New-York tribune., 1900-05-06

rlunition, in case of disaster making necessary
the dread command of Abandon ship
These boats are of eight types, each specially
designed for the performance of distinct func-
tions though ail combine facilities for life saw
ing duty. The Kearsarge on her superstructure,
slowed away from the blast of her own guns.
though unavoidabIy exposed the fire of an
enemy. carries this complement of boats; One
4o-foot steam cutter 33-foot steam cutter,
two 33-foot launches. four 3O-foot cutters one
30-foot barge, two 30-foot whaleboats, one 80
foot gig, two 20-foot dingies and two 1S-foot
balsas- They all built in navy yards with
the exquisite finish and that distinguish
Government work from that Of private shops,
where profit is the chief consideration.
THE NAVY MODELS FINED
The Navy has come to regard it's exhaustive
experiments upon models practically ended,
and has now settled definitely upon the types
just allotted to the Kearsarge. They have been
fully adopted the typical standards. In order
TO insure uniformity hereafter and to familiarize
the workmen all the navy yards with the
models, well 10 enable private establish
ments in case of a National emergency 10 turn
out hundreds of such boats Government or
ders. Admiral Hichborn has prepared a book,
which will be published next week, which is
Unique among books, public private. Il de-
scribes the typical boats, their materials and
details Of construction and there Odd full
page plates giving half tone illustrations of all
the boats and complete general plans, with
drawings Of all details. The drawings a
scale Of half inch to the foot. and from them
any high class boat builder will be able to dupli-
cate the Governments products should the de-
mand exceed the capacity of the navy yards, as
1t would do in case of prolonged war.
SOLVING THE BOAT PROBLEM
Admiral Hichborn has been assisted in the
his principal designer, who has for years de-
voted his best efforts to perfectng these stand
ards. He found that the limitations in the Navy
presented problems of small boat design similar
TO those affecting the designs of warshps for
special purposes. and in citing few of the cases
Of specialization recently before the Society of
Naval Architects in New-Yor8 he took for illus
Irations OF boats from which the naval stand
ards have been developed the dory and the
whaleboat, among others, each Of which fulfilled
its peculiar purpose in its special environment
but which would be comparatively useless for
other purposes than that for which it was de-
signed. He says:
Boats must be designed for their specific pur-
pose IN the Navy. They must be strong enough
TO stand rough usage in rough water. They
must be stable under sail oars, must have
great carrying capacity and must be light
is consistent with the necessary strength The
steamNcutters must have the power and strength
OF construction to not only carry their own load
OF officers and men, ranging from sixty in the
4O-foot cutters to thirty five in the .S-foot but
must be able to tow all the other boats of the
vessel loaded TO their capacity. AS the usual
space naval vessels for the storage of boats is
is also limited, that in abandoning Ship when
each man has his allotted place in boat, there