Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1889 — THE WAR SHIPS OF 1889. [ARTICLE]

THE WAR SHIPS OF 1889.

What Additions to Oar Navy Can Be Retted Upon During tn<> Present Year. ’ , jA Washington Special N. T. San. The troubles in Samoa have led the Navy Department to look over its list of vessels under construction in order to see how many ~of them can tie mads available during the next few months. The chief value these are to add is derived from their guns and their speed. 1 hey are, besides, built of steel, and have all the best modern appliances; but the trouble with our vessels now at Ajiia or on -the way thither consists much less in their being built of wood than in their carrying guns less powerful than they ought to be. All the German vessels there are unarmored, and the two armored cruisers said to have started thither from home waters will be a long time on the way. With good guns the difference between steel and wooden vessels, where both are unarmored, would not worry our sailors. All the new cruisers anffgunboats carry the modern style of high-powder-ed, breech-loading steel rifles. They are also coal protected, or, in other words, have a belt of coal around th® machinery to help keep out hostile shot, when the bunkers are full. The great reliance felt in the Chicago, Atlantis, and Boston, in the present emergency, is that they not only have good speed, but carry as good guns as any >of their calibre in the world. This is equally true of the new vessels we are to add this present year, which are also armed with 6 inch and 8-inch guns. The 6-inch gun weighs 11,000 pounds, and its carriage'6,4oo. Its projectile weighs 100 pounds, and, with its service charge of 50 pounds of powder, will penetrate thirteen inches of wrought iron at the muzzle. The 8 inch gun weighs 28,000 pounds, and its carriage 14,000 pounds. ItS projectile weighs 250 pounds, and, with its service charge of 5) po inds of powder, will penetrate thirteen inches of wrought iron at the muzzle> It is evident, therefore, that the power of the battery is in excess dFwhat is required for contending with unarmored ships, whether of steel or wood, and is quite sufficient for engaging some armored

vessels. a We have to-day ready for service the Chicago, with eight of these 6-inch guns and four of the 8-inch, besides two of th® 5 inch; the Atlanta and the Boston,each with six of the 6-inch and two of the 8-inch; the Dolphin, now probably at Apia, with one of the 6-inch. In addition, the Yorktown, launched last year, is now practically ready for the trial trip and for regular sea service. She is of 1,700 tons displacement, and will have a speed of .at least 16 knots, and possibly 17, while her battery will consist of six 6 inch guns. There are two other gunboats* of the Yorktown type, having the same displacement, speed and armament, which will be , ready this year. These are the Concord and the-Bennington. According to the contract they should be completed by the middle of May; and while it is not expected that this will be accomplished we may presume that they w ill be ready for service during the summer. These three vessels all have, curved steel deck* protecting the machinery, magazine and steering gear, besides the coal bunker protection already spoken of. A fourth gunboat, which will be turned over to the Government during the spring, is th& little Petrel, which only displaces about 870 tons, and is only expected to re ach 18 knots, but will carry four of th® 6-inch guns. \ She is supplied with a protective steel deck and other modern devices.

Much more important than any of these vessels is the Charleston, now almost ready ft r sea at San Francisco. She is of 3,730 tons displacement, is to have a speed of eighteen knots, and is to carry six 6 inch and two 8-inch guns. This vessel, with her high speed and powerful battery, will no doubt be of great service in the Pacific during the coming summer. Work upon her has been hurried of late, and if necessary she can proceed to sea by or before the end of March. In that case she would doubtless go with only her broadside batt■ ry of 6-inch guns and secondary batH ry of rapid fire and machine guns, as the 8-inch could not be made ready, in season. ' Still another which can be relied on fur use during the coming summer is the Baltimore, now in process ofcompletion by Cramp & Sons, at Philadelphia This is one of the most important of our unarmored cruisers, having 4,413 tons displacement,and carrying the powerful battery of four#-inch and eight 6-inch guns. The feature in which she will most surpass the Chicago is her speed, which is to be nineteen knots, her engines being guaranteed to produce 10,750 horse power. Here are six valuable vessels, whose addition to the navy within is many months may be confidently counted upon; and a seventh, of a different type, is the Vesuvius, with her 21J knots at the maximum, and het dynamite guns. Toward the end of the year three other first class cruisers are expected to be ready. These are the San Francisco, the Newark, and'the Philadelphia. The contract time for the San Francisco ends in December, and her builders believe she will be ready at that date. These three vessels, as originally designed, ire of 4,083 tons displacement, and carry each a battery of twelve 6-inch guns. The Newark is to have a speed of 18 knotsand the other two a speed of 19 knots. With seven new vessels assured before the end of the year and ten likely to b® furnished if necessary, there need b® no croaking about the prospects of o«r navy.