The evening times., 1899-10-25
THE NEW WAR VESSELS.
Plans for Six Completed at the Navy
Department..

Plans for Six Completed mt the Navy
Department..
Three great battleships and three cruis-
ers. with superimposed turrets are to be
added in the next two or three years to
the United States Navy. The plans for
the vessels were finally adopted at meet
ing OF the Naval Board of Construction.
held yesterday afternoon. Up to this
meeting the questions that had caused
opinion was as to the usefulness of the su-
perimposed turrets. The plan was finally
adopted, but 1t may even yet be changed.
This point settled, it was decided to
mount couple of 12-inch new-pattern
guns in the lower turrets of the battle
ships instead of the 13-inch old style guns
of the Kearsarge, and to retain couple
of S-inch latest type guns in the upper
turrets. The board, after deciding that at
least four additional 8-inch guns were
needed in ther main battery OF the new
ships, and following the adopted practice,
which insists that all S-inch guns must
have turret protection, has placed two
such turrets with twin S-inch guns amid
ships, one on each. broadside, and to fill
the heavy battery twelve quick-fire 6-inch
rifles are disposed along the broadsides
behind fiat armor.
The Kearsarge7 has fourteen 5-inch guns
in broadside, and at first 1t was proposed
simply to substitute for these the same
number OF 6-inch calibre, but the experts
who watch practice abroad showed that
6-inch guns could not perforate the side
or many of the frst-class vessels now un-
der construction in Europe, and that S-inch
guns, regardless of the extra weight their
turrets compelled, were Indispensable.
The battery practically established, it
was determined that 9-inch armor over the
most vital parts of the ship. tapering to
l-2 inches in less dangerous localities,
would provide ample protection, if the lat
est improved processes were used.
The remaining fixed weights adopted Were
1000 tons for coal and about 200 tons for
machinery. These weights, including
stores, crew, and auxiliares are to be car
ried on displacement of 1880 tons, and
with this data the chief constructor Of the
navy will now go TO work and find out
whether hull can be devised 10 fill the re-
quirements, and the department will be in
position to advertise for bids as soon as
Congress authorizes the purchase of high
grade armor.
The salient features of the three great
armored cruisers were also settled. They
are to have 10000 tons displacement. as
compared with the New York's 5000 and
to have not less than twenty-five knots
speed, as compared with the New York s
twenty-one knots. They will carry 1000
tons of coal, giving them double the New
York's steaming radius. 1t is proposed to
arm them with twin S-inch guns in turrets,
one forward and one aft as oA the New
York. and sixteen 6-inch rapid fire guns in
broadside, where the New York has only
twelve 4-inch and the Brooklyn twelve s.
inch. The three new cruisers will have
23, 900 horsepower, with a protective deck
three inches thick on the fiat top and four
inches on the slopes, as in the battleships.
The armor protection will depend on the
weight available after the hull is designed.
For both classes of these ships Engineer
in-Chief Melville urged the adoption of
triple expansion screws, but the PROPOSE
tion was voted down by the other mem
bers of the board. II was shown that 10
binary cruising speed by the use OF triple
screws. and that there would be no en-
gines uncoupled at critical moments as
| happened with Sampson S ships at Santiago
the day Cervera came out, but the board
decided on twin screws for both classes OF
vessels. Rear Admiral Melville also ad-
vocated a speed of not less than twenty
three knots for the cruisers, that being the
speed of the latest cruisers abroad but the
other members thought a multiplicity of
screws confusing to navigators and OBJ
structions 10 free navigation