Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-17
The Evolution of Ships.

Sunday review of naval development
in the last 400 years.
Henry Wis ship, Henri Grace a
Dieu-better known as the Great Har-
ry-has been called the parent OF the
British navy, because she was Henry's
largest vessel and he was the first Eng
lish sovereign who built ships of war
for the national service only and man
ned them by his own seamen.
In men-oi-war since the days of the
galley there have been three distinct
types OF development-the ship pro-
PEELED by sails alone, the ship having
both sail and steam power, and the
ship depending for her speed on steam
only.
The advance made in the first named
type from the Great Harry of l4S5 TO
the Constitution of 1912 seems very
great. The latter could make Il knots
an hour, while probably SIX KNOTS
would have been an extreme speed ior
the former.
Then the second type came in be-
tween 1910 and 1860. Great Britain S
three-decker. the Duke of Wellington,
launched in 1852, was regarded by the
English as the most powerful ship
anoat. She was rated at 3,11l tons and
had single screw engine of 700 horse
power, giving her a speed OF tribe
more than ten knots an hour under
steam alone. She carried 13l guns
ranging from 10-inch shell guns to 81
pounders-all smoothbores, Of course.
When the United States put atioat
such ships as the Niagara, the Mime
sofa, the Merrimac and the Franklin,
the English were not disposed to think
well of our designs for steam frlgates;
but there is little doubt that our large
frigates, with superior speed and heavy
ll-inch and 9-inch guns, would have
been more than match for the Duke
of Wellington class.
Coming to the latest type, the New
York, of the United States navy, Is Sc
lected for illustration rs representing q
greater number of the features of the
modern fighting ship than any other.
Spars and sails have been discarded
twin screws and triple expansion en-
gines give the motive force, high power
rifles and rapid fire guns and torpedoes
make up her offensive strength; side
armor, barbette and turret plating and
protective deck give her capacity to
resist the shells ola foe. She can steam
far and fast, can chase and capture her
interiors in strength and can speed like
the wind away from an enemy's ship OF
greater force. Though not a battle
ship she carries all the attributes OF Il
battle ship in IL minor degree, while
possessing the great speed and coal en-
durance OF q cruiser.
1t is not alone the man-of-war that
has made gigantic strides. The crude
craft that served as merchantmen in the
time of Columbus have given place to
the "greyhounds of the sea-" Follow
ing in much the same lines as those
through which the war ship was devel-
oped, the merchant vessel has come TO
the same result in propelling power.
Steam alone drives the great ocean
liners, and what little sail it is possible
for them to set is intended merely to
steady them.
Steadily the time required for cross
ing the ocean has been lessened and still
the desire for fast travel is not satiated.
The usual passage from New York to
Queenstown has been brought down
from the ten days of twenty-five years
ago to less than six days, while about
five and a-half days is not an uncommon
passage.
And now is building the Gigantic,
with an estimated speed of a knots an
hour, which would reduce the run
across the Atlantic by another day.
What floating world she will be- If
her bow were at the south end of the
new Herald building, at Thirty-fifth
street, her stern would extend far be-
yond the Thirty-third street elevated
station on Sixth avenue. And think of
coal consumption of eight hundred
and forty tons day
But although the Gigantic's size and speed
seem so enormous it is altogether probable
that continuous development will bring out
greater vessels Of higher speed. Perhaps
some day wealthy families will keep cottages
on the deck of an ocean liner, just rs nova
days they keep them at Newport or Lcnox
They will 20 to church in New York one
Sunday and the next Sunday they will at
tend services in London.
Probably the limit of commercially profit
able speed will soon be reached but then the
development OF the ocean liner will be in
the direction Of more comfort and greater
safety.
Whatever that advance may be it is toler-
ably certain that America will do her full
share in bringing it about. And then in ships
of peace rs well as in those OF war the United
States will maintain the vanguard place that
this nation has always assumed in the pro-
gross of the worldly T. Herald.