The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-15
NEW B4TTLESHIP,S GUNS.
Plans for the Armament of Three Com
ing Nekaelh.

ing Vessels.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 13-Rear Admiral ONeil.
chief Of the Naval Ordnance Bureau. has sub
mitted to the Bureau OF Construction sugges-
tions in regard to the armament and armor OF
the three battlcships New Jersey, Georgia and
Pennsylvania. authorized by the last Congress.
By the tightening Of the armor belt, made pos
sible by the greatly increased resisting power
OF the latest armor. Admiral O'Neil IL enabled
to plan much heavier batteries. He has pre-
pared five separate plans for the new ships.
Each provides for the same mum Der of guns OF
each calibre in the secondary batteries and the
same general arrangement. but modified by
differences in the main battery.
In the secondary battery each vessel is to
carry sixteen 3-inch guns. thirty calf res in
length. sixteen 3 Founders. sixteen four-shot
automatic FOUNDERS. six single shot 1-pound-
ers. ten machine guns and two field guns. In
the main battery one plan contemp'ates four
l2-inch guns OF 40 calibre. four S-inch guns OF
As calibre. and twelve 6-inch guns Of 30 cali
bre The 12-inch guns are to be mounted in
barbettc turrets fore and aft OF the super
structure two S-inch guns in barbette turrets
on each beam and the 6-nch guns in broadsido
so as to give the largest possible arc OF fire.
This arrangement would give each ship a
broadsite battery on each side OF four
guns. in addition to the large number
of secondary battery guns that could be
brought to bear directly on each side
The guns OF the main battery that could be
brought to bear directly fore and aft would Ice
two Pinch, four S-inch and two 6-inch in adj
dition to numerous secondary battery guns
The second plan differs from the first in that
it provides for eight G-inch guns arranged in
four harbetto turrets. two on each side There
are two other plans identical with this exropt
that one proposes to substitute four lO-inch
guns for the 12-inch guns. and the other
proposes to substitute two 1O-inch guns and
two l2-nch for the four l2-inch. In these
the fore and aft fire is the same a in the
first plan. but the broadsde fire il increased
by two S-inch guns.
The fifth plan differs from the first in having
no S-inch guns and in increasing the nun Der
ofG-nch to sixteen. eight firing on each broad
side and four directly forward and two directly
aft
The plan that will probably meet with
most favor. II it is found to be practicable to
carry it within the limit Of weights assigned to
the battery. is that Of the four Pinch and four
S-inch guns.
The waterlinc armOr belt. to extend the en-
tire length OF the ship. is to be nino inches
thick along the vital parts and will taper to
four inches fore and aft Of the main bar
bettes. Diagonal armor Of nine inches
thickness is to run from the side armor
to the main barbettes The armor is to
be much more widely distributed and the
smaller guns of both main and second
dairy batteries are to have much better protec-
ton than any hattleships heretofore designed
A novel feature. at least for the American Navy
Is proposition to isolate the G-inch guns in
separate classmates, so that "A bursting shell
might not put several guns out of action.