The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-01-29

I other words, ship that would have no
n ispnb!c In destroying anything now aflout
4 pe yet deslgn /, Ell
America Not to be Left Behind, !.
Into this strenuous race for naval SUI
a prStnacy the United States has entered
& said that her Navy Department Is even
nov planning SbattleshIp Of 20, coo tons
& displacement. Secretary Morton. u, cked
enthusiastically. by the PRESIDENT calls
not necessarily the largest. but IS an { or;
ganlzcd unit the NOS effective, on \ all
1.-THE seas. The secretary asks for the IN
precedentcd sum OF s1l4 ooo, 600 TO main n
tain and Increase the navy durln " the
next fiscal year. In American shipyards
A there are now In process Of construction
thirteen frst-class battleships s. armored
K cruisers, n and - protected cruisers-the
greatest ggregate lighting rover n now ~
q the great powers. la. .8 .
IL The nrmored cruiser Colorado ts 1ust
going Into commission. Her sister SHIP q
fore ts snd H.dt
nessee,, south Dakota" and possibly tho
enbodyingl cve.y Notwithstanding idea III,
construction and equipment. ca pa bic Of
lighting with fearful destrgetyeness a hnr
trial trip tho Colorado" amazed even her.
builders by developing g, coo horse-pov
n re1gines and driving the SHIP faster qso
the Crnmp shlpyards to the New York
1TRic United States has been building
7 ships since 1890. Conseauent ly her navy
4 has not had much time to grow out OF
date. yet the new ships eHhody q great
number of important improvements over
their predecessors fsg ~ j,yS; ~
Making Ships Almost Unsuitable
Among these developments none Is more
important than the means or nsurlng tho
grounding, explosion or other d lsnst ter res
sultlng IN puncturc OF the hui. I'he sys-y
4 TEN devised a to render the new ships Of!
far as afyisltor to the bridge can see, OF
and borders Of small discs around the
Stations, each controlling fifteen bulkhead
4 doors and hatch gears below the protected
deck. 1Iaoh Of the discs Is numbered to-
S Spsf9is pa4t of e lie ship some
4 part of tho system It Is merely tho cons
iroller. On al tho main bul,.head open
4 ings are electric motors connected with
pose that tho colorado. is rammed BY a
careless or hostile navigator. The, man,
who Is nearest this emergency station
4 pulls o. latch similar ton fire alarm box
instantly the doors arc set III motion in
rapid succession, within less than two
minutes every door Is brought into Its
water-t!ght groove, ana immediate danger
Sof sinking aYerted. 3f :a
$ If there Is trouble at any door, 1t Will
show In tho corresponding disc of the sta
ton. If a sailor or4seaman has been I'M
$prisQncd In q compartment, he has only
= to raise a lever. the door will move back,
ALLOW him time to pass through. and then
close again automatically This 'long
ARM control OF the bulkhead doors, COM
Dining as 1t does, distant and local cons
4 troll, assures the safety of the ship and
the safety OF her CROW, leaving nothing
to chance or indlvidual Initiative, bravery,
ar efficiency Alman In a place of safety
above deck presses q I. button, and ma
8chinery does the rest. 81
S Use of Electricity Increasing
The Use of electricity In providing all
the necessities OF tho ship Is developing
to an astonishing degree. Thirty miles
of copper wire are required to convey
the current from dynamos to motors to
the working devices Electricity nom
hoists the great shells from ammunition
rooms to gun turrets at the rate OF 200
feet q minute. Tic same power moves
the tremendous guns into place and an
Y electric button discharges tho dendly
8broadside, s,3 ya ID
electricity completes with the steam
and fire IN the hold of the ship, serving
as motive power for Yentllating fans m
4 great number. When It Is realized that
The telnpera ture below deck often rises
4 10 500 degrees Fahrenheit 1T may be seen