New-York tribune., 1904-09-25

step from the little schooner rigged craft that
participated in the first feet action in which the
United States Navy ever engaged. in ZIG. to the
''maenifcent' sloop OF war, built in 1Tss to
''chastise French insoence' on the high seas was
long one. Then, after period Of sixty years, the
third Connecticut appeared on the navy list that
mighty steamer" which served creditably in the
Civil War, her LOO tons OF displacement causing
her 4s2-ton predecessor OF the French to look
like a pygny. Following the example of her sis
ters, the great 16,OcO-ton battleship soon TO be
launched from the Brooklyn navy yard shows an
other gigantic stride IN naval development, and
when completed Will be one OF the most formidable
fighting machines the world has
This fourth Connecticut viii combine all the
means for defence and offence that the concentrat-
ed experience OF a century OF naval science has
found desirable for a ship of her class She is one
of the battleshps-the other one being the re-
Gently launched Louisiana-authorized by Act OF
Congress approved July /. 1902 which provided
that one OF these ships should be built in a navy
yard. The Connecticut was selected for govern
ment construction. while the contract for the build
ing of the Louisiana awarded TO a private
firm. From the start keen rivalry has been shown
at the competing shipyards to which vessel
would be completed first. So far. the private firm
has the lead by about a MONTH for the Louisiana
was launched some days ago, but the race has not
been won yet Delays. caused by matters over
which the navy yard officials had control. have
caused hardness in the launching OF the Connect
cut but her builders have until year from next
March 10 complete their work. and they are hope
ful yet OF distancing their rivals in the private
shipyard at Newport News Va Taken a a whole
the work the Connecticut is slightly in advance
OF that on the Louisiana.
In the OF both ships, however. record break
ing speed in naval construction has been made.
After the building OF the III fated Maine. no ship
OF great size had been attempted in tho Brooklyn
navy yard until work begun the Connecti-
cut: that the officials found themselves destitute
OF many Of the first necessities for their gigantic
undertaking. 1t required appropriation OF
s75G0 to get the yard in condition for starting the
work. a disadvantage with which the rival private
shipyard did not have TO contend. The work OF
driving piles to support the frame bearing the
enormous weight OF the giant ship took many days.
Then electric cantilsver crane had TO be set up.
and other preliminary work done. so that Il was
not until March 10 1903. that the keel laid for
the huge warship.
BY employing the system OF piece work. never
before attempted in the navy yard. such rapid
progress made that in the extraordinarily
short time Of nineteen months from the laying OF
the keel the ship viii be ready for launching. The
first material for the ship ordered October l.
1902 and the first material received December
H. 1902. The stem erected July %, 1903 and
the first armor was put on board April "A, 1904.
The boiler installed In the ship July T.
The armor. dynamos motors and specific fittings.
being more advantageously supplied by private
firms are made outside OF the yard but. with the
exception OF these and the guns and their mounts
(Which. in all cases, are made at the naval gun
factory in Washington. all the work OF building
and fitting the Connecticut has been done in the
navy yard That il has been done so successfully
and rapidly Is matter for congratulation those
concerned in the work. for 1t freely predicted
the start that such large battleship could not
be advantageousy built in a government yard. The
cost Of the ship, exclusive Of armament and armor.
is limited to s42l2OOO The propelling engines and
all other accessories and fittings Except those
above mentioned). which in modern battleships are
almost innumerable. made in the yard factories
Owing TO changes in connection with the installa-
ton of submerged torpedo tubes IN a ship for
which they not originally intended and the
delay in receiving armor II is probable that the
Connecticut will not be completed by March 1s
1906 the date set by the government, although her
builders hopeful that they will that
limit more than few days
The Connecticut is Of the five 1s0o0-ton bat
tleshps OF the navy her sisters being the
louisiana the Vermont. the Kansas and the Min
nesota These great warships compare most
favoraby with the largest and latest designed YES
sells OF the same class in any foreign navy. A re-
cent tabular comparison places the Connecticut
class superior TO any warship completed or
under construction.
The general dimensions and characteristics of the
Connecticut are as follows: Length $50 feet; ex-
treme beam, 76 feet 10 inches; mean draught. q
feet inches displacement. 1900 tons; twin screws
vertical triple expansion engines: speed Is knots
idicated horsepower, 1880; coal capacity, 200
deck 2h inches thick on the slope and IL inches
thick on the fat.
Her armament consists OF four 12-inch guns
eight e-inch guns, twelve 7-inch guns, twenty g.
inch rapid fire guns. twelve 3-pounders eight l.
Founders. two S-inch field guns eight machine guns
and four submerged torpedo tubes. Her arrnor
belt is II inches thick at the top and inches
at the bottom. The thickness OF the
largest turrets is 70 inches. and for the smaller
turrets inches The barbette armor is 10 inches
for the Finch guns and 6 inches for the e-inch
guns.
The predecessors OF the new Connecticut played
important part in the history OF the United
States Navy. The first warship bearing this
was engaged in the naval battle OF Lake Cham
plain. October ll-l3 176. The American feet con-
slsting OF hfteen vessels. mounting IS cannon and
manned by 200 men. commanded by Major
General Benedict Arnold. The English feet, Of
Is vessels, mounting 50 guns and manned by 1000
men. was under the command OF Captain Pringe.
Of the royal navy. The English had started from
Canada with lsrse army 10 begin the invasion OF
New-York. and one OF the first essentials to the
success OF their plan was the control OF Lake
champlain and Its contiguous waterways.
The opposing fleets met in battle near Plattsburg.
and after a hard all day fight the enemy at dark
drew just out OF gunshot, intending 10 renew the
struggle on the following morning. Realizing that
he was contending against hopeless odds, Arnold
placed screened light at the stern Of each OF mis-
vessels. and about midnight stole through the Brit
ish lines IN single nls and proceeded down the lake