The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-08
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AMONG :M0NARCHS
OF SEA FIGHTING:
The Minnesota Will Be One of the
Most Powerful. Vessels in :,
=. a.-. 49,. 80. u.
~, the Worlds Navies., =. T.. Il
:, s,- ..
BY n. C. Stevens.

BY n. c.. Stevens. -. a
Newport News, Va, April S.-While
the battleship Minnesota may not be
the most powerful fighting ship afoat,
when completed, she will be very near
it. The official description shows she
will have a displacement. Of 10000 tons
on her trial trip. She will be $50 feet
inches on her load waterline, and will
draw 26 feet 9 inches when fully COM
pleted and ready for sea. She will carry
a total of 1900 tons of coal, and her
contractors are required to bring her up
to a speed Of not less than IS knots an
hour for four hours on her trial trip.
The hull Of this monster ship will be of
steel thruout, and will be fitted with
docking and bilge keels.
The Main Battery.
The main battery of the Minnesota
will consist Of four 12.inch breechload-
ing rifles; eight 8-inch breech-loading
| rifles, and twelve finch breech loading
rifles. This battery will be mounted as
| follows:
The 12-inch guns in pairs in two cleo.
trically controlled, balanced, elliptical
turrets on the center line, one forward
|
about 270 degrees. 49,
The 8-iEch guns in pairs in four cleo
trically controlled, balanced, elliptical
turrets, two on each beam at each: end
of the superstructure. :.
| The finch guns in broadside on ped
estal mounts on the gun deck, behind Z
inch armor, each gun being isolated by
splinter bulkheads Of nickel steel of
/ from ito 2 inches thick; forward and
l a ar ff,1rS orro fn Aro vi oh
| and right astern, respectively; other z
! inch guns to have the usual broadside
train.
The Secondary Battery. 10.
The secondary battery will consist of
guns; twelve 3-pounder semi automatic
| guns; six 1.pounder automatic guns;
two 1-pounder semi automatic gums
two 3-inch field pieces; two ma
chine guns, caliber .3O; six automatic
guns, caliber 80. !: = -. T.. ...:=>. >GS..%
The guns Of the secondary battery
will be placed in commanding positions
having a large arc of unobstructed fire
and protected wherever practicable.
ranged that their muzzles train, inside
the line of the side armor, thus leaving
a clear and unobstructed side when il
is desired to go alongside a pier or YES
, sci. .>a*-:.y z. - ,.*.sS5f: :: -. -
Arrangements will be made whereby
! the 3-inch guns on the main deck can b.
quickly and conveniently dismounted
housed, and secured. -. :. >s..,>1H
The Heaviest Armor. -: Il
. Being in herself floating, fortress
+ the Minnesota will be protected. will
3 the heaviest armor, in order that sh'
: may be able to resist the. projectile
t from the heaviest guns of an opponent
r The designs provide that the hull shall
G be covered at: the water line, outsid
s her vltals-engine- room, etc.-by
+ complete belt Of armor~ feet 8 niche
wide, having a uniform thickness of
inches for about 295 feet amidships
forward and aft of which points tn
i thickness is gradually decreased to
!, inches at the stem and stern. .j$
), The lower casemate armor will ex
:. tend to the limits of the magazin
spaces and reaches from the top of tn
$, waterline belt to the lower edge of til
n finch gunports on the main deck, an
!. is inches in thickness, the athwart
a ship bulkheads at the ends of this case
= mate being inches thick, .,.s...
r The casemate armor around the
$ thick, and the splinter bulkheads wi
- be from ~ to 2 inches thick. The pr,
IS lection of 3-inch guns will be nick
= steel 2 inches thick.
al The upper casemate athwartship a
d NOR extending from the shell plating
It the 12-inoh barbettes will be inche
thick turnout. -.
l. The 12-inch barbettes will exten
from the protective deck to about fol-
<; feet above the main deck, and consi
70 Of 10 inches of armor in front and Il
ID inches in the rear above the gun dec
lg Between the gum deck and protecti1
l. deck there will be uniform thickne
Y, Of inches. The barbettes will NJ
n, have any special framing, the come
I'd ton Of the armor to the decks bei1
e. sufficient.
s, The Turret Armor.
~ The 12-inch turrets will have fro
ID plate IL inches thick, rear plates
" inches thick, and top plates 21A inch
to thick.
ID The s-inch barbettes will be 6 inch
thick in front and inches thick
Of rear, with the upper tube 81 inch
st thick and the lower tube inches thic
r. The 8-inch turret front plate Will
Mt 6B inches thick, the rear plate inch
CT and the top plates 2 inches thick.
The corning tower and shield W
lis each be 61b inches thick and the sign
to tower inches thick. An armor tn
i'd, So inches in diameter will extend frc
lis the base of the coming tower to t
CHI protective deck, and will be inch
nd thick turnout.
ey Teak backing Of a minimum thic
We ness of inches will be fitted behi
all side, athwartship and l2-inch turf
armor: 2 inches of backing will be
ted behind the S-inch turret armor; Of
er armor will be fitted without backil
Deck Protection.
That there shall be no danger from
'as plur.ging fire from an enemy. the de
es. is to be protected by heavy steel pla1
ley extending from stem to stern. and nit
De- ell steel hatch covers and gratings v
be provided. The finch gun ports, a