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426 THE MaRINE REVIEW November, 1909 U..S.. FLEer Corirer: VEsTAt. accept her, all features finding place for the first time, it is believed, in a naval contract. That it is eminently the most sensible and satisfactory meth- od cannot be doubted. The contract was awarded to the Maryland Steel Co. in Sept. 1908, at a price of $1,470,- 000 for the three. As will ibe noted from the accompa- nying plans, the dimensions fixed upon in the Maryland Steel Co's designs were: Length over all, 403 ft.; between perpendiculars, 385 ft.; beam molded, 53 ft.; depth molded, 32 ft. 6 in.; draught loaded, 24 ft. 6 in.; displacement load- ed, 11,220 tons; deadweight capacity on 24 ft. 6 in. draught, 7,620 tons. As a large steaming radius was de- 'sired, a ibunker capacity of 800 tons is 'provided, although the _ specified bunker capacity was only 300 tons. The vessel, as shown in the plans, is divided into five cargo compart- ments, with a total capacity of 8,125 tons of coal. This amount, however, will not be reached in actual service, as 7,200 tons are all that the require- ments call for. There is thus a total deadweight capacity of 1,425 tons in excess of requirements, thougn of course at increased draught. Aft of the cargo holds are the boiler: and engine rooms. In the latter space is a large tank 'a depth of <4 ft. used for trimming the ship, or for reserve feed water. Aft of this tank is the after peak tank extending from the keel to the main -deck, which is also used for trimming purposes. The inner 'bottom extends continuously from the forward peak tbulkhead to the after end of the boiler room, and has throughout _ its length. On either side of the ship is a topside ballast tank extending from 13 ft. aft of the forward peak bulkhead 'to the forward end of the boiler room. These tanks in con- junction with the inner 'bottom and peak tanks are used for carrying bal- last when ship is in a light condition. The dining saloon, pantry and offi- cers' quarters are located under the bridge deck. The dining saloon is paneled in quartered oak. Above same are the captain's room, bath, and chart room. Captain's room and chart room are paneled in mahogany, bath tiled. On the boat deck is the pilot house abreast of which are two 22-ft. life boats. Above the pilot house is the flying 'bridge, which extends to the side of the ship. The engineer's quarters, bath, galley and mess room are located in a deck house on the poop deck, and finished in quartered oak and cypress, and the Buitt at New York Navy Yarp. quarters for firemen, crew and quar- termasters, mess rooms, etc., are be- tween the main and poop decks. On the after end of this space are the steering engine and refrigerating plant, the latter of a capacity to cool a re- ftigerdtine room of 800 cu. ft. of volume. The refrigerating machine is driven by a Remington oil engine. Although the contract for these ships provided that the coal handling appa- ratus should have a .capacity of 100 tons per hour per hatch, yet the equip- ment has actually handled 180 tons per hour, and about it, therefore, much interest naturally centers. There are five. pairs of derrick masts and on each mast are stepped two steel booms, one forward and one aft. Coal is un- loaded by lowering a clam shell bucket into the hold and then hoisting, which operation fills the bucket, sufficiently to clear the hatch coaming, when the winch operator starts the outhaul rope carrying the clam shell to the head of the outboard boom clear of the ship's side, and over a wharf or the deck of an adjacent warship. By means of a trip rope controlled by a drum on the hoisting winch the bucket is opened, thereby discharging the coal. The clam shell is brought back over the hatch by the outhaul rope acting as Neg ae tas RR i a ope DK yi cates e