Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-31
UNCLE SANS NAVY
Receives High Praise From
Many of Great Britain's
Naval Experts,
A COMMERCE DESTROYER
That Has No Parallel in Any War
ship That Is Now AfOat.
IT WILL BE A NAVAL TERROR.
Powerful Cruisers of the Yankee Navy
FaVOrably Criticised.
1T WILL BE A NAVAL TERROR.
Powerful Cruisers of the Yankee Navy
FaTOrably Criticised.
Row MAIL SHIPS ARE MADE FIGHTERS
rBY CABLE TO THE DIsPATCHl


Britain, was devoted to a criticism of Ameri-
can warships. The meeting was presided
over by the Earl OF Ravensworth, ana was
attended bv the leajing naval architects of
tie kingdom, several of the British ad-
miralty authorities, and a large number OF
admirals of the British navy.
The subject was introduced by j. H.
Biles, OF Southampton, a well-known ma.
rine constructor and the designer of the
famous Inman and International companies
ocean monarchs and of many warships for
the Spanish, Japanese and other navies.
Mr. Biles said he had lately been in Amer
ica and had made the acquaintance of Sec
retary Tracy, and had got from him valus-
bic information az to the new American
warships. The Secretary. on being asked if
the information might be conveyed to the
members of the institute, readily consented,
stipulating only one eoudition that, as he
courted the fullest criticism, whatever was
said about the designs should not be con-
fined TO concentrations.
Praising American Warships.
Mr.. biles described all the modern vessels
progress was great. 1t should be measured
bv the difference between the Chicago and
Baltimore, vessels of practically the same
displacement, though the Baltimore has
smaller main battery, having only ten guns
against IA Of the Chicago's, but her speed is
more than three knots greater than the Chi
csgo's, and she has a protective deck two
and one-half inches thick on the fat and
four inches on the slope.
The Baltimore had. since her trials, been
on long cruise, and had shown herself to be
q good sea vessel. She steamed from New
York to Stockholm at a speed of about IL
knots without stopping TO coal, and be was
assured by uer captain that she could have
steamed l 500 knots further at the same speed
with the coal that she actually carried. She
steamed from Copenhagen TO Lisbon in five
days and three hours. the distance being 2 100
knots, the last Two days being done at reduced
speed IN order to save coal. This gave a mean
speed of over IL knots.
The ventilation of the vessel was reported as
excellent, and judging from the number of
ventilatiug cowls on her il should be, but these
cowls added very considerably to her visibility,
and made her much better target for an enc
my rhan she would be without them.
Equal to the British
He carefully inspected the Newark, which
WAS now practically completed at the yard of
Messrs. Cramp, Philadelphia, and every op-
portunity was gwen hlm of forming an opinion
of the workmanship and details of American
waIship construction, and be felt sure that in
these respects they were quite equal to the
best British practice, Ii they we're All as good
as MesSrs. Cramps.
The American ship designers and builders
had shown that they were capable of producing
vessels quite equal to their promises, aud at
least equal to the best European practice. This
was an important thing to bear in mind, in con-
sidering the recent designs upon which ships
ham hr1ilN fort he a
1t was not, lie Sald, until the end of 1889 tnat
any considerable further additions were ar
ranged for, but there were now under coEstruc-
tion seven cruisers and seven armored Ships
The principal particulars of these were given
Proceeding TO deal in detail with them, he
said that, compared with the Edgar class, the
New York was much more powerfully armed
and much better rotected. Her sustained sea
speed would probably he greater. She has,
However, 800 tons more displacement and
should, therefore, be superior vessel
Four Effective Cruisers.
Secretary Tracy thinks tina: flour such ships
distributed in various quarters would put an
effectual stop to the depredations of as many
fleets of ordinary cruisers" The coast line
battleshps were the most important vessels of
the programme. They were three in number,
two of them To be built by Nessrs. Cramp ana
the third at the Union Iron Works, San Fran
cisco.
: The vessels have a displacement of OBS
tons. They have been designed, to use the
words Of Theodore Wilson, the chief con-
suructor of the United States NAVY "to be able
to tight vessels carrying the heaviest guns and
Rrmor." and, Ivy inference. comparison with
most recent British battIeships could not fail
to be coured
Mr.. Biles then went on to compare them in
detail. These American vessels, he said, were
distinctly superior in mosr respects to any
European vessels of the same displacement,
and for the purposes intended of protecting
the American coast line. they seem to be quite
match for any ships afoat Dealing with the
commerce destroyer" commonly known, ac-
cording to Mr.. Biles. as 1.-THE pirate" hut which
Americans are familiar with as No. Il now
building in Cramps yard, and which greatly in
terested the members of the institute, Mr.
Biles said she was the most important of the
cruisers and was intended to have sustained
speed OF q knots.
Nothing Equal to Her
Secretary Tracy. he said thought this YES
sci absolutely without parallel among the
,w2rships of the world. She combined sufi-
cient armament, with complete protection
against light guns, while at the same time she
possessed a sea speed and coal endurance
hitherto unknown IN ships of war. No mer-
chant vessel that she meets armed OF unarmed
can escape her. Having given her details of
dimensions the lecturer continued to criticise
the design as follows:
This vessel is well divided, and would give
good account of herself with most cruisers;
but she is designed to run away from cruisers
and not 10 fight them. her function being to
an enemy that she possibly can. She would
not hesitate to fight any of Br1tain's merchant
shins fitted as armed cruisers.
'Britain's fastest ships would probably be
slower than the American fastest ships In the
case OF the commerce destroyer the result
would be obtained by giving her greater
length than any warShip built or building, by
giving her light armament, thus reducing the
crew and all their accompanlments and by
simplifying the structure and arrangements
A Good Commerce DESTROYER
''Speed and coal endurance are the features
of this vessel, which have been specially in
tensified, and Secretary Tracy's conception of
what is required to destroy commerce seems to
have been well worked out by the constructive
staff. Whether it is desirable to have vessel
which IS capable of doing this work, but which
Is only navy shin, rather than to have vessels
like our armed cruisers. winch can be made re-
muneratIve IN time OF peace, is doubtful
question
-FOr continuous steaming at high speed. the
well-tried mail steamer would be more eff
cient, as SO many opportunities of finding out
and making good defects would have arisen.
In the design of mail steamers intended to act
as commerce destroyers, that structural franz
ing. shaped and 81 uated similarly to a prorec-
tive deck, should be fitted. on which. in time of
war. thick plates could be laid and secured in
no more time than would be taken to get guns
and stores on board. Such deck would ad-
NIT of better protection, especially in the con-
dition when coal is Onehalf tbree-fourrhs
expended. for the remaining coal in an ordi-
nary ship would be many feet unoer water
whereas in this type il might be nearly all at
The water line.
Mail Steamers Made Effective.
in the way of cylinders bolt of vertical
Rrmor would have to be fitted around the in
side Of the engine hatch. 10 project tops Of
cylinders. Underwater steering would have to