New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-26
RACERS md FIGHTING SHIPS.

The cruiser New-York now ha, the prestige
Of a naval record breaker No other armored
cruiser equals her in speed, armament OF
manoeuyring power. She will outsail within
the radius limited by her coal supply any other
cruiser or battleshp. With the same !imita-
tions she can overike any merchant steamer
ailCat with perhaps two exccptiOnS-the Paris
and the Campania. With such record a,
she has made in her trial trip She invites com
petition from European naval powers. The
British Admiralty cannot allow the challenge
to pass unnOticed without suffering from loss
Of prestige. Anticipating the triumph OF the
New York and the Columbia English design
ers have already planned two arnoIed cruisers
with engines for developing 10000 horse
power and capable of making - knots. II is
one thing to design such naval racers Is these
and another thing to obtain the speed. The
Admiralty learned this to its cost when il ac-
copied designs for the Blake and the Blcn-
helm as 22-knot ships, and owing t. miscaIcu-
lationS of the boilers was compelled t. rate them
as 10 and 20 knot cruisers. The best talent
will undoubtedly be employed in England in the
attempt to lower the flag OF the Ncw-lori as
the fastest cruiser ailoat.
The American Navy, meanwhile, will not
rest content with the New FORK record. The
Brooklyn, which is another armorod cruiser
with the same engine power but with greater
displacement, can hardly be expected to out
distance the NewYork 1t will be the CO.
lumbia and her sister ship the Minneapolis
which will undoubtedly rank before many
months as the fastest ships in the American
Navy. These are unarmorcd cruisers OF 1850
tons displacement in comparison with the New
YOrk's $50, but with maximum indicated
horsepower of 21,OOO in place of 1900
They were designed as 22-knot ships, but if
the Cramps repeat their record made in the
construction of the Ncw-York they will be
23 knct cruisers. In addition - their superior
speed they will have great advantage over
the NewIork in coal endurance, and will be
the most formidable commerce -dcstroycrs on
the ocean. 1t is not strange that the construc-
ton Of the NcwYoik and the Columbia has
caused great commoiion in tho British Adj
miralty. There are no ships in the English
Navy which can oveItakc these American
racers. The Admiralty has undertaken to
smash all records, whether of war vessels or
merchant steamers, by producing 25-knot
cruisers.
1t is evident, however that in the effort to
obtain war vessels Of the highest speed de-
sgnors take the risk of sacrificing other elc-
ments which are essential to vessels Of war.
A cruiser needs to have great coal endurance
or its maximum speed can only be maintained
for short cruises. The New-Yohl can only sail
for ~ hours of a ) l-2 days run between
Sandy Hook and Queenstown at the rate re-
corded in her trial trip. Coal endurance has
been sacrificed to speed. The Columbia will
have both the coal endurance and the speed
but she will not BIO an al-arOund fighting shin
like the New-Yorl. The 25-knot cruisers con-
templated by the British Admiralty may have
speed without having adequate space for coal
supply and without being effective fighting
vessels. In order to have the enormous engine
power required for developing such unprcce-
dcnted speed it will be necessary to surrender
nearly all the available space to complex ma
ohinery. in sea fight the yulnerabily Of
such ship would be greatly increased Pos
sbly the offensive power Of its batteries would
also have to be diminished in the adjustment
CT weights required for developing high speed.
II American naval designers are wise they
will allow their English competitors to expert.
ment with these 25knot marine engines, and
await results before initiating them. 1t mag