Superimposed Turrets. Admiral Sampson

was the first one to suggest the double turret on a battleship and it was upon his recommendation that superimposed turrets were constructed on the new battleships ‘‘ Kearsarge ’? and ‘‘ Kentucky.” By this arrangement four heavy guns, 13-inch and 8-inch respectively, were placed in pairs, the larger pair immediately below the le er. It was contended by many naval officers that the results of firing such a battery simultaneously would prove disastrous both to the ship and to the men in the lower turrets. The fear was expre ed also that such monster turrets and guns would make a ship top heavy and endanger her stability, especially in action, The ‘‘Kearsarge ’’ was finished the latter part of March, 1900, and had her trial trip and an exhaustive gun trial at sea March 30, which disproved all predictions of the critics, for the gunners in the lower story of the turret were not in the least affected by the terrific blasts of the heavy guns above, even when the battery was discharged simultaneously. No ve el was ever built, or is likely to be built, that could withstand the impact of four projectiles fired at one time from the superim-. posed turrets of the ‘‘ Kearsarge ” and ‘‘ Kentucky.”