The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-17
FOREIGNERS ALARMED.
They VIII EndeavOr to Equal Uncle
Sam i'm Building Fast War Ships.

sam in Building Fast War Ships.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.--The British and
French have taken alarm at the splendid
performance of our two new triple-screw
cruisers-the Columbia and the Minneapolis.
For a long time this great departure in
naval engineering SO successfully practiced
by Engineer-in-Chief Melville was looked
upop. with suspicion by foreign naval pow
ers, and, indeed, there were many criti-
cisms in our navy which predicted the failure
of the vessels, but now all opposition seems
to have disappeared, and both Great Britain
and France are about to pay us the compl-
ment Of building vessels Of this type, and
even endeavoring to improve the orig
inal. The British naval programme this
year includes the construction of four I'M
proved BlenheimS, the Blenheim being
sister ship to the armored cruiser Blake.
which took part in our naval review in 1893.
The French naval authorities are also about
to build two croiseurs Corsaire. These are
intended as answers to the American 'pi-
rates." as vessels Of the Columbia class
have come to be known in spite of the ef-
forts of the Navy Department to prevent
the name from sticking. The French vessels
placement of from $500 to $500 tons. with
$500 horsepower. which, 1t is estimated,
will give them speed Of twenty-three
knots. which Is about the maximum attained
by the American commerce destroyers The
British vessels will be smaller than the
French craft. about six feet shorter. and
with 1000 less horse power, and the cal
culated speed IS twenty-five knots. The
British newspapers, however, are calling at
tention to the fact that this is a knot less
speed than the American vessels, urging
that 1t be increased, as the British craft
cannot afford to be Outfooted, even II the
foreign vessels are owned by a power with
which Great Britain is never likely to be
at war.
The board Of which Commander Bradford
is senior member. convened by Secretary
diSD0Q-
sing with wood in the construction of the
naval ships now building, and also for the
purpose of finding some suitable substitute
for wood in places where 1t is impracticable
osuSe metal, is making fair progress. Since
the naval action fought off the mouth of the
Yula river between Chinese and Japanese
meets, during which several ships were dis
abled and thrown out of action by serious
fires on board. the matter has received
much attic ntion at home and abroad. The
German Admiralty has convened a board to
fllid some proper substitute for wood In
the meantime the use of wood for ships has
ceased altogether, even the furniture being
made OF iron, and cork being used where
nonconductor is absolutely necessary. The
English have not yet taken sny definite
tute for wood. The French have for long
time used minimum of wood and in all
foreign ships less wood has probably been
used than in those of our service. The
problem is not an easy one. While there is
no doubt that the abolition of all combusl-
BILE material will add to the fighting eff
cheney of ships of war, it is equally sure
that If this were done they would be unin-
habitable. Owing to the good conducting
properties of iron and steel the living quar-
ter ters II h9t snea.nea with some nonconduc-
and very hot in summer. Chemists and
others are trying to produce artificial wood.
uids have given some very successful exhi-
billions of their wares. Surface protection
IF wood is insufficient and of no avail when
the. wood becomes splintered by q hailstorm
OF small prOiectileS.