New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-31
END VIEW OF SHIP.

,nginepower thicker armor, larger guns. England
IA building eight battlesips of l415O tons disDlacc-
ment each Germany Is building four Of 10000 tons.
Russia two Of 10000 TONS and one OF 1900 tons:
France three Of Il 900 tons. and of 1000 tons
and Italy four OF 10000 tons.
Lord Brassev In his paper on the Future PohcS
NJ Warship Building" questions the advisahihty Of
building immense battle-ships OF 12.OOO and l4ooo
TONS lie says that with such large tonnaGes one or
moro desirable elements must be sacrificed that II IS
not possible to combine in single vessel Oh tbis CHAR
acter high speed. great thickness OF arnor the heaV
est guns great cOalng capacity. and sucent accom-
nodations for the crew. To combine these require
ments the vessel would have TO be Of such extreme
drauaht that the number of harbors she could cnte'
would be limited OF greater exposed surface, thus
Increasing vunerablllty lie is convinced that Eng
Land and the other naval powers which are building
battIc-shps OF 1900 tons displacement have made
great mistake. and that battleshps not exceeding
10 500 tons displacement. and armed with guns no
larger than 12inch calibre, with an effective minor
armament, a speed Of about Ia knots and much pro
lection bv armOr give "a design of good value for
the cost as under e4lsllhe cOhuiuohs IL sN'is oi'0
ucabe TO secure
This is the opinion also held bv the majority Of
English naval experts and officers And these opln-
ions are an approval of the three battles ships now
beng built bv the United states Government. and
Justify the statement that they will be fully equal to
Uha OAAN
OF the main arguments used against the building OF
hattesbins in this country has been that They would
soon become obsolete but there does not seem TO b"
any probability Of this proving tr-e ana 1t may De
accented that the 1OOOOton battleshiDs will retain
many years the position Of the hrsclass vessel Inc
6rstcloss ship must have coal carving capacity
10 enable her to 90 anywhere, and fighting power not
to need to run These conditions are al met III
the Massachusetts, Indiana. and oregon
The date OF the Act OF Congress authorizing inc
bni1,ng of these three coast line baeshipS or steel
he,ted cruisers was June 80. 1890. The proposed
bate-ships were suggested by naval board APPOINTED
{. TO formulate a plan for building navy commen'u'
ate with the dignity and power Of the Nation" The
scheme OF this board comprised ten batte-ships OF
10000 tons each eight Of 5000 tons twelve OF
1000 tons; five of 5000 tons ten rams of $500
tons nine armoed cruisers, 600 tons, ~ KNOBS
speed four 7OOO-ton protected cruisers, % knots
speed nine 5,40Oton protected cruisers, 20 Nots
speed two 4OO0-ton protected cruisers 10 Knots :
five special cruisers OF 200 tons, Ia knots speed
fifteen torpedo cruisers Of 900 tons, 90 knots speed
and three atfcers naval practice and repair ships
OF these Congress authorized three slips OF the
first order; sister ship TO the commerce DESTROYER
"No To-" yclept Pirate and known "No. -" ;
one torpedo cruiser not yet contracted for and torpedo
boat No. 2, now being built
In the matter of the batte-shps the first requisite
WAS type OF vessels To guard the enormous defnceles
coast line: q vessel with mod rate and
not extrenc displacement and one TO attain
the greatest power OF offence and defence with
q limited speed The low. freeboard monitors could
M. he wholly relied upon for this service because
.hev conh not be hurried along the coast Tn all
weathers. and their could not be effectively used