The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06

have been made the subject of adverse
Judgment It is right that the Amerl-
can public should know, and, above
all, that they should rightly esti-
mate, the criticisms to which the
work of their naval constructors Is
subjected; that, If the objections that are
raised 70 this work are valid, they should
understand it. But. on the other hand, 1t
is equally important that they should not
be misled by errors of statement into the
supposition that the new navy is not all
that their fancy painted. The opinion OF
foreign critics is only valuable as throwing
a side light upon our labors. Apart from
this, il is q subject neither or congratula-
ton nor of concern.
The principal criticism called forth by the
paper read before the Institute of Naval
Architects is contained in an editorial
article in the London Times of April 6,
which reproduces closely the general COM
ment made by Mr.. White, the chief con-
structor OF the English admiralty, IN the
discussion which followed the reading Of
Mr.. Biles' paper.
For some time. says this article, they the
United States were content TO import their de-
signs for warships from Europe. Even now
there is, We believe, no American warShip
actually ready for sea which was not built from
European designs or initiated from existing
European patterns.
But it also declares that the Americans
Are now 1ea1ug independently ana, as Ii
seems to many, rather too boldly and light
heartedly, with the problems watch have long
engaged ourselves Our own extensive expert
ence, and our frequent disappointments With
the contrast between expectation and reality,
between theory and practice. between calcutta
tons on paper and realized results az sea. have
trustful at innovation than it behooyes an in
ventive and ingenious people like our American
cousins to be. 1.-THE greater holiness OF the Amer
lean designers Is really based on sound iudg-
Ant md ~ IW larE Nf ~tcpr
need not regret IT, We shall in the long run
profit equally by their experience, whether il
results in failure or in success
What the Times characterizes as the
Goodness and novelty" of the new Amer
lean designs are the logical result of q de-
cision TO adapt the designs of ships of the
American navy to the necessities of our
situation. What 10 good ship for Eng
land or France is not necessarily q good
ship for the United States. Nor would 1t
be in any sense a praiseworthy feature of
American designs that they were only a
England has colonies and dependencies In
every quarter of the globe, and her COM
merce must be protected IN every sea-
Her battle-ships are designed 10 cross
oceans and TO maintain an offensive war
fare at distant points. American battle
ships were not designed TO cross oceans,
but are for the protection OF our own
implies.
The criticism made of the batt,e-ships
has been confined TO two points: First,
their apparent lack of coal endurance. and,
second, the arrangement of their batteries.
As TO the first point, the American ships
are designed 10 carry only 400 tons of coal
al the load-line, whereas English designers
give 900 tons 10 ships of similar type hav-
ing displacement of 10000 tons and up
wards. Great stress is laid upon this sup
posed lack Of coal endurance in our battle
ships, notwithstanding the fact that they
have bunker capacity for 1,S00 tons.
The coal endurance of ship is deter
mined by the capacity of its bunkers As
coal endurance is estimated, our battle
ships have a possible radius of action of
1900 miles-much greater than any battle
ship of Europe. The quantity OF coal to
be carried viii be regulated BY the imme-
diate service TO which the ship is 10 be put
With 600 tons on board, the top Of the
armored belt will be two feet six inches
above the water-line-exactly the height
of the belt of most European battle-ships
of 10000 tons displacement.
Now, in adjusting the "antagonistic
elements" Of weight, of battery, of ar
NOR, coal endurance, and speed, all
constructors accord 10 each the weight
best calculated TO accomplish the
purpose for which the ship is in
tended, keeping in mind that only so
much weight can be put on board a ship
OF given displacement, and that its often
sive and defensive power Is the result OF
the adjustment of these more or less an
tagonistic features. The department in its
recent designs has given especial promi-
nence 10 what IN each type was deemed
the most important feature. mindful that