The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-04-17
AMERICA THREE
FINEST WARSH|PS
Are Cruis RS Washington, Pean.
sylyania and Tennessee
EXCEL ALL BATTLESHIPS
AND ARE REGARDED AS THE
HIGHEST TYPE or DEVEL.
oPMENT-ARE HEAVILY
ARMED.

ANN Z ~.
Washington, April 1G--Much inter.
est Is manifested in the building and
launching of uncla Sans fighting YES.
aels which have become so formidable
as to attract the attention of the
whole world and Ct Great Britain In
particular.
1t Is believed by naval authorities
that the United States has reached
the highest development in the con
structinn Of the armored cruiser. as
represented in the Pennsylvania
Washington and Tennessee witch
will be most desirable adjuncts OF our
naval fleet. They are efficient not only
IN peed but meet almost all the re-
qulrements OF the giant battleships,
besides having many advantages over
these more cumbersome vessels.
IN TACT 1t is mere than probable, ac-
cording to The best naval authorities,
that this advanced type of armored
cruiser win be the fighting vessel of
the future, and that the United States
navy will be made stronger. by the ad.
dition from time 10 time of this char.
acter Of highly developed war vessels.
II has been stated that it is the
opinion OF President Roosevelt and
the secretary Of the navy that the adj.
vance the American navy is sure to
make toward supremacy OF the seas
VIII depend largely on the constnlc
ton OF powerful armored cruisers
built on the same lines as those now
be ng launched from the big shlpbuild.
ing plants Of the country.
Close to Completion.
Ik9 arnAosAd cruiser Washington ID
03 per cent completed. ii was the frs.
Warship to. be launched from under
cover in the east, and Is conceded to
De SUPERIOR to many battleships of the
earlier type. The vessel has speed
Oh twenty-five knots an hour, and is
equipped with $4,000 horse power en-.
gine1
me Washington's armor plate pro.
tectitn ranges from nine inches for
the turrets to five inches for the belt
The cruiser will have a heavy arma.
ment. The main battery will consist
OF four ten inch guns and sixteen six
inch guns. The secondary battery will
nave twenty-three three inch rapid fire
guns, twelve three FOUNDER semi.auto.
matte guns, two one FOUNDER automat.
lc and two one FOUNDER rapid fire
guns, Two three inch field pieces. and
three small caliber rapid fre~macbine
guns.
Tho Washington was launched
March lS.
NE" Vessels Armed Heavily.
Inc armered cruiser Tennessee
which was launched on December >
1904 at the Cramps yard. is exactly
IKE the Washington, and both of these
vessels are expected to be an improve.
ment over the Pennsylvania. which
up 10 the present has been regarded as
the highest development of the cruiser
inc tennessee and Washington
nave the same speed and coal canaci.
y as the Pennsylvania, but their dis.
placement is LOO tons greater. and
the armament more powerful Their
nam battery consists of four forty
caliber ten inch guns Of tn latest ma.
val pattern, these pieces taking The
place Ct the four eight inch guns In
tho Pennsylvania.
The eight inch gun when firing can.
PED armor piercing shells. can meme. |
rate ~ inches Of steel at 5000 wards
9ut the ten Incl. piece of the Tennes.
SEQ can per drate IL inches at the
same range. The respect We weights
d the shells are $50 and 500 pounds
ana the muzzle velocity is the same:
put whereas the muzzle energy of the
eighi inch piece is 1902 tons. the ten
men has a muzzle energy of 272o4
ons
Inc Tennessee carries two more six |
nch guns, or sixteen as aeainsr fonr. |
.een' and five more three inch guns
han the Pennsylvania.