New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MODERN NAVAL RESOURCES.

MODERN NAVAL RESOURCES.
THE DEyELoPMENw OF NAvIEs DURING ,r ThE
PIP. 294. New-lork. Charles Scribners sons.
This is an excellent work, trimming with In
formation about naval progress since ls4o' anu
adapted TO the requirements of readers VINO iacK
technical knowledge of the subject WINE inc
author Us an officer Of the British Navy oe-
scribes in the main. what has been done III his
own country, he deals also with the advances mace
elsewhere in designing, cquippng ana arhilhg Will
vessels The book contains within small COIL
pass all the freshest information relating 10 ha'a
progress and is admirably illustrated lhe s'yie
is luminous and the treatment Of the subject COM
prehensive and instructive. There are other DOORS
which cover the same field and are more eA-
baustivc in the discussion OF technical questions
of naval architecture but there Is perhaps, no
other one which renders the whole SUBJECT 80
jntelliriblo TO general readers who have not had
a special education as engineers and naval cx-
pcrts
The volume contains not only the details OF
progress in every branch Of naval service, but
also practical illustrations Of the principal opera
tons in which squadrons and single ships have
been engaged during the period under review 10
opens with an admirable account Of the condition
of the British navy in 1870 and a
striking proof in the bombardment on
Acre. OF the od-time advantages OF numerous
guns and rapidity Of fire IN attacking
notifications The gradual conversion of sail
ing feet TO steam feet is next described, WIN
critical comments upon naval operations In the
BLACK Sea and the Baltic during the Crimean
War The next stage of development was the
substitution of iron for wood. and involved the
becinnnc OF the struggle between guns and armor
Tb. hattie between the kcarsargc and the Ala
hama il described as offering striking illustration
of the value of coat of mail. The earliest broad
side ironcads were followed about the same time
by tho Introduction of the first turret snip III
Ercsson's monitor, and the development OF the
system is traced in the Devastation and the In
flexible The utility of both classes is demon
strated BY references to the bombardment OF Alex
andria The battle of LISA is described as the
most important naval incident since Trafalgar,
and the weakness of some of the new types OF
battle-ships is pointed out This opens the way
for the discussion of the barbettc system COM
bined with broadside, of coast-defence vessels
and rams, or armor and the latest turret ships.
of cruisers, ordnance, torpedo warfare and marine
engineering.
The author. while avoiding controversial ques-
tons as apart from the purpose of his work. does
not hesitate to condemn the construction of costly
battle-ships of the first-class. While admitting
that vessel Of 10000 tons can be built with
armor impervious to the gun, he con-
tends that her hull under water cannot
be made strong enough to resist the
shock of q swift ram or the explosion OF 2oo
pounds of guncotton. which the latest TORPEDO
carries He holds that the great argument III
favor Of the Very big ship is that II represents
the principle of concentration. and that tactlcaIy
n small number can ne efficiently handlei
liz,
Individually Of weaker chips This is true, he
afrrms. in general sense, but the principle may
be carried TOO far and brinG in 20,000-ton smps
He perceives no reason why good speed large
supply OF coal and u powerful armament cannot
be obtained within displacement OF Io,oo'
tors. lie considers that England Ill comm WIN
all other nations has gone too far Ill tie pro-
duction of monster ships and guns, and that
the reaction which must always follow such en-
cesscs will lead TO great increase IN the num-
hers Of what for the moment arc termed second
class battle-ships. He believes that maximum
thickness of twelve or fourteen inches in armor
ought not to be exceeded, and that Governments
should offer high premiums for Improvements IN
quality by which greater resistance 10 projcctiles
NAV he attained Another Of his conclusions IS
that monster ordnance is one of tie abnormal
crowths of peace which the rough test OF wal
will sweep away. and that the balance OF
evidence is in favor Of smaller guns
Two of the rest chapters in t.Is valuable work
relate to steam propulsion and torpedo warfare. |
After reviewing the wonderful advances made IN
steam engineering he remarks that IT, is unlikely
that there will be in the next decade anything
like the same progress as in the last lie con-
tends that there must be q point beyond which
except in matters OF detail Improvement OF the
marine steam engine cannot go and that this
p0nt has been reached, DIS il was thirty years
ago in the case of railway locomotives. so far
as tOrpeGOcs are concerned he does not consider
it practicable to protect the bottoms of lroncads
against them The latest development of the
Whitehead is torpedo eighteen inches in
diameter with speed Of thirty knots and carry
ing 200 pounds of guncotton. No modification in
construction can render tho explosion Of such
q mass beneath ship other than irresistible.
Should it be otherwise. addition OF two inches
TO the diameter of the torpedo would probably
allow the charge to be increased 10 800 pounds,
and it would be mpracticablc TO countcract it,
The account given Of the new American Navy
is impartial and is marred by u single error, the
printing of Charcstown for Charleston in the
description of the cruiser built in san Francisco.
The author prOnounceS the Chicago undeniably
O very powerful vessel, bat expresses the opinion
that a lighter armament would have been better.
lie speaks favorably Of the hi2h-sreed cruisers.
disparaces the English design of the Texas, and
commcnds the Indiana. Massachusetts, and Oregon.
lie pronounces the New-l or<, which Is known as
on armored cruiser, in reality a second-cass
katteship. capable Of engaging with many
European ronclads The Pirate he regards as
a very inter sting experiment. Every reference
made 10 tie American Navy is kindly in spirit and
the prediction is offered that before the century
Closes the United States will possess feet re-