The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-01
COAST LINE BATTLE SHIPS.
The Georgia, The Pioneer Of A For
midable Fleet.

II VII! Oe ] IOrml0aDle engine OF de-
~struction wnen the new ~battlesh.p,
Georgia starts next Wednesday over the
Government course at Rockland, Ne, to
test its speed and later its endurance
qualities.
When Congress made appropriations
for sea-going coast line battle ships, of
which the Georgia is one, provisions
was made that all vessels of this class
should be the flag ships. Consequently
after the vessel has been accepted by
the government and has completed its
trials TO the satisfaction of the navy
department its complement will be one
the government and has completed LIS
flag officer, on commanding iffcer
one chief Of staff. nineteen ward-room
officers, and a crew of 772 men, includ-
ing sixty marines.
FIVE OF THE GEORGIA TYPE.
There will be five vessels of the
Georgian type, carrying the heavies1
armor and most powerful armament
of vessels of their class. In general
b dimensions and chief characters
tics of these vessels will be: Length
on load water line. 435 feet; extreme
breadth, rs feet 2 IL inches; trial
displacement, $4,000 tons; mean draf.
% feet 8 inches, and greatest draft
full load, &c feet. These battle ships
will have a speed of at least nineteen
knots, comparing o f~avOrably with
any under construction abroad. as we'll
as those in the projected stage "'hey
will be propelled at this high Speed
by twin screws driven by triple eX-
pansion engines of 19, 00O-horse power,
having a stroke of fOur feet with a
maximum speed of 100 revolutions per
minutes. Steam necessary to the low
er will be supplied by water tube boil
ers, four each, in six Independent Wa
ter-tight compartments.
THE ARMAMENT.
Vessels of the Georgia's class will
carry four 12-inch guns, eight S-lnch
guns. A secondary battery will OH
sist of twelve 3-inch rapid fire guns
twelve 3-pOunders, semi-autOmatic,
eight %1-pOunders heavy automatic,
two 30-calibre Colt automatics. These
will be mounted in commanding po-
sitions and all vessels of this type Will
be fitted with submerged torpedOe
tubes. Magazines will be prepared to
carry the new smOkeleSS powder with
absolute safety in all climates. Pri-
visions will be made for the stowage
of sixty rounds for each 12-inch gun,
twenty-five rounds for each S-inch, 200
rounds for each 6-inch, 800 rounds for
each3-inch and a plentiful supply for
the smaller guns.
HER PROTECTIVE ARMOR.
SO much for the offensive qualities.
To make the defensive qualities pro-
.portiOnately great each battle ship
will be provided with a water-line nelt
of rmo s feet in width a~midships,
II inches at the bottom, tapering to
a uniform thickness of 4 inches at the
end of the vessel. There will also
DE a casemate rmo belt extending
over 245 feet of it's length of a uni
form thickness of 6 inches rising from
the top of the main belt to the upper
deck, joined to the aft end of the bar
bette by a 6-inch armored bulkhead
of 6-inches in thickness extending from
side to side. This will form a citadel
within which the 6-inch guns will be
mounted. Within this citadel, extend
ing from the forward to the after tur-
ret, light armor will form subdivis-
ions Of the gun enclosure, protecting
the crews from flying %splinters and
fragments of bursting shells. Bar
bettes for the turrets Of the 12-inch
guns are to be 10 inches in thickness,
the turrets themselves being protect
ed by 12-inch armor. In all cases.
whether s~uperposed Or independent,
the S-inch turrets will be protected
by 6 inches of armor with similar pro-
lection for their barbettes. Coming
tower and shield will be 9 inches in
thickness and aft there will be a
signal tower constructed Of 5-i-ch
armor. From the bottom Of the water
line armor belt there will be a turtle
back nickel steel protected deck 1 l-2
inches thick on the fiat and 5 inches
thick on the sloping sides, to make
sure that 40 projectile of the enemy
may find it's way into the vitalS Of
the ship. AS an additional protection
a Golfer dam belt 3 feet in thickness
will be worked along two sides above
the protected deck for the entire length
Of the vessel. In addition to being
built of steel, the main deck viii be
the only one upon which wood is to
be laid. All the lower decks Will be
of steel, covered with linoleum. Use
Of wood in the construction Of the
vessels will be limited more strl':Sty
than in the later battleshiDs and all
woodwork above the protected decE, !
except deck plank, will be reproofed.
Filge kea ; and heavy docking keels J
are fitted. |
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES.
Applications of electricity are much
wider than in any other battle ship !,
now built. All turrets have electrical
turning gear. Ammunition hOists,
blowers TO the turrets and general ven
tilation, the work shop and practically
all the auxi,aries outside the engi-
neers' department and excepting cap
Gland and Stoorinu naar are To be alaa-