The National tribune., 1906-08-09
draft the displacement will be 10000

tons.
The two ships when completed will,
in appearance, be distinctly different
from any of our other battleships. The
most noticeable feature will be the four
12-inch turrets and their guns, mounted
in pairs on the axial line of the ship,
two forward and two aft Of the super
structure. The doubling UP in the num-
Der of 12-inch turrets, and the placing
of them one ahead Of the other. has
necessarily shortened the length of the
superstructure, and crowded the masts,
smokestacks, etc, into shorter space
amidships, a fact which is readily no
ticeable on looking at the engraving of
the new ships. In order to save weight
the freeboard Of the ship has been re-
duced by the depth of one deck, or
about eight feet, from aft of the super
structure to the stern. Hence the South
Carolina and Michigan, while they will
have the same freeboard forward as the
Connecticut and Louisiana, will have a
lower freeboard by about eight feet
throughout the after third of the YES
sells length. The most forward pair of
12-inch guns is carried at about the
same height as the 12-inch guns of the
Connecticut, or, say, about "a feet above
the water line Immediately abaft of
these is the second pair of forward IL
inch guns. which are so mounted as to
fire clear across the roof of the forward
turret, the barbet for these guns being
increased in height by about eight feet
in order to give the requisite elevation.
The guns have the great command of 80
feet above the water line. The after
pair of turrets with their four guns are
mounted similarly, although at an ele-
vation in each case eight feet lower
than that of the forward guns.
The shortening of the superstructure
has been accompanied also by moving
Of the two military masts toward the
center OF the vessel, and a distinct nov
city Is seen in the placing of these
masts, not on the longitudinal axis of
the ship. but diagonally, the forward
mast being moved over to starboard and
the mainmast to port. Advantage Is
taken of this new position to mount the
boat cranes on these masts. with, OF
course, a considerable saving of weight.
The armor protection has been ex-
ceedingly well worked out, and forms
one of the most commendable charac-
teristics of these vessels. It's most i'm
portant element Is a water-line belt
feet in length. The midship portion OF
the belt varies in thickness from II
inches at the top TO nine inches at the
bottom, while that In the wake of the
magazine is IL inches thick at the TOP
and 10 inches at the bottom. The case
mate side armor above this water-line
belt is nearly 300 feet long: 1t will be
eight inches thick at the top. 10 inches
at the bottom, and will be about eight
feet one inch wide amidships. This Is
casemate protection which, in extent
and in thickness, has never been ap-
preached in our previous battleships
Triangular athwartship armor. 10 inches
thick, will be fitted at the after end oi
the belt armor, between the slope OF
the protective deck and the extension
of the fiat protective deck; also, ar
athwartship armor bulkhead. extending
entirely across the ship between the up.
per platform and the protective deck
will be fitted at the forward end of belt
This will be 10 inches thick throughout
Furthermore, an athwartship casemate
| armor bulkhead will be fitted between
| the shell plating and the barbets be
| tween the berth and main decks at for
| ward and after ends Of casemates; thi.
will be eight inches in thickness
| throughout.
1t will be seen at once that by ar,
| ranging the two extra pairs of 12-incf
guns 4 a sufficient height to enabl.
| them 10 be fired across the roofs of tbs
adjoining turrets. the theoretical all
round concentration of fire is remark.
ably powerfulss Forward, when in pur-
| suit Of the eIDE;, or when lighting II
| the endon position, II will be possible
| to concentrate four 12-inch guns
| which is double the number that can bt
| trained in a similar direction on the
| Connecticut and Louisiana. Aft ther.
! is a similar concentration of four 12
inch guns, while on the beam thess
ships will be able to train eight 12-inct
guns.