The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-16
TIE NExr GnoUp OF WAR SHIPS.
They VII Probably lnciude small sheathed
Crnlsers for Enrelxn Waters.

They VIII Probably luciude small Sheathed
Cruisers for Foreign Waters.
| WAsniNuToN. Aug. 1a-As loss than four
months will intervene before Congress comes
| together again. the Navy Department may
soon be al wor; drawing up its programme for
! the second session. After its prolonged strug-
glc.lasting from tho beginning OF winter to the
heats Of midsummer. to secure from Congress
both tho battle ship and the atmored cruiser
which were finally conceded. the depart mcnt
may hardly feel disposed to make another pro-
longod fight with tho sam Congress on those
lines. And there are special reasons. also. why
II need not be- urgent to do 40. No appropria-
ton was made for the battle ship authorized
at the late session. 80 that this will fall upon
the second session. and will be "a hoavy n load
as o provision for Il now ship. Again. the de-
lay Of the Bethlehem and pittsturGh works in
making heavy armor was originally assigned
ty the House Naval Committee rs u reason for
not recommending tho battle ship. which was
finally granted. That was before the Home
| stead strike began. so that now. OF course. tho
arsumen will be- greatly strengthened both
BY additional delays OF the strike and by the
fact That ono more battle shin has been nu-
thorized and Is still to be built.
1t is also noticeable that. instead OF hurrying
forward the plans and the advertisements for
tho battle shin and armored cruiser just
authorized. vacations nre in order among the
chiefs Of tho bureau. and the contracts for
these vessels may not be signed before Con-
gress comes together again. Tho Navy De-
partmcnt would undoubtedly like to have an
other battle ship authorized next winter. and
tho House Naval Committee declared that nino
others wcre needed. OF which only ono has
been provided.
But meanwhile tho attention Of the depart
mont is understood TO havo been directed to II
totally different class Of vessels. These are
small, unarmorcd cruisers. OF u displacement
exceeding that Of the gunboatS Machias md
CGstine. and perhaps a~pproXimatinG to TINT OF
tho Detroit. Montgomery. and Marblehead.
which latter are OF 1900 tons. One character
istic q! our present shiphuilding is that 1t no
longer needs to reproduce European models.
but constructs for special moods OF the United
states. which may differ from those of other
atoms. l.cccntly powerful battle ships. swift
arn,orod cruisers. and nnarmorcd
Lcstroyors possessipE tho highest speed have
certain ncoIs Of routine station service. in
fereisn waters In times o. pence; md th ESQ
he accelerated By tho reduction in the r,cent
i i'm q from eSnf twsnt :! to %h ien Is p spS cent. as 81 it tRl te sRstis
,i Sss!s 81 r Tsssy ss il his l IA t SsSo Ss,s sss'n sss
gently four small vessels Of special design,
After noting that for many years tho old
We're ,side.Wieoiers Of light drsush,tt. we're
latter was still, in service. but partially beyond
repair. and TINT Arrangements should be
made for supplying her place.
For :his purpose I recommend the construction Of a
yssss, sSss,,;iy ], .d.s,. ,,i io j, rive, i've i :stSiss. , S, 50 CON on:
s:,sSss + ~ qs : sss s%s!s ~ / IN e "sssss X
placement and having = speed Of not less 'hHn /,
beam. and her maximu,n iraaSht should not exceed >
iss.s. Tx ssp sfsss.:'y 4 Fl ,'f town. 4's y : lsn as s% 'EEs .s.ss q 3
"ne Of NJ IA. c.ines. riots could set g.. reached by
i s%S n s""Sc %a' !" Ts '%i battery se o. III. ri liver e. sersss. rs:.
a t'5s : su Ean "na s q rs" a Te e 9 Ts WHICH. e sT s"nn0~ eo ana aL %nt
mos. useful vessel nI any foieirn power upon that sin.
swer FOR The Asiai;o and South Atlantic squadron.
But now the department Is inclined, it is m
derstood; to tho construction OF somewhat
s sItst, speed is not sssential. but I IS dsssirubls
as iiare yt as POSSIBLE 81 T his viii II avoid tho ieI pu ~
iI sasins O. Of s0 sta M 7 duty IT R to pr % . Ses eoal anu tho
But there is another md still more interest.
i lsssr CeS Ssisa fbi nam wSn,a the hs . sh hsM nsr ..
ment in our steel feet. The, decision against
shenthinG when the new ships were begun
aloss Of MAXIMUM speed with the same en-;
Eine power. 1t was also sometimes argued
that there was an injurious Ralvanic action Of
tho copper upon the bolts in sheathed ships.
On tho other hand. tho lack OF shenthing un.
uuostionably produces a much more rapid
fouling Of tho hul,s by rust and marine
growths. especially in tropical waters: and tho
speed Of some new vessels Is said to have been
decreased nearly or quite one-halt from this
cause in repeated instances. A vastly. in
creased consumption OF coal must no made to
keep UP a fair speed under such circun-
stances. and there is a necessity for far moro
frequent bookings. which is itself q source Of
Constructor Wilson has always advocated
lievcd that. certainly for these special cruisers
in foreign waters. sheathing should bo adopt
ed. as facilities for docking are infraluent.
Taking together the large coal c%aNacit~ dc.
sired and the proposed sheathing. it is hought
that tho displacement for the new vessels pro-
posed may be something like 1000 tons. But
this is small compared with tho Baltimore's
$500 and tho Columbin's 1880. Perhaps in
addition some rivcr-service Runboats Of LOO
tons may DO asked. But tho sn all cruisers
already spoken of will unquestioRably furnish
an economical and superior substitute for the
wooden raft in foreign waters. now rapidly
dropping out, and may allow some Of the
heavy and costly battle ships and armored
cruisers to be laid up in ordinary. With these
unarmored cruisers aud gunboats. u provision
| for torpedo boats. and a small addition to tho
existing appropriation for the torpedo cruiser.
there will be n good naval programme for the
next session.
R1RERTSDy AFTER GEORGE UTyG.