The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-04
THE TWO nav ARMORCLhDs.
Features q. " hica the Battle ship snA Ar
noreA Cruiser Will SHOW Improvement

norea Cruiser Win show improvements.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 3.-While the battle ship
authorized Mt tho recent session OF Con-
gross has been spoken NJ generally as one OF
the Indiana class. and while the armored
cruiser has usually been regarded rs a sistor
chip OF tho New York. it Is already certain.
from tho plans under consideration. that each
will be a marked gain over anything OF It's
type yet constructed in this country.
The Indiana. tho Massachusetts,. and the
Oregon are vessels Of great and in some re-
spects unequalled efficiency: yet they have
their drawbacks. A modern line-of-battle
ship must be a compromise between the high
est possible developm ents OF certain desirable
qualities, chief among which are speed. armor
protection. battery power. and radius OF ac-
ton. In our three largest battle ships the
leaning has been toward armor and arina-
sent rather than toward speed and coal-car-
rying capacity. In tho tremendous weight OF
projectiles they can throw ut a single dis
charge these vessels surpass any now anoat
IN any navy. while their thickness
Of nickel-steel nrmor furnishes them extra
ordinary protection.
On the other hand. they arc planned for .
speed OF only 10 knots at the maximum. whera-
q the eight great British battle ships OF l4.15O
tons each arc to have 17!a knots. aud the Royal
Sovereign has actually reached 1a. Tho Bar
6eur and Centurion. which are close upon the
displacement Of our three vessels. also have
16 knots. and the three now French battle
ships. OF II. 900 to $4,000 tons. are to reach the
same speed. As to coal capacity. tho Royal
Sovereign class carries 900 tons in bunkers.
and can steam 5000 nautical miles at loknots
per hour: tho Barleur carries $50 tons. and
can steam 5000 knots: but our Indiana. Mas
sachusetts. and Oregon cnrry only 400 tons In
the bunkers. and can steam only $500. Thus
while In armor and battery power they exceed
che British battle ships. they fall short in speed
and radius OF action. Tho criticism upon
them in thta respect la forestalled somewhat
ships thus implying that they are not in-
tended for i2ng-distance cruising; but y Is
s sss.sss s .nss I o .% t .s1 i.ea 1t1f5 s sspac a]H. aouis
Be- added. It would be y gain and this is UNDER
stood to DO tie hin in M new nlans. ~.
s.snd 81 seins 2 5 SSs IL t ""s O as IN t &" or:
sssaier ma" fhon no as ma" a dir Ss?' result i;Ho" Of .i ihe
tmp3rtnnt armHr srials recently had at lntiaa
Il. tS Taa sss, I'll t hS.n arms9 e At Is tn ss" sSm ssat
reduced, while keeping put hostile shot as
efleetun,ly rs was intended in rla.rrnning the
ias;G H.rysvsa picksi:s !, sdn rla,s; on allowed 10 we'd
instance. to any OF the 2-inch projectiles. sug-
gests TINT i is not necessary I" reneat the
present Dnttle sup uTInOT OF 10 Inches On mo
bolt and IL inches on the turrct. But any re-
duction in the weight ~ the nrmor. since no
heavier battery Ia needed. will permit more
powerful machinery and increased speed. to-
kcther With n much enlarged. coal c%ararity:
While tho details are not settled. 1t is believed
that the l,im rer capacity can be nearly
doubled. and that the speed can he increased
to i, I knots or more. The language Of the new
act. b It'll for the hnttle ship amt the armored
cruiser, will give plenty Of ireway for larxer
vessels. As to The battery. 1t has heen suggest
Oh that In rlnrc nj Is inch guns only l2-incn. ut
the ,rAximnm.. need he carried: hut IL snfer
course. instead Of n reduction In the maxi
mum calihre. may bethat o. Il iscarding the r.
inch guns. tlus leaving tho battery to consist
OF l3-inch and S-inch ordnance.
A. Tor the armorcI cruiser. its displacement
will doubtless. considerably exceed that Of The
New York. and 1t may have greater length and
q higher freeboard. Possibly it may have
eight U-inch guns instead " the six carried by
the New York. and the twelve rapid-lre guns
NAV 9 OF the iive-inrh calibre instead Of the
four-inch. Rs on the New York. The New York
has great spet.! and great radius Of action.
being designed for 20 knots at the maxi
mum. and carrying 75O tons OF coal in the
bupkers., while having u total radius OF 13.500
miles Mt ~ knots. Hence in the new armored
cruiser increased battery power and increased
protection need alone he looked after.
> he two new ships will unquestionably sig
nalize tho advance Of American naval con-
otructiOu.