the coming sum-
ner.
The six cruisers Of the unarmored
type provided for can. however. he
. quilt. and Chief Constructor Hichborn
ias already been working out the .ie-
signs upon lines approved by the
BOARD of bureau chiefs. 1t is the p,ir-
,Ose of the navy department to place
contracts for those ships at the ear,i-
'st possible moment. They represent a
ype of cruiser which would be Of the
;reatest value just now for our foreign
service.
The plans call for vessels of about
900 tons and the ships will be i'm
proved Marbleheads. so to speak. being
90 tons larger than ships of that class
md with better batteries and more
.oal capacity. A most important. con-
Iteration is that they will be sheathed
With wood over the steel hui. and, fully
oppered. enabling them to keep the
'eas even in tropical waters for many
months without being under the ni.,as-
'ity Of seeking a dry dock. The hat
cry will be made up of six 5-incll guns
ZACH ship.
The cost is expected to be consider
IDLY more than the Marblehea,l. which
was $674,OO0. for the amount allowed