Middletown transcript., 1891-04-30
THE UNITED STATES POSITION
IN A DEFENSIVE WAR.

/ The recent diplomatic correspon,
dence between the United States ant
Italian governments, in connection
with the New Orleans riot, if sucl
term may be applied to that outbreak
has awakened attention to the rela.
tive power of the different navies Of
the world. While there has been NO
well-founded apprehension that war
between this country and Italy was
imminent, the suggestion of the possl-
bility of the menacing presence OF
Italian war ships in these, waters has
reminded us forcibly of our weakness
at sea and on the coasts. To-day the
three thousand miles of ocean are our
best protection against European
powers. They operate now, as they
did in the Revolution, to make an
energetic defense possible with appar-
emily inadequate means. Fortunate
ly the supposition of war at the pres
ent time or in the near future is en-
tirely problematical. The necessity
for actual measures of defense is no
greater now than at any recent time.
In establishing navy the United
States has begun in the construction
of unarmored cruisers, protected part
ly by defective steel decks and coal
bunkers. Great success has been at
tanned with these, and their speed and
general reliability have been adequate
ly proved. No country has surpassed
them. The next step is in the direc
ton of armored fighting ships.
The United States high speed pro.
tected cruiser No. IL, now building, is
the representative of the connecting
link between the ships of the so.called
White Squadron and the armored
line -of-battle ships alluded to. It is
to be 400 feet long, with 81 knots sus-
tanned speed and 10000 sustained
horse power. 1t can carry 1000 tons
of coal, disposed in part in lateral
bunkers so as to protect the vital por-
tions of the ship as far as possible.
This amount of coal will keep the
ship at sea for 100 days, steaming at
a speed of 10 knots. Such ship is
commerce destroyer, and would do
immense damage to an enemy's ship
ping in a single cruise. Three line
of-battle ships, with heavy armor, are
also in process of construction by the
United States.
The efficiency and value in war of
the heavily armored fighting ship of
to-day is practically unknown. In
the great navies each vessel has lis
rating. The armament, armor, and |
speed are the controlling factors to
determine her position, offensive and
defensive But to obtain a more
practical idea of relative capabilities,
trial maneuvers have been instituted
by different governments. While one
object Of these trials has been to try
the defensive powers of coast batteries
and harbor defense ships, the sea-
going qualities of the squadrons have
been subjected to the most exacting
tests-to tests assimilated to the con-
ditions of actual war.
The result of these operations has
been to show that the war ship of the
lavies of the day. whose value in
action is improved, as a sea-going
vessel is seriously wanting. In tie
English autumn maneuvers, ship after
hip has broken down, boilers have
eaked, difficulties in coaling have
,een experienced, and speed has uni
1ersally fallen below the rating de-
luced from speed trials.
1t is this condition Of things that
The value of the protection
'fered by the ocean that intervenes
between America and Europe. A
modern ship of war, in coming across
he water, would seriously deplete its
'oal bunkers. When it reached our
oast, a comparatively short range of
ravel would be left, especially if high
peed were kept up on the voyage.
here would also be good chance of
Is machinery breaking down.
The coast line of battle ship shows
that the United States is doing to be
repaired for the contingency of the a
pproach OF a hostile feet. These s
essels are the most formidable of any
nat the government has yet contract I
d for. Their tonnage and armor I
ring them in direct comparison with '
be more powerful vessels of foreign b
ations. While the dimensions Of the
nip, Of her armor and armament, are
IMPRESSIVE, they lose by comparison /
ith the great war ships Italia and '
epanto of the Italian navy. These Y
ster ships are 400 feet inches long, r
nd dispIace Is, ,430 tons. The armor b
! places is 21 inches thick. The side I
rmor is Is inches thick. The armor 9
lone weighs nearly 5000 TONS q
The guns include four 110 ton :
lns Of l78 inch calibre, eight 6 inch t
lns, and a number of smaller rapid =
ring pieces. I
Again, the status of our new coast !
efense ships in the matter of armor :
indicated by the fact that armor Is /
ches and more 10 thickness is car c
ed by ~ English, l3 French, 10 r