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

The success OF the superimposed or two
story. turrets on the battleship Kearsarge
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 will remain open question until
after the kearsarge has had another, and
perhaps several, opportunities to demon
strate the prscticability OF her unique main
battery. She will go out to sea next week
for her final official trial. and the support
ers of the double-deck 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 s
test resulted is told in the following des-
patch 10 the Navy Department from Capt.
William NJ. Folger the Kearsarge's com
mander:
The double turret thoroughly tested and
is an assured success. both from military
and structural standpoints. No interfer
ence between planes OF guns or inconseni-
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-inch guns tested in stimuli
taneous firing
The Board on Construction, which makes
recommendations to the Navy Department
as to lac character OF vessels to be built, Is
apparently hostile to the superimposed
methods. but has shown a willingness TO
await the result of the kearsarge tests be-
f,r ;Yf T,
ing the plans for batteries TO be installed
on these battleships authorized at the last
session of Congress the Board on Construc-
tion decided that there should be no su-
perimposed turrets. Ii directed, however
that the specifications should contain
clause setting forth that the Department
might at any time within six months after
awarding the contracts for these three YES
sells, change the arrangement of the bat
teres and provide for the installation OF
doube-decked turrets. These specifica-
lions have not been approved yet. They
may be changed on account of the success
OF the tests 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-
tenn and the stability OF the ship. The ship
stood the test extremely we'll. There was
no starting OF deck planks or loosening OF
rivets and screws. nor was any crockery
on board broken. common occurrence in
big gun practice
One thing that demonstrated the great
value Of the superimposed system was tie
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 tremendous strik-
ing force which pfojectiles OF guns SO ar
ranged are capable of giving. II was cared
by some of those interested in the super
imposed system that the guns in the tower
and on the upper turrets could not be so
handled as to give concentration of fire.
The value of this demonstrated eoncentra-
ton may be realized when it is stated that
the four guns in each superimposed struct-
ur- are capable of projecting more than .