THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 102, 2 May 1898, Page 6

THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

The United .States Navy was stated by the London Morning Post of the 18th March to comprise the following vessels .—. — Eleven first- raters of 501)0 tons displacement and upwards (of these eight are armoured) ; 13 second-raters of from 3000 to 5000 tons displacement (of these five are armoured) ; 27 third-raters of from 1000 lons to 3000 tons displacement; and seven i'ourth-rates ; making an aggregate of 58. Of these ships 40 wore then iv commission — viz., in the Atlantic, 23 ; in European waters, 2 ; in the Pacific, 7 ; iv Asiatic waters, 7 ; and on the Great Lakes, 1. The new Brazilian cruiser Amazouas, which was recently (together with her sister ship the Almiraote Barroso) nought b} r the United States, has since been completed on the Tyne. She is a steel vessel, sheathed and coppered, displacing 3437 tons, and, like most Elswick vessels, carries a remarkably heavy armament for her size. There are six Gin quiokfiring guns, four 4"7 in quiokh'rers, ten t5-pounders, four 1-pounder Nordenfeldts, four Maxims, and two field guns for landing purposes, which are carried on the poop. Three above-water torpedo tubes are fitted, of which one fires right ahead, and one on each broadside. A very heavy lore aud aft fire can be obtained, as two of the Gin guns are in shields on the poop and forecastle, and the other four are sponsoned well out, two forward and two aft. The 4'7in guns are carried in recessed ports, so as to be clear of the fire of the larger pieces. The ammunition is supplied through hoists worked by electric motors, and seven rounds a gun can be fired each miuute. Four electric searchlights are fitted, one on a platform on each mast, and the others on on deck. The ship is, of course, electrically lighted throughout. A protective deck extends from stem to stern, and additional protection to the machinery aud boilers is afforded by the reserve longitudinal bunkers, which carry coal to a lieight of about Git above the water-line. The Amazonas has twin screw engiues of 7500 horse-power, and on her trials attained a speed of 20 knots with natural draft and 21 - 05 knots with forced draft. Her length is 330 ft, beam 43ft 9in, and draught with all weights on hoard 10ft lOin. She is rigged with two military masts, each carrying two fighting tops, and a platform for the electric light projectors, llor sister ship was not to leave the Newcastle yards for some time.

The weather chart published at 9 a.m. indicates a change in some parts of the colony. From Oamaru to Punedin rain has set in from the south, and it is gloomy and threatening at Timaru and Christ church. Elsewhere it is for the most part line. Marshall A. Kobinson, printer, of Brooklyn, was to-day adjudged bankrupt. His creditors will meet on Monday next*