Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1901 — NAVY'S NEW SHIPS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NAVY'S NEW SHIPS.

mencement of last year she has launchbed 13 new vessels and is now contemplating building a number of submarine boats and 24 other vessels of war. Russia is building no less than 21 new war vessels. During the year Russia Jias launched three battleships, two of which were built in this country. Five first-class battleships are being built by Germany, two cruisers, an armored cruiser and a number of torpedo boat destroyers. France has laid down a 12,000-ton armored cruiser, after having launched three already during the year, as well as a number of torpedo .boat destroyers and submarine boats. The American Naw, The American building program in■cludes six armored cruisers. Three of these will be sheathed and will constitute a most formidable part of our navy. The cruisers will be named respectively the Nebraska, California, Maryland, Colorado, West Virginia and South Dakota. The displacement of the sheathed vessels will be 13,800 tons, -and that of the unsheathed cruisers, 13,400 tons. In speaking of these new battleships and cruisers, ex-Chief Naval Constructor Rear-Admiral Philip Hichborn says: “It can be stated with complete asthe designs embody in an unusually well developed degree all the elements of seaworthiness, offensive and defensive power, speed and coal endurance and that in all essentials' they are superior to all previous designs of similar character produced in this or any other country. "The battery carried by these vessels is unquestionably the heaviest battery afloat. The arrangement of it is such as to give a powerful bow, stern and broadside fire. For the 12-inch and 8-inch guns rhe American system of mounting in turrets has been adhered to. “Special provision will l>e made for insulating magazines by air spaces.

and also for cooling them by direct conaectioiis with the refrigerating plant. “The battery will consist of four 12Inch, eight 8-inch and 12 6-inch. The secondary battery will consist of 12 3-inch (14-pounders), 12 3-pounders, four 1-pounders (automatic), four 1pounders (single shot), two 3-inch Held guns, two machine guns, six 0.3(1 caliber automatic guns, and two submerged torpedo tubes. "The four 12-lnch guns are mounted

in pairs, on the middle line of the vessel, in electrically controlled balance, elliptical turrents, having an arc of fire of 270 degrees. Of the 8-inch guns of the Pennsylvania class, four w’ill be mounted in pairs in two elliptical turrets superposed on, and rigidly connected to the 12-inch turrets, and four ih pairs in two electrically controlled elliptical, balanced turrets, with inclined port plates, one on each beam, and with an arc of fire of 180 degrees. The eight 8-inch guns of the Virginia class w’ill be mounted in pairs in four electrically controlled elliptical, balanced turrets, with inclined port plates, one on each beam near the forward end of the superstructure, and one on each beam near the> after end of the superstructure—the guns so mounted to train through an arc of 145 degrees. The 12 6-inch guns will be mounted in broadside on the gun deck, six on each side, and will have an arc of fire to 110 degrees. “There will be ample provision for supplying ammunition to the guns, and chains of supply being so distributed that there will be a complete round of pow’der and projectiles delivered by each 12-inch turret hoist every 90 seconds, one complete round of powder and projectiles by each 8-inch turret hoist every 50 seconds, and a supply of ammunition for the 6-inch guns sufficient to provide three complete rounds per minute for each gun. The rate of supply of ammunition for the 14-

of and Abaft the beam, except the forward pair, which are to be sponsoned and w ill fire directly ahead. The secondary battery w’ill be mounted in the most commanding positions, having as large an arc of Are as possible; the automatic 1-pounders to be mounted in the lower military tops, and tw’o singleshot 1-pounders in each upper military top. “Suitable means will be provided for a rapid and efficient supply of ammunition for all the guns of the main and secondary batteries. The rate at which ammunition will be supplied to the 8inch turret hoists is one complete round of powder and projectile to each hoist every 50 seconds. The rate of supply of ammunition for the 6-inch guns will be three complete rounds per minute to each gun. The rate of supply of ammunition for the 14-pounder guns will be six rounds per minute to each gun. The rate of supply of ammunition for the 3-pounder and 1-pounder guns will be 10 rounds per minute to each gun. “The protected cruisers will have a length of 424 feet, beam 66 feet and a trial displacement of about 9,700 tons on 23 feet 6 inches draught, the coal bunker capacity being 1,500 tons. “On the main deck will be mounted six 6-inch guns on pedestal mounts, with shields. Two of these guns will be mounted on the middle line of the vessel, one forward and one aft, each having an arc of fire 'of not less than 270 degrees. The other four 6-inch guns

