New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-16
FLOATING FORTRESSES.
THREE NEW BATTLEsHIPs TO BE THE
MOST FORMIDABLE IN THE WORLD,
NAVAL BOARD RECOMMENDS sUPERPOsED
TURRETs AND A MAIN BATTERY OF
TWELvE-INCH AND EIGHT-INCH GUNS
OTHER SPECIFICATIONS.

Washington. Sept 10 (speciaD.-Even though
the contrivance has had only a peacetime trial
and that not Of the most conclusive sort-it
would seem az If the much mooted double
decked turret had come to stay, or at least
was in a fair way of multiplication. After due
elaboration the part Of a pretty large board
Of naval officers Of divers ranks and expert
ences It was decided to recommend that three
out of the five new batteships not yet contracted
for should carry superposed turrets on the prin-
ciple of those now the Kearsarge and the
Kentucky
Theoretically and as figured out in the plans
these three ships will be the most formidable
batteships yet designed for any navy. Inc
States of Georgia, New-Jersey. Pennsylvania
| Rhode Island and Virginia will have the task
of settling among them which are to assume the
sponsorship OF these vessels.
In the circulars describing the chief charac-
teristics Of the double decked turret ships they
ere put down as craft 435 feet long on the load
waterline a trife over rs feet broad at great
est beam and representing. when ready for
their speed trials a mass OF Il 600 tons of steel
brass and miscellaneous materials with self
propelling power sufficient to drive that bulk
against wind and tide at a rate OF nineteen knots
an hour
In order that the ships may guard the shall
low harbored cities of the South when deepest
laden. they will not draw more than twenty six
feet of water. and under normal conditions
which fairly represent their average state in
time Of confict-they will be able to move about
in waters two feet shallower 1t is this peculiar
feature of all our latest armored ships that
makes them distinctly superior to any of their
foreign misunderstanding them the double ad-
vantage Of greater reach in action and a wider
field in of retreat.
In purpose all battleships are alike, but in
performance they differ much one pugilist
differs from another in his ability TO strike
quickly and hard and to get out Of the reach
OF his opponents retaliation. These ships to
be qualified along the lines Of the skilled fighter,
for not only will they be able to man9uvre at
great speed, but the blows they strike will be
hard ones rapidly delivered from behind a de-
fence Of the stoutest sort. First, there IS the
main battery consisting of four l2-inch and
eight S-inch breechloading rifles OF the newest
make. All OF these guns are mounted in pairs
in turrets-four Of the S-inch guns resting on
top Of the turrets for the Pinch guns. while
the other four S-inch guns are placed amidships
on the main deck. Head or stern on the ships
can bring TO bear upon enemy two Pinch
and six 8-nch guns, while in broadside they can
better that force by two more of the Pinch
guns No ship yet designed by foreign Power
can do as much-and that force be supple
mented by no fewer than six rapid fire b-!ncn
guns arranged on each side on the gun deck
These rapid fire 6-inch guns constitute what is
generally termed the secondary battery OF
battleship or armored cruiser.
The S-inch and 12-inch guns because Of the
large angle Of their turrets' slanting faces, will
be able 10 elevate over twenty degrees, thus
effecting a bombardmept range much in excess
of that possible 10 any other Of our battleships
Each Of the 12-nch guns be fred at inter
walls Of a minute and half Each shell weighs
$50 pounds leaves the gun at a velocity Of 800
feet a second and a thousand yards away can
bore its way undefOrmed through nearly seven
teen inches Of arHOr hardened by the modern
KruBlu prDcEss With a soft cap its point
the auie shell can nose its way through similar
material 20 per cent thicker. and yet flesh and
blood is expected TO face uniinchingly the com