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Description
New Orleans-class cruiser (1896)

Class overview
Name: New Orleans class
Builders: Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick, England
Operators : United States Navy
Preceded by: Columbia class
Succeeded by: Denver class
Built: 1895–1900
In commission: 1898–1922
Completed: 2
Scrapped: 2

General characteristics (as built)
Type: Protected cruiser
Displacement: 3,769 long tons (3,829 t)
Length: 354 ft 5 in (108.03 m)
Beam: 43 ft 9 in (13.34 m)
Draft: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Installed power
4 × double-ended Scotch marine boilers
2 × Inverted vertical triple expansion engines
7,500 ihp (5,600 kW)
Propulsion: 2 × screws
Speed: 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph)
Complement: 366
Armament
6 × 6 in (152 mm)/50 rapid fire (RF) guns
4 × 4.7 in (119 mm)/50 RF guns
10 × 6 pdr 57 mm (2.2 in) Hotchkiss RF guns
8 × 1 pdr 37 mm (1.5 in) RF guns
4 × .30-cal. (7.62 mm) Maxim machine guns
3 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor
4 in (102 mm) gun shields
4 in (102 mm) conning tower
3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) (slopes) & 1+1⁄4 in (32 mm) (flat) deck

Design and construction

Armament
These ships were originally armed with six 6-inch (152 mm)/50 caliber rapid fire (RF) guns and four 4.7-inch (119 mm)/50 caliber RF guns. These were British-made export-model guns built by Elswick Ordnance Company, a subsidiary of Armstrong. One source states the 6-inch guns were Elswick Pattern DD and the 4.7-inch guns were Pattern AA. These guns were unique in the US Navy, and they were designated as "6"/50 caliber Mark 5 Armstrong guns" and "4.7"/50 caliber Mark 3 Armstrong guns". The 6-inch guns were arranged with one each fore and aft, and two each fore and aft in sponsons on the sides to allow ahead or astern fire. The 4.7-inch guns were on the broadside. Three 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes for Whitehead torpedoes were also equipped. Additional weapons included ten 6-pounder 57 mm (2.2 in) Hotchkiss RF guns, eight 1-pounder 37 mm (1.5 in) RF guns, and four .30-cal. (7.62 mm) Maxim machine guns.

Armor
Harvey armor was used on these ships. The armored deck was 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) on the sloped sides and 1+1⁄4 in (32 mm) in the flat middle. The main guns had 4 in (102 mm) shields and the conning tower had 4 in (102 mm) armor. One source also lists 4 in (102 mm) on the boiler room glacis.

Engineering
The engineering plant included four double-ended coal-fired Scotch marine boilers supplying steam to two inverted vertical triple expansion engines (made by Humphrys & Tennant in New Orleans, Hawthorn Leslie in Albany), which produced 7,500 ihp (5,600 kW) for a design speed of 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph), which was achieved on trials. The normal coal allowance was 512 tons, but this could be increased to 747 tons.

Refits
To reduce supply difficulties, during refits at the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines in 1903, both ships had their 4.7-inch guns replaced with standard 5-inch (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 5 guns; the 6-inch guns were replaced with additional 5-inch guns in 1907. Their torpedo tubes were also removed in the 1903 refits. At least some of the guns from these ships were emplaced in the Grande Island/Subic Bay area 1907-1910 and operated by the United States Marine Corps until the Coast Artillery Corps' modern defenses centered on Fort Wint were completed. During World War I the 5-inch guns were reduced from ten to eight and a 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber anti-aircraft gun was added. At least one 6-inch gun Mark 5 was delivered to the Army during that war for potential service on M1917B field carriages on the Western Front; it is unclear if these weapons were shipped overseas.

Service
New Orleans (ex-Amazonas) served in the Spanish–American War, World War I and the Russian civil war in Siberia.

Albany (ex-Almirante Abreu) was completed too late to see service in the Spanish–American War. She served first in the Philippine–American War and then in World War I and the Russian civil war in Siberia.

Both cruisers were decommissioned in 1922 and were sold for scrapping in 1930.