pounders will be six rounds per minute for each gun. There will be two submerged torpedo tubes located in one compartment. “The armored cruisers, six in number, will have a length of 502 feet, beam 69 feet 6 inches and a trial displacement of 3,400 tons on 24 feet 6 inches draught, the Coal bunker capacity being 2,000 tons.' “The armored cruisers outlined in the accompanying plans are identical in dimensions, interior arrangements and batteries, the only variation being that three are sheathed with wood and coppered and three are unsheathed. They are designed for a speed of at least 22 knots ami will have a very large radius of action. “Thue armament will be mounted as follows: Four 8-inch guns, in pairs, In (wo electrically controlled elliptical, balanced turrets, having inclined port plates, one forward and one aft on the line of the keel, and having an arc of fire of 270 degrees. On the upper deck, at the corners of the superstructure, four 6-lnch guns will be mounted on sponsons, one at each corner, each having an arc of fire of not less than 145 degrees. On the main or gun deck 10 6-inch guns in broadside will be mounted, five on each side, having an arc of fire of not less than 110 degrees; that is 55 (degrees forward

i on the main deck will be mounted in sponsons at the corners of the superstructure. “On the gun deck eight 6-inch guns will be mounted,, four on each broadside, in a central easemate, the forward and after pairs being in sponsons directly under the 6-lnch guns at the corners of the superstructure on the deck above. "Twelve 14-pounders will be mounted on the gun deck, three forward and three aft on each side. Six 14-pounder guns will be mounted, within the superstructure, three on each side. The 12 3-pounder semi-automatic guns will be mounted on the superstructure deck. In the lower military tops the four heavy 1-pounder automatic guns will be mounted, two bn each mast. In the upper military tops four.henvy 1-pound-er rapid-fire guns will be mounted, two on each mast. The remaining four heavy 1-pounder rapid-fire guns will be mounted on the gun deck, two forward and two aft. Arrangements will be made whereby all the guns which do not train fore and aft, or nearly so, can Im* quickly and conveniently dismounted, housed and secured, so ns to leave the ship’s side practically clear. “There will be a sufficient number of electric power hoists direct from the magazines to the battery decks to furnish an ample supply of ammunition to

all the guns of the main and secondary batteries; also suitable means for supplying the guns in the tops. The rate of supply of ammunition for the 6-inch guns w’ill be not less than six complete rounds to each gun per minute. The rate of supply of ammunition for the 14-pounder guns will be not less than 15

rounds to each gun per minute. The rate of supply for the 3-pounder guns will* be not less than 30 rounds to each gun per minute, and for the 1-pounder rapid-fire guns not less than 30 rounds to each gun per minute, while for the 1-pounder automatic guns the supply will be not less than 100 rounds to each gun per minute.” The accompanying Illustrations show the models on which some of these formidable craft are built or are being built. The battleships will be 435 feet long, 70 feet 10 inches broad, and the greatest draught will be 26 feet. Three sheathed ships will each have a displacement of 15,000 tons; two unsheathed, 14,600 tons. They will cost about $4,000,000 each, exclusive of the armor and guns. The cruisers have the following dimensions: Length, 502 feet; breadth, 70 feet; draft, 26% feet. The cost limit is $4,000,000 each. These ships will Lave an aggregate tonnage greater than the tonnage of all vessels of all kinds in the naval establishment a decade ago. They will cost the government about $71,500,000 when they are ready for commission. The cruisers will be practically twice as big and powerful as the New York and Brooklyn, which figured in the fight off Santiago. Every armored cruiser will be fitted as a flagship and will have accommodations for 822 officers and men. The speed must be at least 22 knots an hour. The battleships will be the most powerful ever projected, although the Navy Department Is considering plans for a ship of 1,000 tons greater displacement, and to carry unexampled batteries of heavy and highpower guns. Lesson of the Spanish War. If there is one lesson that was taught by the war with Spain it was the value of a navy, and the United States government has not been slow to take advantage of the knowledge that it ob-

