Kearsarge-class battleship

USS Kearsarge – the lead ship of the class
Class overview
Name:	Kearsarge class
Builders:	Newport News SB&DD
Operators:	United States Navy
Preceded by:	USS Iowa
Succeeded by:	Illinois class
Built:	30 June 1896 – 24 March 1898
In commission:	20 February 1900 – 18 May 1920
Completed:	2
Retired:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Pre-dreadnought battleships
Displacement:	11,540 short tons (10,470 t)
Length:	375 ft 4 in (114.40 m)
Beam:	72 ft 2.5 in (22.009 m)
Draft:	23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Installed power:	5 boilers, 10,000 ihp (7,500 kW) (design)
Propulsion:	2 VTE engines, 2 propeller shafts
Speed:	16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h) (design)
Complement:	38 officers and 548 or 549 enlisted men
Armament:	4 × 13 in (330 mm)/35 caliber guns 4 × 8 in (203 mm)/35 caliber guns 14 × 5 in (127 mm)/40 caliber guns 20 × 6-pounders (57 mm or 2.2 in) 8 × 1-pounders (37 mm or 1.5 in) 4 × .30 in (7.6 mm) machine guns 4 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor:	Belt: 5–16.5 in (127–419 mm) Bulkheads: 10 in (254 mm) (forward); 12 in (305 mm) (aft) Barbettes: 12.5–15 in (318–381 mm) Turrets (primary): 15–17 in (381–432 mm) Turrets (secondary): 6–11 in (152–279 mm) Conning Tower: 10 in (254 mm) Deck: 5 in (127 mm) (aft); 2.75 in (70 mm) (flat on belt)

The Kearsarge-class battleships were two pre-dreadnought battleships built for the United States Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. They were designed to be used for coastal defense. Both of the ships, USS Kearsarge and USS Kentucky, were authorized in 1895 and commissioned in 1900. Neither ship participated in a major battle, although they participated in the Great White Fleet, the oldest ships on the cruise.Kentucky was decommissioned in 1920 and sold for scrap in 1923. Kearsarge was also decommissioned in 1920, although it was then converted into a crane ship, and served in that capacity until scrapping in 1955.

The Kearsarge-class battleships were designed to be used for coastal defense. They had a displacement of 11,540 short tons (10,470 t), an overall length of 375 feet 4 inches (114.40 m), a beam of 72 feet 2.5 inches (22.009 m) and a draft of 23 feet 6 inches (7.16 m). Like the Indiana class, the Kearsarge class also had a very low freeboard, which resulted in her guns becoming unusable in bad weather.Kearsarge was manned by 38 officers and 548 enlisted men, while Kentucky carried 38 officers and 549 enlisted men.

The Kearsarge-class battleships had two double turrets, with two 13 in (330 mm)/35 caliber guns and two 8 in (203 mm)/40 caliber guns each, stacked in two levels. The guns and turret armor were designed by the Bureau of Ordnance, while the turret itself was designed by the Bureau of Construction and Repair. This caused the guns to be mounted far back in the turret, making the ports very large. Admiral William Sims claimed that as a result, a shell fired into the port could reach the magazines below, disabling the guns.