The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-08-17
INTRODUCTION 10 BkUE B00K or
AMERICAN SHIPPING.


out probably single exception the
yards that engage 10 building steel yes
sells have work ahead 10 their full ca
pacity for at least twelve months and
some OF them for a much greater length
OF time. This is true OF al ship yards Of
the seahoard, as we'll as those Of the
great lakes. On the seaboard The great
bulk Of work is, OF course, IN the con
strdction of ships OF war, but the de-
maud for new vessels for coastine SER
vice--the feature OF most prominence in
American ship building during the past
two or three years-still continues. and
notwithstanding the failure thus far Of
all efforts 10 secure government aid for
ioreign-trade shipping, the coming year
will see the completion Of few vessels
for oversee commerce that will be
among the finest in the world
II naval circles the year is distu-
guished BY the fact that The most mag
nidcent order for new vessels Of war ever
awarded b, government was given to
the ship buslers Contracts were
awarded for fourteen warshps-6ve
batileships, six armorcd cruisers and
three projected cruisers-aggreeat
1S7,35l tons in displacement, 297, 100
Ia horse power, and costing, exclusive Of
armor and armament, $40, 944 600.
There is no single instance which equals
this splendid total Altogether sixty.
one wa'ships are now building for he
United States navy, representing tot
al displacement Of $50 ,1S3 tons, 567,-
go horse power, and costing for bulls
and machinery only. $50, 95l,l16. In
addition, the last naval act authorized
the construction of two battleships aud
two armored cruisers. The plans for
these viii be submitted TO congress il is
next session by the naval board Of con.
struction
Iithere il any tendency to be noted in
naval construction it il 10 further
eliminate tile lio, Of decentralization be-
tween the battleship and arrnored
cruiser A battbleship was originally |
vessel With tremendous powers, oiierse
and defense, and limited searoing
qualities IA cruiser was originally +
vessel oi limited powers, oiien.c AID I
defense, bit 81 great speed and steaming /
radius The tendency i 10 Increase The
cruising area 81 The hatteship with
sacrifice 10 the weight - arnnr Of force
81 armament, audou the other hand Is
giSoto thecruisera terrific battery and I
heavy belt oiarmor. reduction in
steaming radius Thus tie line BE-.
tween the two types is gradually vanish
ing This form 81 sarship, treating the
two types AS one, Is very popular 10 the I
United States and Cireat Britain. as will
be noted from review Of their pro. /
grams Tie protected cruiser, or com.
merce destroyer, o. which The chnteauro-
uault 81 the French nnvv and the Vuriag (
Of the Russian navy me the highest /
types, are not popuhr ID tile United 4
States or Great Britain The American
navy contribution to this type con.
sists oi the Columbia aud Minneapolis,
but no more are building. As they have
slight powers Of oiieuse and defense their
chief security lies in their great speed
Speed must ever Dc regarded as an un.
known quantity, since it is only under
the most perfect oieouditious that the
vessel can attain it's maximum The
least arrangement Of the machinery
would materially reduce the speed Of the
vessel II IS quite conceivable that :
armored cruiser 81 8 knots could over.
take commerce destroyer, and the
issue, 81 course could not then De ia
doubt
The question Of the superposed turret
il stin unsettled The Keorsarge and
Kentucky are equipped with this form
81 turret and several trials have proved
them to be structurally practical. The
naval board demonstration, after heated
arguments, decided 70 equip three Of
the i've battleships, for which contracts
were lately let, with them; but II is clear
that the board is not sure Of the event