tained by this experience in actual warfare. Lord Brassey in his review of the late unpleasantness emphasized the fact that the United States needed more ships to have an ideal navy, for no question could be raised ns to the ability of the men engaged In her sea sgyvlce.

Although Lord Brassey was one of the first persons of note to express this opinion, the.fact that our navy was not in a condition to cope with a powerful and well-drilled force had long been known to the naval authorities of this country, but the trouble had been to persuade Congress to make the appropriation necessary to carry out the plans that had been devised. When the war came, however, economy in this particular branch of the service was no longer possible, and when the war had ended the people had learned such a lesson that they were willing to spehd money in the improvement of their armored vessels. They had learned that great battles are often fought on the sea, and that Vo win these battles good men are not all that are needed. Good ships must be provided, and the country is now working to provide these ships just as quickly as possible. When the fact is considered that it was but a few years ago that this country was actually inferior to China in its strength on the seas, the wonderful progress that we have made to the third place in rank among naval powers may be better appreciated, and the fact that our navy is so new means that it is practically up-to-date, and this alone is a great advantage in time of conflict. There is no reason, therefore, why we should not feel encouraged to believe that with our sea fighting service of men and ships we would be able to .hold our own with any power in the world. Captain Sigsbee, who commanded the Maine, when it was blown up in Havana harbor, has applied for the command of the new Maine. Between the new Maine and the old are few points of resemblance. The first w’as rated as a second-class battleship with a displacement of only 6,682 tons. Her namesake is nearly twice as large, displacing 12,300 tons at normal draught. The principal dimensions of the new battleship are: Length between perpendiculars, 388 leer; length over all, 393 feet 10% inches; extreme breadth, 72 feet; mean draught, 23 feet 6 inches; displacement at normal draught, 12,300 tons; estimated displacement at full load draught, 13,500 tons. As to type, the new vessel is to be an improved Alabama. two knots faster than that fine battleship, equipped with a more powerful armament and hedged about with a greater area of armor protection. In the contract it is stipulated that she must on her official .trial maintain a speed of 18 knots for four consecutive hours. The armament designed for the vessel is a very powerful one. It will consist of four 12-inch breech-loading rifles mounted in pairs in two elliptical, balanced turrets, one forward and one aft. In addition there will be 16 6-inch' rapid-fire guns mounted in broadside, six 14-pounders, eight 3-pounders, six 1-pounders, two Colt automatic and tw r o 3-ineh rapid-fire field guns. In the

Maine the 14-pounder type of rapidfire gun will be installed for the first time on an American battleship. There are two submerged torpedo tubes on the ship, the Maine class being also the first in which these tubes have been placed below water line. Krupp armof varying from 7 to 11 inches in thickness will be provided. The Maine is a sister ship of the Ohio which President McKinley went to San Francisco to see launched. The turrets are turned by electricity, and the motors used for this purpose can revolve one of these great turrets through 360 degrees in one minute. The armor of both the turrets and barbettes is 12 inches thick. The magazines and shell rooms of the ship can stow 240 rounds of the 12inch ammunition, 3,200 rounds of the flinch ammunition, 9,600 rounds of the flpounder and 4,000 rounds of the 1pounder. The forward magazines are located immediately forward of the dynamo rooms and the after ones just abaft the engine rooms. The Ohio carries 14 boats, of which one is a 40-foot steam cutter and another a 36-foot steam cutter of the usual navy type. Her complement Is 35 officers and 511 men.

THE OHIO

THE RAM KATAHDIN

THE QUARTER DECK OF A BATTLESHIP.

A COAST DEFENSE SHIP.

THE KEARSARGE.

US.S MAINE.