The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-08
WORKING ON NEW WARSHIPS.
NEW BATTLESHIPS WILL BE TIE
LARGEST IN THE NAVY.

Ihey VIII he Larger Than the New
Maine, and VIII Have IA Speed Two
Knots Greater-Departmen Hmm
pered by the Limit ON the Price of
Armor Observation-Disclosures of the
New Cruisers VIII Go Right
Ahead.
Washington, March THE plans for the
three big battleshps. authorized by the
naval appropriation bill, just passed, are
being worked out
The general features of the ships have
been defined, subject to the approval Of
the secretary. The battleshps win be 600
tons larger than the Maine and Missouri
class, of a total displacement of 1880 tons.
making them by far the largest ships in
the American navy, and about equal In
dimensions 60 the best type OF battleshIps
now being constructed abroad under the
new practice.
Though larger than the Maine, the ships
will be laid on almost the same lines. be-
ing only a little greater In every dimen-
mension. They will carry four 12-lnch
guns In turrets. This calihre is an inch
less than the guns carried by the Oregon,
but by improved design they will be al
most equal in penetrative 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 S-inch guns the new ships Will
M hon tyta z In
all rapid-frers, and twenty 6-pounders.
Speed and Protection.
The speed of the ships will be eighteen
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 battleships will have
one belt of armor seven feet six inches
broad, running clear around the water
line, three feet, six inches above. and
four feet below.
Altogether there Is notable absence
of new features in the designs of the bat
t,eships. which fact taken In connection
with the small amount of progress re-
ported IN the designs for the Maine class.
may be an indication that our naval de-
signers have very nearly approached the
ideal battleship in their work. AS far
as those particular ships are concerned.
the fact that the navy department Is linn
tied to $500 per ton In the purchase of
armor plate, makes II impossible to build
them in the absence of further legislation,
and the department will be obliged TO
content itself with the mere preparation
Of detailed plans during the coming sum-
mer.
= The New UnarmOred Cruisers.
The six cruisers of the unarmored type
provided for can, however, be built as
Chief Constructor Hichborn has already
been working out the designs upon lines
approved by the board of bureau chiefs.
1t Is the purpose of the navy department
to place contracts for these ships at the
earliest possible moment. They represent
type of cruisers which would be of the
greatest value just now for our foreign
service The plans call for vessels of
about 1900 tons and the ships will be i'm
proved Marbleheads. so to speak. being
800 tons larger than ships of that class,
and with better batteries and more coal
capacity.
most important consideration Is that
they will be sheathed with wood over the
steel hull and fully coppered, enabling
them to keep the seas even In tropical wa
ters for many months without being I'M
der the necessity of seeking a dry dock
The battery will be made of six 5-ineh
guns for each ship. The cost Is to be con-
siderably more than that OF the Marble
head, which was s674O00 for the amount
allowed by Congress was $1,1A 800 each.
This difference is accounted for by the
many improvements made IN the Marble
heads design. a notable one being the use
of water tube boilers, giving much greater
speed and economy.