Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-26
new SCOUT CRUISER CHESTER
FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL VESSEL
TO USE ENGLISH TURBINES.
Contract Calls for Speed of Twenty.
-Four Knots to Be Maintained in
All Conditions of Weather.

BATH, Me-, June 26.-The scout cruiser
Chester, named in honor of Pennsylvania
city, and one of the latest types of fast
warships for the United States navy, was
| launched successfully this afternoon from
the yard Of the Bath iron works. Dorothy
Wallace Sproul, daughter Of state Senator
William c. Sproul of Chester, christened
the big vessel.
The scout cruiser Chester is one of a
class Of three vessels to be known as scout
| cruisers authorized by Congress April H.,
1904. The cost of the vessel will be $685.
900. Its construction is of entirely new
type as far as the United States navy is
concerned, and it will be the first in which
| English turbine engines will be used. The
| contract speed is "a knots, and Is exceeded
only by that of the torpedo boats and de-
stroyers. While the speed is slightly less
! than that of the English scouts, the diff
| ference is more than compensated for by
the ability to maintain the high speed in
all conditions of the weather, and, having
| twice the coal capacity of the English
| scouts, the radius of action is consequently
very much greater. The length of the YES
sci over all is 423 feet and l inch. Its
breadth, nodded, 46 feet inches; draft,
fully loaded, 10 feet ~ inches and dis
placement, fully loaded, 4,640 tons. The
maximum indicated horsepower of the main
engines is estimated to be 10000 tons.
High Freeboard.
The freehoard of the vessel is greater
than that of any other ship in the navy
being at the normal draft. 10 feet Sh inches
midships. The high freeboard insures good
seagoing. gives greater range Of stability
and provides for a safe and dry vessel I'M
der all conditions of weather. Commodious
quarters for the officers and crews are pro-
vided well above the water line. Ample
subdivision has been made to insure the
vessel keeping afioat with no serious result
IN event of several of the compartments
being pierced. In planning the structural
details the greatest care has been exercised
to provide d hull to combine with lightness
the strength and stiffness necessary to sue
cessfully withstand any severe shocks. The
hull is built Of steel throughout and the
inner bottom is so worked that the vessel
will be we'll protected from injury in case
OF grounding. There are five decks.
The Battery.
The battery consists of two fve-inch
rapid-fire guns, six three-inch rapid-fire
guns and two twenty-one-inch submerged
torpedo tubes. Two submerged torpedo
tubes of the side-loading type, with all
necessary accessories, including air COM
pressers and accumulators, are installed in
the torpedo room forward, one on each
sIuS, the IIldSdZlutS are 50 arranged
that about half of the total supply of am
munition will be carried at each end of the
vessel. There are twelve water tube boil
ers placed in three water-tight compart-
ments having a heating surface of 30 O4O
square feet An evaporating and distilling
plant capable of evaporatng and condens-
ing 10000 gallons of water per day is in
stalled, and a refrigerating plant of two
tons capacity is also fitted.
The vessel is heated by steam through
out and lighted by electricity. The fore
most is being fitted for the installation of
wireless telegraph communication, and the
arrangements Of the quarters provides ac
commodations for commanding officer,
twelve wardroom officers, six warrant Off
GERS and $40 men.