The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
THE 1s,OOO.TON BATTLESHIPS.
The Plans Sacrince Speed for on ensive an6
Defensive Features.

WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE 13,0O0-ton
battleshipe Idaho and Mississippi, sketch
plans OF which were approved by the SEQ
rotary Of the Navy yesterday. will each have
a length Of 375 feet. breadth OF n feet,
a mean draught Of "a feet 8 inches. 10000
horse power, and trial speed Of from
1917 to II knots In submitting the plans,
the Board on Construction informed Secre-
tary Moody that 1t had concluded that the
intent Of the act would be best compiled
with and the interest Of the navy furthered
under this act. by retaining for the vessels
in question as nearly as possible the offen-
sive and defensive features of the first class
battleships, and reducing the speed and
power and the coal to be carried on trial
to the amount necessary in order that the
trial displacement Of 1900 tons may not
be exceeded"
To this decision Rear Admiral Melville,
Engineer in Chief, while signing the boards
report of plans, took some exception
while these vessels will undoubtedly
be quite efficient" he wrote, -they would
in my opinion be very much more so II
given more speed, since l do not consider
that very heavy battery. comparatively
low-sized and small coal capacity, with
only nine inches Of side armor, make the
best possible combination. The displaoe-
ment being limited to 1900 tons makes It
difficult, II not impossible, to produce a
thoroughly, satisfactory and up-to-date
Each vessel will have battery of four
Pinch, eight s-nch. ten 7-inch and twelve
3-inch breech-loading rifles and twenty
other, smaller guns. The armor protection
will consist of a water line belt Of inches,
tapering to inches at the bottom and to
and 4 inches at tha enIS finch casa
mate athwartship armor, IL inches and
8 inches on the main turrets, 10, IA and
inches on the main barbettes and inches
on the coming tower.
In explanation OF the principal features
of the Idaho and the Mississippi, the board
compares these vessels with those OF the
Connecticut class, which are TO be 10000
ton battleships. They will have, as regards
armament, the same main battery, except
ing only reduction of the number of finch
guns from twelve to ten Owing 70 the re-
duction in length from $50 feet to 1915 feet.
the secondary battery is somewhat less than
the Connecticut's, the principal differences
being in the reduction from twenty to
twelve 3-inch and twelve to six 3-pounder
guns.
battery is due to the fact that in order to Sc
cure the heavy main battery and corre-
spending section of first class battleship
it is necessary to omit the after military
mast and to reduce the freeboard aft. as
on the Maine class. 1t is accordingly not
intended to fit these vessels as fagships.
The weight given to armor prot ection
will be 1917 tons, or $50 per cent. of the
trial displacement, as against 1892 tons
and 249 per cent. for the Connecticut.
The horse power Of the main engines will
be 10000 against 1880. The board is of
the opinion that in working out the final
designs this power will provide a maxi
mum trial speed Of II knots
Although the full coal capacity will be
about 1,750 tons as against 1900 in the
case Of the Connecticut, it's endurance
is estimated at about $3.50 knots, as
against about $500 for the Connecticut, at
ten knots under ordinary conditions.