The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-22
ARs OUs CRUISERS or HUcH USE,
Ce--erss-ds-treSisr re.~,s,iIuss 90 Tstrt1
Years AGO md TODAY.

Coiumbias and UlYmplss no less an authority
than Rear Admiral Amman holds that the real
value OF those fast flyers even for tho specific
purpose which they are designed TO serve. IL
much overestimated.
II IL not unfair. and in fact II Is necessary. TO
note that Admiral Ammen cannot be regarded
as q wholly unbiased witness on this subject.
The great portion OF his life which he has
spent in advocating the harb or defence ram. a
form OF construction almost tho antipodes OF
the fast, unarmored commerce destroyer.
might we'll cause him TO look with more favor
on the value OF the former at least for our ser.
vice and our defensive needs Yet after all.
as his fame 10 secure. In this particular. not
only through his publications. but through
the actual construction Of the Katshdin after
his Ideas. there is something more to observe
than his predictions against different class
Of construction. The real question IL what
Arguments he advances
His view is. to begin with. that there is q
fallacy in surprising that, because the Alabama
and her mates wrought such devastation In
American commerce, our new cruisers could
do proportionately as much more against an
enemy's commerce, by reason OF their greater
speed and battery power. The Confederate
cruisers. as he points out, were small vessels
OF good sail power that needed TO use coal only
when n vessel was sighted in order to overtaEe
her. or in crossing calm belts. They Kept up
their coal and other supplies through the
favors secretly or openly shown them In Brit
ish ports all over the globe. and since ocean
telegraphy was then less extensive than 1t is
now. they could commit rRvages In ono region
and then 20 to another with little danger OF
being overhauled. At last the Alabama was
found By tho Kearsarse ct Cherbourg. and was
sent TO the bottom.
The points % difference introduced into the
commerce problem by the lapse
OF nearly thirty years are strongly urged
By Admira! Ammen in the North Arney'i-
can Rerie,r. The speed OF merchant steam
ers has been much increased and sail-
ing vessels OF belligerents would naturally
be laid up In time OF war. as would many
OF their ocean steam tramps. while the trafllc
In cargoes not contraband would pass TO neu-
trail Gags. Should we have war with France.
for example the increased war rates oil insur-
ance would throw most OF the trnf1c OF both
combatants under the British flag; while cable
dispatches telling the probable position OF
cruisers would induce merchantmen TO stay In
port or be conveyed.
hut should Great Britain be our enemy. the
idea is illusory. according TO Admiral Ammen.
that our fast cruisers could seriously AFFECT
seas. where neutrality laws would estop coal
supplies and dock age to clean their bottoms
battle ships OF Great Britain can reach out 10
all dlrections with clean bottoms and fuli coal
6nnssr Hence adnining nat tb our fastest IA. sH
other power even bad we nv much greater or
tse e Tbs reasons 0S are IN the rss place
t that the trial speed Effected with perfectly
forced drasrS undsS al eas unavoa6o
weather conditions. is not at all normal sea
cRine ei and boilers for premium earning as to
require costly repairs Forced draught itself
is often so injurious. with iremen usual In
aria fNa ta aH nf hA n n
that il has been described by a. British Ad-
miral as a device OF the devil; and Capt. Evans
Behring Sea. to oyertaEe a vessel produced
900 leaky tubes in the boilers.
sreed. so the lack OF sail power causes con-
slant consumption OF coal. greatly lessening
between them aud the, old Confederate cruis.
ers. Then there is the danger Of disabling the
broken engines or, without coal. and having
no sail power would be pitiable oblest on The
that our new navy doe: not possess a Angle
sheathed war vessel. and that a cruiser max
5 on Rs6 *. s2
SssE few mSntss II sg9P,sHl
hall a dozen iron vessels was Dis:
4. az. t Rear e Rsn. e css Essno as
aud Z. r l.. Rodgers insisted that some OF
then should be she6ihed. The Chief Of Bu:
eSad Be dSns asPe
and we were supposed to know nothing as t9
Sa, aSaa be fSn sheath In S'a IN 81: &.
construction would require tearing her, to
pieces In great measure The Admiral
gested TO experts the possible advantage Of
feet In width, extending from a few inches be-
low the water line TO more thsn one toot above
lie ba,,ens. the Zine could be. renewed readily
as might be required" The lack OF sheathing
makes iouling more rapid. and resort to dock
k,sny rate. he holds that an American may
well be startled at the number OF sheathsd
and classes. And this leads him to speak OF
the enormous force OF the com merce Destroy
sessed bT Great Britain and available for nsu-
Trailing our own. Still another consideration
81 i'm portaanSss ass seems to him; Is me r.sf
ealibrs can be carried on merchant vessels aud
inhict great damage
.. s:S.p. rssins tSsi IRE p.1,ss
l.rly a. the snoksslssts Of her pursusr wosd prob
whole sh.sis on the fsrt6sr sd. a, Distance Of mors
10 .sa IiS a siia
nan 100 yaTds ;tIpo.n1 plolses. are sHps5. Q,
ifon they Il. tssi srss na%esr q
t,;,:,, ~; .S% ~
accuracy at the same range
Taking these considerations together. there
seems little prospect Of great success on the
high seas" says Admiral Ammen, in the
capture OF British merchant vessels by what:
ever nation. Modern fast cruisers have not
that Kind OF endurance and ability TO keen the
sea for months that belonged 10 the Conied.
crate cruisers and ours OF that period" And
then. as indicating what Is naturally and prop
erly nearest his own heart. the Admiral adds
a word on what he regards as the lest and
most effective arm" for our naval coast de-
fence. and quotes Admiral Elliot as saying
that Great Britain should have marine rams
pure and simple built for that speciAl pUr-
pose; that the supposed protection o. RuT YES
sci rom rAmrnu through any thickness Of
amor was . t9!lsey. as have said. for the past
fifteen years"
While the views OF Admiral Ammen are we'll
worthy OF the summary here given OF his
magazine essay, il does not follow that they
outweigh those OF the large number Of other
distinguished experts, in accordance with
which our Columbias Aad ulymDias have been
built, That coast defence is q primary need
and that marine rams can be made valuable
factor OF It, all may eoncete bat broad view
also assigns proper scope To shore batteries.
tOrpsdoAs, monitors, aud rattle ships and 1t
may also be observed that in the highest sense
the possession Of commerce testFoyers ike
the Columbia and Olympia is an element Of
lafanea from tina fact that Il Il A nFaalai