National Republican., 1885-02-14

into discussion OF tnO QueblOu OF bAll |
power for 5000 ton corvettes, based upon |
the fact that the English have seen fit to
dispense with IL in one of their numerous
classes Of unarmored ships. II we had
or possibly could have use for so varied
and comprehensive a feet as the British,
we might indulge as they do in few
unarmored all.steam cruisers, dispens-
ing with sail power. But our uses for
cruising ships are comparatively limited
and our possibilities Of classification con-
seauently restricted, so that IL Is difficult
to see what average use the United States
could have for second class unarmored
corvettes, incapable Of cruising except
under steam.
In addition to tho above described fleet
Of unarmored cruisers, thoro should bo at
least twelve seagoing gun vessels of about
1000 tons displacement, on 10 feet
draught; provided with twin screws, on
Pined for ordinary sea speed Of thirteen
or fourteen knots, but provided with
forcing apparatus to develop sixteen or
seventeen knots for short time In omor-
gencies These vessels should bo armed
each with one high powered 10.inch rifle
mounted en- barbetto in machine-gun-
protected circle or shield turrot forward
Of the smokestaok to command practically
all round FIRE, together with n proper
complement Of machine guns; their bows
should be strengthened for ramming, and
they should carry dome protecting deck
over their machinery. They should be
two masted schooner rigged, and spread
sail enough to hold stoering-way without
steam. They would not be calculated for
general cruising in time Of peace, but
rather for q sort Of picket line in time Of
war either for coast defonse or for oifen-
rs. t..s.a Of
1t will bo observed that in suggesting
the composition Of battery power for un-
armored cruising vessels, have
DISPENSED ENTIRELY WITH BRoADsGDE
GUNS.
This consider one Of the most important
steps Of modern development. The broad
side gun is, in fact, the sole rolic of tho
past that has held its own. All tho other
relics have found their appropriate place
in the scrap heap or the museum. But
the broadside gun is still found mounted
on new ships specially designed to fight
end-on, under systems Of tactics by which
it is made an error to present the broad
side to an enemy under any circum-
stances So clear an anachronism seems
to me to carry its own comment. No gun
should bo mounted on modern ship to
command an arc of fire Of less than 1859,
and l would not accept tho design Of
ship which failed to fire all her heavy
guns within 80 of the keel either straight
ahead or straight astern.
II seems to mo that the above enumera-
tion includes all the types and classes of
war vessels that the United States has
any actual or theoretical need of under
her present system of government and
traditionary polity. do not wish to in
vito speculative disputes with technical
experts. But / cannot resist the inclina-
tion to inquire, What possible uso can the
United States have for n line-of- battle
cruising iron-clad, such as the advisory
board recommends under the title of zone
sea-going armed vessel of $500 tons dis
placement" TO cost -, 900, ,000?' i sup
pose from what have seen and learned
of the design of this proposed ship that
she is to be practical copy Of the Eng
lish lmperious or Warspite, which arc
now about completed, Without going
into prolix details l will remark that
this proposition seems to me to intimate
practical repetition of the old three.
decker Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania
was built, not because the United States
had, or was likely in the course Of human
events to have any use for three decked
ship of the line, but simply to demonstrate
the fact that we could build and arm
three-decker. She never had q commits
sion. In fact, her keel never plowed blue
water except when she was brought
around from the Delaware to tho Chesa-
peake to be stationed at Norfolk as n
receiving ship, and even then she was
towed! However, she was built at an
expense that would have created three
effective heavy friRates of her epoch
which was the sort of ships adapted to
our peculiar uses at that time. and then
she WAS left to rot at anchor, without ever
crossing top-gallant yards, simply to
crafty whim of mistaken national
pride. One Of our naval heroes-a vet
eran whaling captain, who, when boy,
had helped old Porter defend the immor-
tai little Essex in Valparaiso bay-once
said to me about tho Pennsylvania: "She
was too big for cruiser and she was too
few for a fleet She was O magnificent
follyw
1t is not my purpose to criticise the
recommendations of the advisory board.
But no naval man will dispute the prop
osition that seagoing iron clad must be
designed primarily or secondarily as q
line of battle ship for feet cruising or
fighting, and that proposition involves
tho theory that the United States ought
to maintain line Of battle navy for fleet
operations on grand scale, as the Eng.
lish and French do; which proposition
does not seem to me to have the slightest
foundation or support in our national
traditions, in our present status, or in ouI
possible future relations TO the rest of the
world, 80 long as we retain the existing
form of government. At all events this
'ssurely not an opportune time to pro
pose repetition of the magnificent
folly" Of the old three.decked Pennsyl.
vania in new and even more costly
form.
OUR PRoUDEsT EPOCH.
The most practical and therefore mos
successful epoch of American naval con
struction in time of peace was that which
signslized the administrations of Pierce
and Buchanan. Departing boldly from
the established rut of foreign imitation
our authorities developed new type al
together. These vessels were screw ship
of fine form and great power. Discardinl
tho ancient ideas of battery, the nov
American ships were armed with com
paratively small number of unprecedent
edly heavy guns on one deck and disposed
TO secure hitherto unheard-of arcs Of fire
This new departure was represented by
the Niagara, Minnesota Colorado, Wabash
Merrimac, Tennessee, and Roanoke, hrs
rates, and the Hartford. Richmond
Brooklyn, Pensacola, Lancaster, Sal
Jacinto, &c, second rates. Their appear
ance on the ocean between the years 1856
and 1859 revolutionized naval archi
lecture. Recognized as the most formda
BILE of then existing war ships, these yes
sells, though comparatively few in mum
ber, gave the United States frs
rank as maritime power. Compared
with them the old style two ant
three-decked screw-liners of England ant
France became obsolete at once, and tn
world looked to our yards for its models
This epoch of construction was brillian
and successful because 1t was based upol
an intelligent comprehension of the pc
culiar requirements of our government
and carried out q spirit of patriotic indie
pendence in architecture and design
g.. I - ~