The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-08-01

ever, II became necessary to purchase
some new vessels abroad. This govern
ment accordingly took over two vessels
under construction for the Brazilian
government. the cruisers New Orleans
and Albany. Both were Of The nigh
est British type; were constructed by
one OF the greatest firms Of British
shipbunders, who had large experience
in building warships, and the vessels
under construction were substantially
Identical With vessels which had pre-
viously been built and accepted for the
British navy. Both OF these vessels
were recognised as being in every re-
spect up to the standard OF the British
navy, This government took them over
frOm the builders, in pursuance of an
arrangement with the brazilian gov
ernment, because they were needed for
the navy, and because it was mat
ter OF considerable Importance that
Spain should not be permitted to
strengthen her navy by their acquisi-
tion.
Ever since the New Orleans went in
to commission there have been rumors
as to her impertections. It has been
an open secret that she was top-heevy,
and afforded a very unstable gun plat
form even in a moderate sea; and all
officers who have served aboard her
have united in testimony that her in
ternal arrangement was decidedly un-
comfortable for officers and crew.
These facts have been set out elab-
orately in a full report from Captain
Ide. now serving in command of the
New orleans in the Philippines, and
his statements are somewhat startling,
substantiated as they are by the re-
ports Of his chief engineer and sur
geon. Captain Ide reports that the
ventilating arrangements are so made
quate that the temperature of the cor
dite magazine is constantly near the
danger point. and that the most con-
slant watehfulness IS required so that
the instant this high explosive shows
signs Of deterioration it may be thrown
overheard. For the same reason, and
because the crew space is 100 small,
it has been necessary, ever since they
reached the tropics. for officers and
men to sleep on deck; and during the
rains they are forced to stand up under
the awnings. their ordinary sleeping
quarters being absolutely uninhabitable.
There has consequently been much
sickness. due to exhaustion and want
of sleep. He states that while in the
American-built ships there are about
thousand feet Of air for each man in
the crew space. there are barely two
hundred in the New Orleans, and this
with a very defective circulation.
He points out further that the mill
tary masts and superstructure lave a
tendency to make the New Orleans top
heavy. and that it is unsafe to re-
duce her coal supplies very much. In
addition TO this, his chief engineer re-
ports that the engines have short con-
nections, small steam space, no sepa-
rators in the main steam pipes, no in
dependent air pumps and very slow re-
versing gear. AS much as four min
utes are required to reverse the en-
gines. At low speed the engines do lot |
balance up. and seem to labor greatly.
The gravity Of this report is in
creased by the fact that the Albany, |
purchased at the same time. from the
same builders, but only recently put
into commission, will probably develop
the same defects. Neither is it possi-
bic. except at enormous expense, in
volving practical rebuilding of each |
vessel, to remedy them. The value Of
either vessel for use in the navy is far
less than that Of American-built crui-
sers Of the same class. The lesson is
a costly one; but the experience is not
without value. 1t is apparent that
American war vessels are as far SUPER
ior to those built in European ship
yards as the navy officers and American
who have had opportunities
of comparison have heretofore claimed.