New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-16
CRUISERS AND BATrLE.sHIPS.

Lord Armstrong contrib utes 10 1.-THE Nine
tenth Century, an article on the Admiralty's
shipbuilding programme which contains many
useful hints 10 Americans interested in the de-
velOpment Of their naval resources. There Is
no greater authority in England on all practical
questions relating TO modern warships. and tho
Importance which he attaches to fast cruisers
for defensive and offensive operations is q
powerful argument In favor Of increased APP
preparations by Congress for this class Of ves-
sells. lie considers that the function Of armored
battle-ships, two Of which are now building in
American navy yards, Is to fight similar yes.
sels For ordinary purposes Of blockade crtiis
ers would he much more effective than the big
armored vessels, and they would also be SUI
pefior for coast defence when transports con-
veying o foreign army were approaching 4
menaced port. Lord Armstrong also lays stress
upon the fact that while a battle-ship would
be useless IN hunting down cruisers. the con
verse ia not equally true. Five cruisers. carry
ing collectively most formidable armament
and having superior advantages for outma-
noeuvring O battle-ship could close in upon
her with ram and torpedo and compass her
destruction. In the Judgment Of this expert
the presence Of q considerable force Of I'M
armored cruisers would compel hostile feet
OF armored battle-ships TO herd together for
mutual support. II has been the habit of naval
| engineers and constructors In the United States
TO refer TO the fast cruisers now under contract
as possible commerce -destroyers but not in
any sense az fighting ships. Lord Armstrong
does not share this view. lie believes that they
can successfully attack, when in sufficient num-
Der, the most powerful battle.shps, whether Of
the turret or OF the barbette system.
Americans will be convinced that their Gov.
eminent has not made mistake in replacing
| the old.fWhioned warships with unarmored
cruisers when they find Lord Armstrong assert.
ing most emphaticnlly that superiority to an
enemy In vessels OF this class affords greater
security against invasion than superiority in
| armored battle-ships. Moreover. they have
this distinguished experts word for n that
| there is far less speculation in building fast
cruisers than in building armored vessels. Dur
ing the last twenty years every new battle-ship
| when designed has been pronounced perfect
and inyulnerable; but before IL has been COM
pleted new modes OF naval warfare and su.
perior agencies of destruction have seriously
| impaired its vaiue With the uncertainty now
existing respecting high explosives 1t Is inn
possible to forecast the conditions Of naval war.
| fare in the near future or the relative values
Of different models OF battle-ships. The most
| formidable srmored cruiser that can be built
to-day may be condemned as a miscalculated
| failure within FIVE years But happen what
| may, ships OF the cruiser class, as Lord Arm
strong says, can never be out Of date.
! These conclusions viii tend 10 strengthen
the determination of the United States naval
authorities TO perseyere in the attempt 10 rival
European countries In this permanently useful
/ class OF war vessels. Battle-ships are costly
experiments, the value Of which IL prob.
leuaticai, naval experts differing on nearly oil