Description
New Orleans-class cruiser (1896)

Class overview
Name: New Orleans class
Builders: Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick, England
Operators : United States Navy
Preceded by: Columbia class
Succeeded by: Denver class
Built: 1895–1900
In commission: 1898–1922
Completed: 2
Scrapped: 2

General characteristics (as built)
Type: Protected cruiser
Displacement: 3,769 long tons (3,829 t)
Length: 354 ft 5 in (108.03 m)
Beam: 43 ft 9 in (13.34 m)
Draft: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Installed power
4 × double-ended Scotch marine boilers
2 × Inverted vertical triple expansion engines
7,500 ihp (5,600 kW)
Propulsion: 2 × screws
Speed: 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph)
Complement: 366
Armament
6 × 6 in (152 mm)/50 rapid fire (RF) guns
4 × 4.7 in (119 mm)/50 RF guns
10 × 6 pdr 57 mm (2.2 in) Hotchkiss RF guns
8 × 1 pdr 37 mm (1.5 in) RF guns
4 × .30-cal. (7.62 mm) Maxim machine guns
3 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor
4 in (102 mm) gun shields
4 in (102 mm) conning tower
3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) (slopes) & 1+1⁄4 in (32 mm) (flat) deck

Design and construction

Armament
These ships were originally armed with six 6-inch (152 mm)/50 caliber rapid fire (RF) guns and four 4.7-inch (119 mm)/50 caliber RF guns. These were British-made export-model guns built by Elswick Ordnance Company, a subsidiary of Armstrong. One source states the 6-inch guns were Elswick Pattern DD and the 4.7-inch guns were Pattern AA. These guns were unique in the US Navy, and they were designated as "6"/50 caliber Mark 5 Armstrong guns" and "4.7"/50 caliber Mark 3 Armstrong guns". The 6-inch guns were arranged with one each fore and aft, and two each fore and aft in sponsons on the sides to allow ahead or astern fire. The 4.7-inch guns were on the broadside. Three 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes for Whitehead torpedoes were also equipped. Additional weapons included ten 6-pounder 57 mm (2.2 in) Hotchkiss RF guns, eight 1-pounder 37 mm (1.5 in) RF guns, and four .30-cal. (7.62 mm) Maxim machine guns.

Armor
Harvey armor was used on these ships. The armored deck was 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) on the sloped sides and 1+1⁄4 in (32 mm) in the flat middle. The main guns had 4 in (102 mm) shields and the conning tower had 4 in (102 mm) armor. One source also lists 4 in (102 mm) on the boiler room glacis.

Engineering
The engineering plant included four double-ended coal-fired Scotch marine boilers supplying steam to two inverted vertical triple expansion engines (made by Humphrys & Tennant in New Orleans, Hawthorn Leslie in Albany), which produced 7,500 ihp (5,600 kW) for a design speed of 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph), which was achieved on trials. The normal coal allowance was 512 tons, but this could be increased to 747 tons.

Refits
To reduce supply difficulties, during refits at the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines in 1903, both ships had their 4.7-inch guns replaced with standard 5-inch (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 5 guns; the 6-inch guns were replaced with additional 5-inch guns in 1907. Their torpedo tubes were also removed in the 1903 refits. At least some of the guns from these ships were emplaced in the Grande Island/Subic Bay area 1907-1910 and operated by the United States Marine Corps until the Coast Artillery Corps' modern defenses centered on Fort Wint were completed. During World War I the 5-inch guns were reduced from ten to eight and a 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber anti-aircraft gun was added. At least one 6-inch gun Mark 5 was delivered to the Army during that war for potential service on M1917B field carriages on the Western Front; it is unclear if these weapons were shipped overseas.

Service
New Orleans (ex-Amazonas) served in the Spanish–American War, World War I and the Russian civil war in Siberia.

Albany (ex-Almirante Abreu) was completed too late to see service in the Spanish–American War. She served first in the Philippine–American War and then in World War I and the Russian civil war in Siberia.

Both cruisers were decommissioned in 1922 and were sold for scrapping in 1930.