The Penn's Grove record., 1903-04-17
WORSE REPORT ON MAINE
The Turret Supports Weak; the Boil
ers Unsatisfactory.
NEW WARsHIP IN BAD SHAPE
Defects Regarded a. = Consequence :,
Great Advance in Power Of N.v.,
Iiaes-calculations Must Be Revised
other ships Will BE A-nectaa-N.~
Type of Boiler May Be Chosen

Type of Boiler May Be Chosen.
Washington, D. C.-Captain Eugene
H. Leutze of tho new battleshin Maine
came to Washington from Newport
News and gave the Navy Department.
officials their first detailed information
about the condition of his vessel. which
developed defects during her Shaking
down. cruise in the West Indies.
While Captain Leutze contradicted
the report that the Maine was sfructnr.
ally weak, his statement showed that
the battleship was in worse condition
than had been supposed from the Of
fetal information that had been 70.
ceived.
Not only are the supports and em-
placements of her six-inch guns weak
but the structures Of her turrets ore
entirely inadequate to bear the strain
of firing the big t lrret guns.
In addition to this disuuietino news
the Department learned from Cantain
| Leutze that the boilers of tho Maine
had proved to be decidedly unsatisfac-
tory.
There was a disposition on the part
of naval officials at first to make it
appear that Captain Leutze had ex-
planned that the defects In the Maine
were not at all serious, but Secretary
Moody decided that frankness was the
best policy and directed Rear-Admiral
Bowles. the Chief Naval Constructor.
to make a statement for the benefit
of the public as to the vessels condi-
ton. This is the statement:
"The officers who have examined tho
turrets of the Maine have found that
the damage done consists largely of
the loosening up and breaking of fas-
Jennings and rivets in the circular strrc-
ture underneath the rollers and maths
IN which the turret is supported. and in
no respect due to general structural
weakness Of the ship. The supnorts
under the roller paths are of the usual
construction, being built up of plates
and angles.
"Since the date of the design Of the
Maine, however, the use of smokeless
powder with higher pressure guns has
been adopted and the recoils allowed
have been shortened. Both of these
Improvements, while desirable of
themselves, have greatly increased the
strain on the supporting structure
which in actual test Of firing has
proven inadequate.
"Were it not for the great weight
Of the revolving part &C the turret,
amounting to over 400 tons, the fitting
Of the additional stifening in the sup
ports which has been decided to be
necessary would not be a very elabor-
ate work, but owing to the great super
incumbent weight which must be sup
ported, and the inaccessibility of the
parts. it is anticipated that the repairs
will take some little time.
"The determinations of the decks In
the vicinity of certain six-inch guns,
1ue to the same general cause, are
much less important and can be easily
remedied.
"The Chief Constructor considers
that no blame can be attached to the
contractors for the Maine, as there was
10 evidence whatever of defective
workmanship"
No official statement was issued con-
corning the defects in the boilers. but
these were otherwise described as due
W tAc SO1ACStAOA VI UdSCC III
two tubes at points so situated as to
prevent the steam from being gener-
ated. thus causing the burning out Of
the tubes, and ON account Of the con
struction of the boilers making 1t ex-
tremely difficult to overcome the
trouble.
AS indicated by Admiral Bowles's
statement William Cramp & Sons, of
Philadelphia, who built the Maine,
have been acquitted of responsibility
for the defects. These are regarded
as a natural consequence of the great
advance in the power Of naval rifles.
As the strength and resistance Of the
gun supports of most of the armored
vessels under construction were calcu-
lated similarly to the calculations made
for the Names gun supports, it will
probably be necessary to strengthen
the emplacements Of the turret guns
and other high-powered rifles on these
vessels.
To do this will require alterations III
plans, some expense and perhaps loss
Of time.