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Chester

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
CS1, 7.1920- CL1	Chester, 7.1928- York	46	Bath Iron Wks	25.9.1905	26.6.1907	25.4.1908	sold 5.1930
CS2, 7.1920- CL2	Birmingham	132	Fore River, Quincy	14.8.1905	29.5.1907	11.4.1908	sold 5.1930
CS3, 7.1920- CL3	Salem	133	Fore River, Quincy	28.8.1905	27.7.1907	1.8.1908	stricken 11.1929

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	3750
Displacement full, t	4687
Length, m	129.0
Breadth, m	14.3
Draught, m	5.10 mean
No of shafts	CS1: 4 CS2, 3: 2
Machinery	CS1: 4 Parsons steam turbines, 12 Normand boilers CS2: 2 VTE, 12 Fore River boilers CS3: 2 Curtis steam turbines, 12 Fore River boilers
Power, h. p.	16000
Max speed, kts	CS1, 3: 24 CS2: 22.4
Fuel, t	CS1, 3: coal 1400 CS2: coal 1375
Endurance, nm(kts)	CS1: 3850(18.6) CS2: 4150(18.6) CS3: 3300 (18.6)
Armour, mm	belt: 51 - 38, deck: up to 25
Armament	2 x 1 - 127/50 Mk VI, 6 x 1 - 76/50 Mk III/V/VI, 2 - 533 TT (beam)
Complement	359

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Authorized under the Act of 27.4.1904. 'Scout-cruisers' with high freeboard forward. Chester and Salem were the first turbine-engined ships in the USN. The armament was very light, the 127mm guns being on the forecastle deck forward and upper deck aft, and the 76mm to port and starboard on, the upper deck, the foremost being in sponsons under the forecastle. Salem was the worst of the three with the highest coal consumption, and in April 1917-March 1918 she was re-engined with GE geared turbines of 20000shp.

Ship protection

Main belt protected only machinery and was 51mm thick. Separate 38mm belt protected steering gear. Deck had maximal 25mm thickness. Guns were placed on open mounts.

Modernizations

1917 - 1918, all: - 2 x 1 - 127/50, 4 x 1 - 76/50, 2 - 533 TT (sub); + 4 x 1 - 127/51 Mk VIII, 1 x 1 - 76/52 Mk X, 2 x 1 - 533 TT

3/1918, Salem: Curtis steam turbines were replaced by General Electric geared steam turbines. Engine power were increased to 20000hp.

Naval service

Final decommissioning dates were for Chester 10.6.1921, Birmingham 1.12.1923, Salem 16.8.1921.