New-York tribune., 1903-04-19

q inches In diameter. Steam $50 pounds pressure
10 the square inch will be supplied from sixteen
water tube boilers OF the Babcock & Wilcox marine
type The boilers Will be arranged in six water
tight compartments the total crate surface ha,,e
eV square feet and the heating surface 7os.4
eQuaFe ieeI There will be four tunnels standing
fore and aft
me main battery viii consist of four eight-inch
oTeech-loaoing rifles and fourteen six-inch rapid
nre rines. The eight-inch guns will be mounted in
pairs In two electrically controlled elIipticaI bal
enceo tuTrets Of the Hichborn type, placed the
Hloole line OF the ship. one forward and one aft,
each having an OF train Of at least go degrees
on the upper deck at the corners of the super
structure there will be four sx-nch guns mounted
IN Sponsors one In each corner. and having either
DOW or stern fire. with of train of at least
l4S degrees There will also be the gun-deck bat
terry Of ten six-inch rifles forming brosdsde. five
on each side. the of fire of each being less
than Io degrees or at least IS degrees forward and
% degrees aDaft the BEAM except in OF the
forward pair, which are so arranged as to be cap
able OF direct ahead fire.
There viii be q formidable secondary battery,
consisting OF eighteen three-inch breech-loading
rifles, twelve three-pounders, besides four one
FOUNDER automatic guns, four one-pounder rapid
IRE guns, six Colt automatic guns. two machine
guns and two three-inch field pieces. The one
Founders viii be placed in the fighting tops
For the guns there will carried 500 rounds of
etght-inch ammunition. 1900 rounds of six-inch,
400 rounds Of contemporaries, 5000 rounds OF
three-pounder and 1900 rounds OF one-pounder
heavy ammunition The magazines have been
especially designed with view to absolute security
in all climates provision being made to reduce
their temperatures, If necessary, by of con-
nec-ions with the cooling plant
The armOred protection OF the West Virginia
will consist OF a waterline belt extending five feet
from stem TO stern. The maximum thickness Will
be preserved six inches for q depth OF six feet
rom the top. The armor viii taper at the stem
and stern to thickness OF three and half inches
viii be six and half inches thick the port
plate and six inches the sides and rear. At the
ends Of this there Will be arnored bulkheeds
four inches thick, forming an tnclosed citadel or
broadside battery mounted. The four six-inch
guns the upper deck, the corners OF the
superstTucture viii be protected by hvetnch case
tes The barbettes of the eight-inch gun turTets
the ammunition tubes extending from the turret
to the protected deck. will have a uniform thick
ness Of three inches.
The coming tower arnor Will be nine inches in
from its base 10 the protective deck there will be
aTmored tube five inches thick and Of sufficient
diameter not only TO permit Of speaking tubes,
etc. but also access to the coming tower from
tower aft will be five inches thick. complete
oil tempered and annealed nickel steel protective
deck one and q half inches thick on the fiat and
four inches the slOping sides. is TO extend the
entire length OF the vessel. and celIuose coffer-
dam belt three inches thick, an additional pro-
lection against waterline damage which mig nj
effect the stability, will be worked along both sides
above the protective deck for the entire length OF
the vessel.
The West Virginia will be equipped a flagship.
Electricity will be extensively used for the trans
mission power necessary for the many aux
iiaries-