Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-25

ltCmDtFOW from tHt WCFhS VI or !"
iG Armstrong, Whitworth 4 Co. at
Elswick.
The event Is rendered more inter
testing in that on tn" sam" day the st,
Vincent, the largest of the British
DR. adnoughts. will also be launched
TAT Port smOutb.
Ii is interesting In view Of these
Icircum tances to draw comparison
between the two vessels although II
is difficult to do this in regard TO any
hut their most prominent characters
tics owing to the fact that both the
British government and the Brazilian
authorities have been extremely re-
tic Mt about all details of design, con
struction and equipment in regard
to the iva vessels.
| The British ship. 1t should be re-
membered is a direct descendant OF
the original Dreadnomght. and although
heavier and longer there is every rta-
son to irlieve that the additional
weight Is absorbed by improvements
which have been suggested by the
experience gained with hsr prototype.
| On the other hand, the, BraZiliaa ship
represents compromise. or ut least
this is the impression created by the
icircumst ance that while She retains
the older means of propulsion She com
jbines this with heavier armament than
that of the Drt adnoueht herself.
| Armstrong; Have Complete Data.
| Il is worth nothing that one OF th'
sisters of the Dreadnought the Superb.
has been built at Elswick and Is now
completing at that yard. The Arm
strong firm, therefore. has had COM
ple.e Information in its possession OF
british ships ard within the limits
permitted by the different methods or
DI opulsion it would be fair to assume
| it would take advantage or this cir
cumstancc in regard to such elements
| of design AS were caCabie or modl-
fication or Improvement.
Following are the particulars OF the
two ships so far as these have been
ldisclosed:-
The St Vincent, which was begun
| AT Portsmouth December 80. 1907. ana
Their fore has been approximately
|eiyht and Cna-half months under con-
! struction. has a length of 500 feet.
breadth of eighty-four feet, with
mean load draught Of twenty-seVen
feet. Each of these measurements Is
greater than those Of the DreadnOueht
herself which has a length OF 400 feet.
lheam of eighty-:wo feet and twenty-six
and oDe-haIf feet draught. The dis
placement Of the St Vincent is 19.29"
Itons and her turlsna engines are TO
register "a. 500 horse power at natural
Graught. enabling the vessel 10 ATTAIN
a speed of twenty-one knots. her coai
fcapacity at load drauSnt is 900 tons.
The Twelve Inch Guns.
The armament Of the ship has not
been officially announced. but IN
known to consist Of ten tweiveinch
y,,ps. or similar to that OF the Dread
thought A secondary battery. now
lever, or an,i-torpedo defence anna
iment will comprise a number or for.-
Inch guns. in place Of the twe'Ve-
FOUNDERS mounted in the other Ves-
isal this difference accounting IN a
lIar,e measure for the increased dis
lrlacement the ST. Vincent bein NOM
nailv 1850 tons heavier than the
IDreadnousht.
The Minas Geraes differs from the
British vessels principally in the
(methot of propulsion. she beins
ieouinped with reciprocating eneines'
lint the vessel which is to succeed mr.,
! the Rio De Janeiro. will prcbaoiy
lbava turbines. although no decision
has II is understood. yet been ar
rived at. The former ship has q iens'h
lof $50 feet md = beam OF "a ise.'
with a drauSht Of Is feet. She - thus
thirty feet longer than the 81. VIZ
cent with the same beam. hut WIN
1.-Two feet less dranght. The dispiac'-
|ment of both ships is identical w.
go tons
In regard to armament the super.
;or;tv rests with the Brazilian Vessel
(which. besides mounting an adhitional
na;r OF ,we,ye-inch guns to those ot
Itbe st Vincent, is able, ~ methon
LOT distribution. to bring all her guns
Ito bear on either broadside. OF "a
Item heavy guns carried In the Briush
!Drcaanoughts only eight can ffe on
leach broadside
1 Similarly the right ahead fire Is
lsreater in the case Of tire Mipas
lCeraes. Four of her tEIrre:s are on
'ItAe middle line. two forward ana W.
isft each turret mounting two guns
{The innerrEost 81 each pair ~ tnrre'
lie raised tn enable It's guns TO mr.
lover the outer :urret. Tho remaininf
tfo,;r gyrs are placed in two turrefs
Son c;ther beam ami6ships.
n As armament against torpedo atfack
Tho shin carries twenty-five ~ inch
rues and EIGHT three nounder ouick
jfircrs. there being also four submerged
,t,orpcdo tubes. The armcr protecttor
jos IN, brazilian vessels consists OF
xa,e- Hire holt extending from how u
ls.rn having a MAXIMUM ih'csncS'
of nine inches AZ the middle and ~
r,iujshinr ~ six inchns right for
iva-d and four inches right aft