Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-10-04
SIX LARGE CRUISERS.
Bids for Their Construction to be Opened
December 18th.

| December 18th.
| Washington, Oct. /. Secretary Long
has issued advertisements for proposals
for the construction of the projected
armored cruisers, and has announced
that bids will be opened on December
| 7th.
Six armored cruisers are to be con-
structed, three of which will be
sheathed and coppered. Tbs general
| characteristics Of all the vessels are
the same, except as regards sheathing
and cuppering, and as regards the
variation in dimensions and displaoe-
ment consequent thereon. These will
| be the general dimensions Of un-
| sheathed vessels, if the department. s
| design be followed:
Length at load water line, 500 feet
breadth. extreme at load water line,
about SO feet inches trial displaoe-
ment, about 13, 400 tons; mean draft at
| trial displacement, about "a feet
inches; greatest draft, full load, about
26 feet 6 inches. total coal bunker
capacity, 1900 tons; coal carried on
trial, 200 tons; feed water carried on
trial, rs tons; speed, not less than %
knots.
Bidders will be allowed to submit
private plans, which will be considered
ny the Board Of Construction. No bids
will be considered which propose to
furnish vessels of less than 13,400 tons
trial displacement for unsheathed
vessels or less than IL, 800 tons trial dis
placement for sheathed vessels, or of less
than 22 knots speed on trial, or having a
bunker capacity Of less than 1900
IONS of coal. This will be the arma-
ment of each vessel:
Main Battery-Fcur s-inch guns, in
pairs, in two electrically controlled,
elliptical, balanced turrets, having in.
oined port plates; one forward and one
aft on the line Of the keel, and having
an arc of fire of 270 degrees. On the
uppur deck at the corners OF the SUI err
structure four 6-inch gups will be
mounted in sponsons-one at each
torner-each having an arc of fro of
rot less than 145 degrees. On the main
or gun deck ten 6-inoh guns in broad
side will BIZ mounted-five on either
side -having an arc of fire of not less
than 110 degrees.
Secondary Battery Eighteen 3-inch
breech-loading rifles IA pounders),
12 3 pounder guns. four 1-pounder auto
matte guns, four 1-pounder single-shot
guns, two 3-inch field guns, two
machine guns, six automatic guns of
small calibre, two submerged torpedo
tubes. VA
Each vessel will be protected by 1916
tons of armor aud 100 tons OF cellulose,
distributed over the entire ship. The
main belt will be 2ii feet long. inches
to 8 inches thick, feet 6 inches deep,
and there will be a taper belt 31a
inches thick, feet 6 inches deep. The
upper and lower casemate armor will
be inches. The 6-inch gun rrotec-
tion on upper deck will be 5 inches
coming tower and shield, inches,
and signal tower. inches.
The S-inch guns will be installed in
turrets forward and aft 61a and 6
inches thick, and the barbettes will be
6 inches. A protective deck OF nickel
steel is to extend throughout the vessel
11a inches thick on the fiat and
inches thick oil the slopes. cellulose
belt, about feet thick, is to he
worked along the sides above the pro-
tective deck the entire length of the
vessel. All wor dwork used in the con-
struution of the vessel, except the
under. water sheathing. if applied, the
armor backing and battens for electric
light wires, is to be -proofed.
The engines will be of the vertical,
twin screw, four cylinder, triple-eXpan
sion type of combined indicated horse
Eower of 23,000 Each engine will be
located in separate water tight COM
partment. There will be 30 boilers of
the straight water tube type aud four
tunnels. Each vessel is 10 be fitted as
a flagship, and will provide accommo-
ing marines,