The Virginia enterprise., 1901-08-09

Although Lord Brassey was one Of
the first persons OF note to express this
opinion, the fact that our navy was not
in condition to cope with a powerful
and well-drilled force had long been
known to the naval authorities of this
country, but the trouble had been to
persuade Congress to make the appro-
priation necessary to carry out the
plans that had been devised.
When the war came, however, econ
omy in this particular branch of the
service was no longer possible, and
when the war had ended the people
had learned such lesson that they
were willing to spend money in the
improvement Of their armored vessels,
They had learned that great battles are
often fought on the sea, and that to win
these battles good men are not all that
are needed. Good ships must be pro-
vided, and the country is now working
to provide these ships just as quickly
as possible.
When the fact is considered that it
was but few years ago that this coun-
try was actually inferior to China in
Its strength on the seas, the wonderful
progress that we have made to the
third place in rank among naval powers
may be better appreciated, and the fact
that our navy is so new means that
1t is practically up-to-date, and this
alone is a great advantage in time of
conflict. There Is no reason, therefore,
why we should not feel encouraged to
believe that with our sea fighting serv-
ice Of men and ships we would be able
to hold our own with any power in the
world.
Captain Sigsbee, who commanded the
Maine, when it was blown up in Ha-
vana harbor, has applied for the COM
mand Of the new Maine. Between the
new Maine and the old are few points
of resemblance. The first was rated as
a second-class battleship with a dis
placement of only 6,6S2 tons. Her
namesake is nearly twice as large, dis
placing 12,30O tons at normal draught.
The principal dimensions Of the new
battleship are: Length between per-
pendiculars, 38S 1eer; length over all,
393 feet 1O1a inches; extreme breadth,
u feet; mean draught, % feet 6 inches;
displacement at normal draught, 12,3OO
tons; estimated displacement at full
load draught, 1850 tons. AS to type,
the new vessel is to be an improved
Alabama. two knots faster than that
fine battleship, equipped with a more
powerful armament and hedged about
with greater area of armor protec-
ton.
In the contract it is stipulated that
she must on her official trial maintain a
speed Of 18 knots for four consecutive
hours.
The armament designed for the vessel
is very powerful one. 1t will consist
Of four 12-inch breech-loading rifles
mounted in pairs in two elliptical, bal
anced turrets, one forward and one aft.
In addition there will be 16 6-inch
rapid-tire guns mounted in broadside,
six 14-podnders, eight 3-pounders, six
1-pounders, two Colt automatic and
two 3-inch rapid-flre field guns. In the
Maine the 14-pounder type of rapid
fire gun will be installed for the first
time on an American battleship. There
are two submerged torpedo tubes on
the ship, the Maine class being also the
first in which these tubes have been
placed below water line.
Krupp armor varying from Z to II
inches in thickness will be provided,
The Maine is sister ship of the Ohio
which President Mckinley went to
San Francisco to see launched.
The turrets are turned by electricity,
and the motors used for this purpose
can revolve one of these great turrets
through $50 degrees in one minute. The
armor of both the turrets and barbettes
is II inches thick.
The magazines and she'll rooms Of
the ship can stow 24O rounds of the 12-
inch ammunition, 5000 rounds Of the g.
inch ammunition, 1900 rounds Of the g.
FOUNDER and 1000 rounds Of the l.
FOUNDER. The forward magazines are
located Immediately forward Of the dy-
namo rooms and the after ones Just
abaft the engine rooms.
The Ohio carries II boats, of which
one is 4O-foot steam cutter and an
other 36-foot steam cutter Of the usual
navy type.
Her complement is 35 officers and jl1
men.
Colds Cost Money.
A leading insurance journal saws