The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01
THE KEARSARGE qURRBTS
Further Details of Tests Of the
SuperimpOsed System.
Its Opponents willing tn Wait for n
Thorough Trial Before Final Re-
lection - Ability to Concentrate
Fire OF the Guns Demonstrated
Rear Admiral O'NeiI's Comment.

The success Of the supermpOsed or two
story. turrets on the battleship Kearsarse
was apparently demonstrated Friday in the
official sea run OF that vessel outside the
Virginia capes Whether the superimpOsed
type will be adopted for other armOred
ships viii remain open question until
/ after the kearsarge has had another. and
/ perhaps several. opportunities to demon
strate the probability Of her unique main
battery. She Will go out TO sea next week
for her final official trial and the support
ers of the doubla-de.E turrets are satisfied
that the Naval Inspection Board which
! will be on the Kearsarge in an official
| capacity will report that the turrets are
an unqualified success. Just how Friday 5
| test resulted is told in the following des-
patch 10 the Navy Department from Capt.
William NJ FOlger. the Kearsdrge's com
| mander:
The double turret thoroughly -sted and
| is an assured success. both from military
and structural sIandpOints. No interfer-
| ence between planes OF guns or inconTeni-
euce from blast Or smoke. The structure
tested with simultaneous discharge of
three guns. and is amply strong TO with
! stand the united shock Of the guns OF
either turret The absence Of suitable
elastic device for simultaneous discharge
Of all the guns prevented the final test.
Both pairs OF s-iuch guns tested in stimuli
taneOUs firing.
The Board on Construction. which makes
recommendations to the Navy Department
as TO he character Of vessels to be built. is
apparently hostile to the superimposed
methods. but has shown a willingness 10
await the result of the kearsarge tests be
fore rendering a final opinion In consider
ing the plans for batteries to be installed
on these battleships authorized at the last
session Of Congress. Z he Board on Construc-
ton decided that there should be no su-
perimposed turrets. Il directed, however,
that the specifications should contain a
clause setting forth that the Department
might at any time within six months after
awarding the contracts for these three es-
sells. change the arrangement Of the bat
teries and provide for the installation OF
double-decked turrets. These specfca
tions have not been approved yet. They
may be changed on account Of the success
OF the tests on the kearsarge.
Naval officers here are sorry over the
failure to discharge all four OF the forward
turret guns simultaneously. but the dis
charge Of three Of them together was a
very severe test on the superimpOsed sys
TEN and the stability OF the ship The ship
stood the test extremely we'll There was
no starting Of deck planks or loosening OF
rlvets and screws nor was any erockery
on board broken, a common occurrence in
big gun practice.
One thing that demonstrated the great
value Of the superimpOsed system was the
fact that in the simultaneous discharge Of
the three big guns there was no inter
ference. and the shells dropped within a
small space, showing the treme udOus tr k
ing force which prOjectles OF guns SO ar
ranged are capable Of giving. II was T. AIRED
by some of those interested IN the super
imposed system that the guns in the tower
and on the upper turrets could not be 50
handled as to give concentration Of fire.
The value of this demonstrated concentra-
ton may be realized when it is stated that
the four guns in each superimposed struct-
Ur- are capable Of projecting more than a