New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-25
NEW BAITLESHIPS.
The Pirginia Type of Fire Formi-
dqbie VeSSeIs.
rFRou THE TRIBUNE BUREAU

washington. March l.-The most recently de-
signed American hsttIeslip ernbodysng the highest
ingenuity and mature experience Of the naval ex-
PertS. Is typlfed in the Virginia. 10 he launched
al Newport News within the next TWO weeks. Con-
Eress IN March. l>-e appropriated money for three
coastine hattleships carrying the heaviest arrnor
ana most powerful armament for vessels Of their
0i7sN- anG increased this number by two Of Ike
character IN June. 1890. These I've vessels are
intended 10 wEp anything hitherto proposed at
nome or abroad. and naval officers familiar with
ther characteristics believe that jre Construction
hur-@u ~ the Navy Department and the contract
ois nave fully met the evident purpose or Congress
an inns regard. picture of the Virginia viii be
IooHd on The first page of The Tribune.
W the I'VE vessels appropriated for three were
required 10 be sheath,d and coppered. and Jwo
were without shea tnInE. Immediately after award
ING the contracts, however. the Navy Department
TOOK this question under consideration and decided
10 omit all outside sheathinG and cOpperinR 50
that each vessel Of the class is now a counterpart
OF the other except for minor notifications incident
TO construction.
The general dimensions and chief characteristics
OF these vessels are:
Length load vaterlins 4a5 feet
STsadth ,ss.glne, load vatsrine IS feet inches
Mean drausat at tl soeuaert about - feet inches
greatest drsughL f1ll load. about 20 feet
In the l5.o7 tons represented tn each Of these
vessels the many antagonistic qualities essential
To perfect fighting machine have been compro-
missed ana incorporated in the proportion which
peTence seems have pointed out as the
desirable and efficient To begin with these bat
Ltshlps VIII have speed Of least nineteen
knots. which compares most favorably with any
64ttieshps under construction abroad. as well -
The Nirenia viii De propelled at this high speed
expansion engines OF about 1900 indicated horse
fo~er having stroke Of four feet. running, un-
revolutions a minute The steam necessary TO this
power VIII be supplied at pressure of 80 pounds
square inch bF twentv-f66ur Ticlsusse water
Waterusht commitments
ARMAMENT AND ARMOR
The Virginia Will carry four Pinch guns. 40
calbres in length mounted by pairs in balanced
turrets, one tuTret being forward of the super
structure and the other aft and each having
total arc Of train of go degrees OF the eight
S-inch guns. as calbres In length. which will bs
carried on this vessel, four will be mounted by
pairs in turrets. superposed on the 12nch turrets
above mentioned. and four in broadsde turrets
slightly forward of amidships. the amidship tur-
rets having a total arc of tram of $50 degrees.
on the gun deck OF twelve 6-ingh rdpId-hre guns,
81 calibres in length. mounted siz on each side.
secondary battery win consist az twelve S-lnch
automatic. eight l-pouud-r heavy automatic TWO
81 calofe mathiLe suns ana sA - oii i ,otl
tions and having large arcs of ire The Virginia
The magazines viii he speealiy lifted to enable
her 10 carry: With absolute safety m an climates.
the new snokaless powder. Provision Will be Wai'
m the magazines for the storage Of az least sixty
each Of the s-inch guns q" rounds for each Of the
6-inch guns. 800 rounds for each or the 5nch guns
and plentiful supply Of ammunition Tor the
smaller guns
make her defensive qualities p-op'ruonate-y greal.
she viii be provided with complete waterline belt
inches thick the top and eight Inches az the bot
tom taptrlng T. uniform tieAiesS OF I2.'r l.'s
casemate armored belt extending about 245
feet OF her length. Of a uniform thickness Of six
upper main deck, and Joined NJ its after END 10
arnored bulkhead. and having az its forward end
an armored bulkhead of six inches thickness. eN-
redoubt, within which The 9-ineh suns vii be
tending from the forward turret % the after tur-
ret l!sht srnor one ana oAe-halt inches Ena Two
divisions OF the gun Enclosures. thoroughly pro-
eeti the SUM Ers inv" -b5 s9 "z ne rtts 1 f5r
the turets 81 tho pinch guns are 10 De- ten inches
doubt or citadel reduced 70 seven and one-hsIt .
viii ie protected by aruor twelve inches thick
The s-inch turre's Will In an cases whether
pietes ars ,bair harhef,ss viii dS protested by
will be nine inches iu thickness and the armorea .
tube. I'VE inches th.ck viii be u sufficient size 20
receive an voice pipes. wiring etc In addition 10
the coming tower; there Will he. aIt q seGond .
constructed 81 t-inch srmor. From tha bottom ~ .
Turtle backed aieEeI stse protectvs ders one ana
one,half inches mick on The iAt anu .hIe m Its
~ way into the yitais Of the ship As an add
tionsI protection to stability. a coferdam belt three
feet In thickness and packed a density 81 eieht .
two sides above the protective deck Tor the entre
Tfa material ~ construction is the high quality
Of steel which has entered into I'll Oh" vessels or
our navy. The main. OF upper deck iu addition .
which wood is 20 De laid The de rs viii all oe
81 steel covered with Iinoeum- The use Of wool .
in the construction Of this yessel VIII ht HutteH
even more strictly than il has been in the later pat
tleships and al woodwork above Oh" pT"tecii'e .
keeis and heavy docking heels are atted -,---
II is proposed make all the vessels of this class
fsgships. and to do this II IL nre-S7tIl o "a IN
provisions for the accommodation OF yn" nag oIn-
GER one c9minano I.s ple'i- one i ,teart sjgb+
wa rraut officers and To crew. INCLUDING SAlN mo
riaes making a grand total ~ SD Both officers
and crew will have washTooms, bathrooms and
other similar convenience, such as VIII laDe 1lIy
comfort and healthfulness ~ these NeSsei' very
The sppiicationz Of electricity board are much
existence with the possible exception Of the kear-
sarge and the Kentucky. All the turfe.s nave gl'y
blowers the turrets and general vCnt!- tIe
general workshop and pracucally an OF me sDd
axceuting CapStan and steering gear, are &c be ele
tricslly driven To provide for the power Itti'.Tu
Zines and idvnamos. mounted on comhuauon ntI-
plates, having rated output OF 20 I.
at 125 volts and six with 50 amperes Al ~" volts
IN tLI7 Iii m ,,ro,,ie7 for the decentralization
~ ,5i,or. oT7 crav The ventilation and drain
arS being Of n high Standard the hospital quarters
heir Issuing rooms and refrgera ting plant navnE
been worked with view TO ilo uu t,i I,,.g,
laundry ana driving rooms ntted with ne latest
.obi,S,ary aIectriraIlv driven and the living quar-
ters are carefully protected by insulation fom c'Il
IN IN sT be DESIGNS OF the Virginia class embody
ne latest developments in naval aTehiteeuI @
g ese vessels viii prove most tnIilloa''' '
% the fighting strength ~ the navy
A COMPLAINT FROM THE SOUTH.
H., :, . o,ord m Fed .