Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-03
' stout nickel-steel bulkheads 2.s inches

thick
The four s-inch guns are mounted in
TWO balanced turrets. with slanting faces,
having armor six and 6lS inches thick.
There. is an armored deck extending
from bow to stern. and completely hous-I
of the vessels. Where it is worked on the
level it is 11a inches thick. and on the.
sloping portions. where it offers defect
inches thick and e snppiements the = water
line belt armor. A belt of cellulose, ex-
tending from bow to stern. above the pro,
fective deck. will automatically plug all
shot holes admitting water.
centered principally in two batteries
Each vessel will carry main battery
of four up-to-date S-inch and IA 6-inch
rapid-fire rifles; secondary battery of
Is 14-pounders and Il 3-pounders, and a
supplemental force of eight 1-pounders,
two field pieces. two machine guns and
six automatic guns for service on the
bridges and in the tops and for duty in
such of the boats as will be armed for
landing parties. , IL
two turrets on the main deck forward and
abaft the superstructure. They command
wide arcs of fire. the 6,lnch guns are
of the four corners of the superstructure,
and on the gun deck, five on each broad
side All of the 6-inch guns have wide
arcs of fire, and those on the gun deck are
housed within the side-line.
The S-inch guns are designed to fire once
every 50 seconds and the 6-inch guns are
expected to fire three times minute. The
8-inch shot weighs 80 pounds and the o
inch projectile weighs 100 pounds. At the
the S-inch shot can go through
quite Il inches of Krlpp armor. and at
1850 yards it can work its way, unde-
formed. through S.25 inches of hardened
steel The 6-inch gun. at 5000 yards with
through So inches of steel, and capped
can do quitea20 per cent. better: min
ute's broadside from the Colorado and it's
class will weigh 400 pounds from the a.
inch and the 6-inch guns alone.
The H-pounders are mounted on the
gun deck forward and aft of the big
gu the a sncb re ee at the corners
They will have speed OF fire. of six
aimed shots a minute, and at a distance OF
a mile they can rip their way through two
inches of hardened steel. The battle OF
Santiago proved what destruction the
guns of 1-pounder and 3-pounder denomi-
nations could do, and the 14-pounders are
a good deal when the hour of conflict shall
come. Then 1-pounders and S-pounders
will fire 10 times a minute. while the auto
matte guns will maintain'a perfect shower
pedo boat to venture within reach OF these
guns. 49,.
AS originally designed. these ships were
to have underwater torpedo tubes, out
they have since been abandoned.
Electricity will be used extensively to
drive many of the auxiliaries, lift the
ammunition to the gun stations, and to
load the S-inch guns and to control the
turret turning gear. There will be
steam laundry of considerable capacity;
large fo apParab'us water on
vessels. beside making them .weatherly,
will afford ample light. and airy accom-
modations for the complement of quite 500
DerSOnS.
The keel of the Colorado was laid on
the 18th of April, 1901, and and, the keel OF
the same year. The contract price nun
and machinery for the Colorado is $3.50
900 and for the Virginia $S,SS5OO0.
The armored cruiser has come to stay
Conspicuous positions in the British and
French fleets. In the French navy es,
pecially, the tendency IS to bulld armorea
costly sti battleships. It is the thrifty
Italian, however. that is evolving type
of armored cruiser, although commoniy
heaviest of any enemy's fighting, line
Comparing the Colorado and her class
with the British armored cruiser Drake
of Ia 900 tons, with her two 9.2-inch ana
her is 6-inch guns in her main battery,
a single discharge from a broadside
shows our ships l49 POUNDS 70 the pe,rer.
our vessels would be behind the Drake
and her class not only IN eot fnrc weig fnr
the 9.2-inch guns of the Drake firing
pound to t tns i RoG o%r
Sims ut arms length and batter in their
armor defences with lyddite shells at
a range prohibiting the same offence on
the part of our lighter weapons n, IN
another respect. too. the British snip
would be superor She has a to to he nof ffea an
hour. as against the - yet to be at
tanned by the Colorado. and that power n.r
in the British craft augurs well Tor cor
resDOndngly better accomp1shments
throughout ranges of speed from 10 to 70
knots BY better is meant more economl-
cal performances upon given supply ol
These ships. notwithstanding the f hnt
that there are others of their class pet
ter in foreign naves, are Formidable
fighting machines and it lies in the 1udg-
ment Of the department. by a slight rear-
rangement of their batteries and the SUD
stit,ition of single 10.inch guns. for the
turrets to make them the peers OF any ar
fnhn