The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-18
MOST POWERFUL IN WORLD.
WARsHfPs For AMERICAN NAVY
PROVIDED BY CONGRESS-.
VIII Carry the Heaviest Armor and
most Powerful Armament for
vessels of Their Class-Dimen-

VI CI48B-Dlme m
sions of the New war vessels.
Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer
WASHINGTON, Nov. I.-When con-
eress In March, 1899. appropriated money
ior three sea-going coast-line battleships,
carrying the heaviest armor and most
powerful armament for vessels OF their
Grass, IT was evidently their intention to
PROVIDE Tor vessels more powerful than
snose OF any other nation in the world
me unfortunate provision by which the
contracting for the vessels was made SUBJ
Ject to an agreement as to the price of
armor, while 1t delayed the work in con-
nection with these important vessels,
served one good purpose in making 1t
possible to combine with those appropri-
ated for by the Fifty-ffth congress the
two provided for by the act Of June Z.
1900.
The bureau OF construction and repair.
IN the designs for these FIVE vessels. has
fully carried out the evident purpose of
congress- and the designs now approach
Ing completion in that bureau represent
nve OF the most powerful battleships
which have ever been projected
The vessels appropriated for in 1899 are
required to be sheathed and coppered,
whereas those OF the later appropriation
have been held by the navy department
not to be covered by the provision as to
sheathing, and the bureau OF construc-
ton and repair has, therefore, designed
Two classes OF vessels. one sheathed and
the other not sheathed.
the designs have been further compli-
Gated by the decision of the board OF
construction to fit three OF the vessels
with the superimposed turret, similar to
the Kearsarge and Kentucky, and to pro-
vide the other two vessels with what has
been designated the "quadriateral ar
rangement" Of the S-inch guns OF the
main battery The provisions OF the acts
Tor the five vessels have, therefore been
covered by designs, prepared In the bu-
reau OF construction and repair for three
sheathed and coppered battleships carry
ing superimposed turrets and two un-e
sheathed battleships with the 'quadrilat-
eral arrangement of s-inch turrets.
Dimensions Of Vessels.
The general dimensions and chief char
acteristics of the sheathed and coppered
vessels are.
Length on load water line. As feet
Breadth; extreme at load water line.
Trial displacement, about 1900 tons.
Mean draft at trial displacement about
Greatest draft, full load. about % feet
The general dimensions OF the unsheath-
ed vessels are:
Length on load water line, 4s5 feet.
Breadth, extreme. at load water line
Trial displacement, about 1890 tons.
Mean draft at trial displacement. about
"a feet.
Greatest draft. full load about q feet.
In. the 1900 tons represented In each
OF these vessels the many antagonistic
qualities essential to perfect, lighting
corporated In proportions which expert
ence seems to have pointed out as the
desirable and cnn S.v TO s sesn
favorably with any battleships under
Ss ssres es.e xs as With tSs ANY
Of construction and repair have shown
may e q spssS snss
| win be exceeded by from quarter to >
T The vessels win be propelled at this
! high speed by twin screws. driven by two
| four-cylinder. triple-expansion engines of
about 1900 indicated horse power. having
ons Of e speea Ct aSeut 10
essary to this power viii be supplied at
| by twenty-four Babcock q wilcox
straight water tube boilers. placed four
| In each OF six independent watertight
compartments.
Formidable Armament.
Each ship will carry four 12-inch guns.
in Hichborn balanced turrets. having an
arc OF train of go degrees. one forward
s-inch guns, forty-five caiibers in length,
which will he carried on each. In the three
sheathed vessels. four will be mounted In
posed upon the i2-inch turrefs above men
toned. and four in two turretr amdshfps
the amidships turrets having an arc OF
sheathed vessels. all eight s-inch guns
will be mounted In four Independent tur-
rets, each having an arc OF train of l4s
ends Of the superstructure. thus form
ing ouadrIlaterai In each vessel there
will he broadside OF twelve 6-inch ranid-
fire guns, fifty calibers In length mount
ed six on each side or. tbs. main deck.
each with an arc OF train OF 10 degrees,
and each will also have twelve ii-pound-
ers and twelve s-pounders. mounted in
commanding positions and having very
large arcs Of fire In the two lower tops
there win be four automatic 1-pounders.
and the upper tops. four singie-shot J.
Experience having shown that above
water torpedo tubes are not only ineffi-
nossessors the vessels are ftted only
with submarine torpedo tubes. Two OF
these are located In one compartment.
one on each side. fitted for the discharge
OF the large ls-inch Whitehead torpedo.
and provision is made for CARRYING. stored
in the torpedo room six OF these formid-
able engines OF war.
Provision of Magazines.
The magazines OF the vessels will be
snerialiv fitted to enable them to carry
with absolute safety In all climates the
new smokcess powder, and with this end
In view provision Is being made for their
artiheini cooling by pipes led from the
cold storage system OF the vessel In such
cases as may be necessary. Provision
viii be made in the magazines for the
s,nvaus ~ al least sixty rounds for each
az the Pinch guns. representing weight
az about IA tons. l25 rounds for each OF
The s-inch guns Weighing about no tons.
M ronnda for each OF the S-fnch guns,
fha weight ~ which will be about 100 tons:
nsn rounds for each Of the S-pounder and
Ysno,inder guns end an almost iuexhaust-
me s,ipply OF ammunition for the smaller
guns. ..,,,. ..,,.,,
,,as To make their defensive qualities
es.Sn,rtt ,nateiy great. they are to be pro-
riasd with complete water-line belt OF
armor. eight feet In width amidships..
sisven inches thick at the top and eight
49,. a., hnffnrn. tAnertng % q nni-