New Confederate Ships - 1909

[Carthaginian]

Trying to find a replacement for the numerous sub-standard protected cruisers in the Confederate Navy has become a chore for the Admiralty. 23 ships- slow, poorly armed, and badly designed- must be replaced as soon as hulls can be floated in order for the CSN to remain effective. The result for this need has given birth to the Murfreesboro class of protected cruiser. Lightweight, fairly fast and well-armed, they are designed to be produced in bulk to replace the aging small cruisers of the Confederacy. The ships were also designed to be easily adapted to many roles- as evidenced by the fact that a single hull is able to function in both command and raider roles.


Murfreesboro, Confederate States of America 3rd Class Cruiser laid down 1909

Displacement:
   3,500 t light; 3,645 t standard; 3,980 t normal; 4,248 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   375.00 ft / 375.00 ft x 38.00 ft x 18.50 ft (normal load)
   114.30 m / 114.30 m x 11.58 m  x 5.64 m

Armament:
      3 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 100.00lbs / 45.36kg shells, 1909 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on centreline ends, majority aft, 1 raised mount aft
      8 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 25.00lbs / 11.34kg shells, 1909 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on side, evenly spread
      1 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 25.00lbs / 11.34kg shells, 1909 Model
     Quick firing gun in deck mount
     on centreline amidships, 1 raised gun
      8 - 1.00" / 25.4 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.50lbs / 0.23kg shells, 1909 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 529 lbs / 240 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 200
   4 - 19.5" / 495.3 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   3.00" / 76 mm   375.00 ft / 114.30 m   11.00 ft / 3.35 m
   Ends:   Unarmoured
     Main Belt covers 154 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.00" / 25 mm         -         3.00" / 76 mm
   2nd:   1.00" / 25 mm         -         3.00" / 76 mm
   3rd:   0.50" / 13 mm         -               -
   4th:   0.50" / 13 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 1.00" / 25 mm, Conning tower: 3.00" / 76 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 3 shafts, 30,000 shp / 22,380 Kw = 27.08 kts
   Range 6,000nm at 10.25 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 602 tons

Complement:
   249 - 325

Cost:
   £0.377 million / $1.508 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 77 tons, 1.9 %
   Armour: 689 tons, 17.3 %
      - Belts: 458 tons, 11.5 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 34 tons, 0.9 %
      - Armour Deck: 180 tons, 4.5 %
      - Conning Tower: 16 tons, 0.4 %
   Machinery: 1,356 tons, 34.1 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,319 tons, 33.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 480 tons, 12.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 60 tons, 1.5 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     2,708 lbs / 1,228 Kg = 25.1 x 6.0 " / 152 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
   Metacentric height 1.5 ft / 0.5 m
   Roll period: 13.1 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.62
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.36

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.528
   Length to Beam Ratio: 9.87 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19.36 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 60 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 51
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      24.00 ft / 7.32 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   21.00 ft / 6.40 m
      - Mid (50 %):      18.00 ft / 5.49 m (12.00 ft / 3.66 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   12.00 ft / 3.66 m
      - Stern:      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Average freeboard:   16.44 ft / 5.01 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 127.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 96.0 %
   Waterplane Area: 9,746 Square feet or 905 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 97 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 66 lbs/sq ft or 320 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.88
      - Longitudinal: 2.96
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

*NOTE: This ship is equipped with a Marconi (25 tons)*
*NOTE: This ship is equipped with a Marconi (10 tons)* (X)
*NOTE: This ship is fitted with extra command facilities (20 tons)* (X)
*NOTE: THis ship is fitted with extra quarters for prize crews (30 tons)* (Y)
*NOTE: This ship is fitted with 4 above water torpedoes (4 tons)*

12 units planned:      laydown      complete
BLOCK 1
Murfreesboro    (X)   (2/1908)      (2/1909)
Panama City    (Y)   (2/1908)      (2/1909)
Carthage    (Y)   (2/1908)      (2/1909)
Pulaski       (Y)   (2/1908)      (2/1909)
BLOCK 2
Ocala      (X)   (1/1909)      (2/1909)
Bakersfield   (Y)   (1/1909)      (2/1909)
Gallup      (Y)   (1/1909)      (2/1909)
Roswell      (Y)   (1/1909)      (2/1909)
Flagstaff      (X)   (1/1910)      (2/1910)
Matamoros   (Y)   (1/1910)      (2/1910)
Jimenez      (Y)   (1/1910)      (2/1910)
San Filipe   (Y)   (1/1910)      (2/1910)

[Korpen]

Trying to find a replacement for the numerous sub-standard protected cruisers in the Confederate Navy has become a chore for the Admiralty. 23 ships- slow, poorly armed, and badly designed- must be replaced as soon as hulls can be floated in order for the CSN to remain effective. The result for this need has given birth to the Murfreesboro class of protected cruiser. Lightweight, fairly fast and well-armed, they are designed to be produced in bulk to replace the aging small cruisers of the Confederacy. The ships were also designed to be easily adapted to many roles- as evidenced by the fact that a single hull is able to function in both command and raider roles.

Very nice little ship, seems very solid for her class and size.
Range of around 500nm at top speed is not great, but not bad either.
All in all not much to comment on, a solid ship that does not stand out in any way. :)

[Carthaginian]

Very nice little ship, seems very solid for her class and size.
Range of around 500nm at top speed is not great, but not bad either.
All in all not much to comment on, a solid ship that does not stand out in any way. :)

Well, range isn't a Confederate priority- especially since these ships were designed before the acquisition of Haiti and the Bahamas. 500 miles will just about get her from Miami, Florida to Samana Bay, Haiti. She can easily make the run at 25 knots- this was judged to adequate in the end. That's pretty fast for 1910.

Your "solid ship that does not stand out in any way" is a perfect response to my in-character design goals... as is the range issue, too, actually. The current Confederate administration sees the Navy as a coastal defense force that need only be solid, reliable, and competitive; it does not need to be a 'power projection' navy. As long as no one can invade, they feel, the Confederacy is safe.

Of course, the problem with a republic is that goals change... and 1910 is the year that they may change in. One candidate in particular is wanting to change them.

Watch this space to keep abreast of further developments.