USS Brooklyn (CA-3)
USS Brooklyn (ACR-3), at anchor, c. 1898.
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| Class overview | |
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| Builders: | William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia |
| Operators: |
 United States Navy
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| Preceded by: | USS New York (ACR-2) |
| Succeeded by: | Pennsylvania class |
| Built: | 1893–1896 |
| In commission: | 1896–1921 |
| Completed: | 1 |
| Scrapped: | 1 |
| History | |
 United States
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| Name: | Brooklyn |
| Namesake: | City of Brooklyn, New York |
| Ordered: | 19 July 1892 |
| Awarded: | 11 February 1893 |
| Builder: | William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Cost: | $3,450,420.29 (hull and machinery) |
| Laid down: | 2 August 1893 |
| Launched: | 2 October 1895 |
| Sponsored by: | Miss Ida May Schieren |
| Commissioned: | 1 December 1896 |
| Decommissioned: | 9 March 1921 |
| Reclassified: | CA-3, 17 July 1920 |
| Struck: | 9 March 1921 |
| Identification: |
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| Fate: | sold for scrap 20 December 1921 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type: | Armored cruiser |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | |
| Beam: | 64 ft 8 in (19.71 m) |
| Draft: | 24 ft (7.3 m) (mean) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | 2 × screws |
| Speed: | |
| Complement: | 561 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Armor: | |
| General characteristics (1914) | |
| Armament: |
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| General characteristics (1917) | |
| Armament: |
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The second USS Brooklyn (ACR-3/CA-3) was the third United States Navy armored cruiser, the only one to be named at commissioning for a city rather than a state.
Ordered for $3,450,420.29 (hull and machinery), she was launched on 2 October 1895 by William Cramp and Sons Ship and Engine Building Company of Philadelphia; sponsored by Miss Ida May Schieren, daughter of Charles A. Schieren, Mayor of Brooklyn, New York; and commissioned on 1 December 1896, Captain Francis Augustus Cook in command.
Brooklyn was said to be an improved New York at the time of her completion. She was also designed by the Navy Department and was about 1,000 tons larger, which allowed for a raised forecastle for better seakeeping. However, Brooklyn sacrificed armor for improved armament. She had eight 8-inch guns compared to New York's six, and all were in twin turrets. The secondary armament was increased in caliber from New York's 4-inch guns to 5-inch guns.Brooklyn had her turrets in a "lozenge" arrangement (one each fore and aft, one on each side) and also had a tumblehome hull, which allowed the side turrets to fire dead ahead and astern. She was the only US Navy ship built with this turret arrangement. The tumblehome hull and "lozenge" arrangement were rare in the US Navy, but at the time were prevalent in the French Navy and in French-designed Russian ships, such as the French Magenta and the Russian Tsesarevich.
Compared with New York, Brooklyn had a 3 in (76 mm) belt versus 4 in (102 mm), 8 in (203 mm) barbettes versus 10 in (254 mm), and the same turret and deck armor.
Brooklyn as built had a main armament of eight 8 in (203 mm)/35 caliber Mark 3 and/or Mark 4 breech-loading rifles in four twin Mark 8 turrets in a "lozenge" arrangement. The forward and starboard side turrets were electric-powered, while the other two turrets were steam-powered. This was to test which system was better, and as a result the Navy adopted electric power for future turret designs. Secondary armament was twelve 5 in (127 mm)/40 caliber rapid fire (RF) guns in sponsons along the sides, along with twelve 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) Driggs-Schroeder RF guns, four 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) Driggs-Schroeder saluting guns, and five 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes. Some additional weapons on wheeled carriages were carried for use by landing parties; these included two 3-inch (76 mm) field artillery pieces and four Gatling guns.
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