Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-02
THREE BATTLE SHIPS
A Set of Designs Submitted by the
Chief Naval Constructor.
NOVELTIES OF CONSTRUCTION PROPOSED
Points of Agreement and Disagree
ment on the Subject.
DOUBLE STORED TURRETs

Commodore Hichborn, the chief naval
constructor, today submitted to Secretary
Herbert a set of designs for the three new
hattleships authorized by the last Congress,
accompanied by most exhaustive analysis
of the principal features of the new ships.
In several important respects these designs
differ radically from those upon which ex-
listing battIeships were built, and owing
to these novelties of construction the plans
have aroused a more active interest in the
naval service than has been exhibited in
many years past. Great differences of
opinion have arisen among the officers as
to the merits Of these wide departures from
established practice, and Secretary Herbert
himself, instead of relying entirely upon
the recommendations of his subordinates,
has interested himself in the discussion of
every detail, and has even sat with the
board of bureau chiefs during deliberations
upon this subject.
Where the Responsibility Lies,
By an order issued by himself last winter
the Secretary placed upon the construction
bureau the responsibility for tn, success
ful working cut of plans for construction,
and for this reason the officers of that
bureau are at present disposed to move
with the greatest caution in adopting inno-
Nvations in fabric as costly as a great
oattle ship. and are insisting upon the full
est discussion and examination of the pro-
1ected plans at every stage of their de-
Veiopment. While the bureau chiefs may
each have his own peculiar ideas as to
what shall go to make up that part of
the snip falling directly in his department.
the ordnance bureau recommending a GER
tain size and number Of guns and turrets.
the engineer holding out plans for boilers
and engir es. the equipment officers pre-
fh.a 1it-icj 81 =,
lVlng quarters, and SO on, it remains for
the chief constructor to weld these all
together, to eliminate some features and
expand others, and so make a perfect
ship, for if sine should prove to lack sta
bility or be deficient in maneuvering or
hghting power or fall below the require
ments in speed. his bureau is chargeable
with the fault in design.
Double Turrets and Amor Belt,
In the case of the battle ships about to be
built the constructors have so far not seen
their way clear to accept all of the recon-
mendations Of the bureau chiefs until they
have been thoroughly sifted and discussed
For this reason copies of the new plans
have been submitted to Admiral Ramsay,
Commodore Selfridge, Capt. Converse and
many other eminent officers and noted ex-
perts in special lines of naval work for ex-
animation and suggestions. The cardinal
features of discussion will be the double
turrets and the armor belt of the great
CT aft. Although the constructors have been
doubtful of the efficiency of the former, and
In the case cf the armor belt have taken
issue with the bureau chiefs, they have
prepared complete plans under Secretary
Herbert's direction for the construction of
the vessels embodying these IDEAS while
accompanying them with original designs
of a more conservative character for use in
case the final decision is against the novel;
ties.
Agreements and Disngreements.
On two points the designs agree; first, as
to speed, being for sixteen-knot ships, and,
second as to size, for they will be ships of
IL 800 tons, larger than any ship in our
navy, even the big battle ship Iowa. This
great size is made necessary by the heavy
armament and thick armor the ships are
to carry.
When it comes to the armor there is one
difference in the two designs that seems to
be of little Importance, but is really vital.
The width of the armor belt is the same in
each case feet inches. but while the
bl reau chiefs propose to raise this so high
that it will be but feet inches under the
water line at its lowest edge. the construc-
tors propose to lower the belt foot fear
iEg that when the ships roll in a swell
they would expose their vitals to the fire
of the enemy and would easily let in an eX-
plosive shell below the protective deck with
fatal results The height of the belt would
also affect the stability Of the ship in a
considerable measure.
The Real Bone of Contention.
But the feature of the new ships which
has caused the most discussion is the pro-
posed double -storied turrets. The con-
structors suggested the following bat
terry: Four Pinch rifles mounted in
two turrets; eight S-inch guns, mounted in
four turrets, and sixteen 5-inch guns. The
bureau chiefs, however, decided that they
wanted the main battery to consist of 13-
inch guns, four being mounted in two tur-
revolving with them, were to be placed
smaller turrets carrying four Of the S-inch
guns, leaving four other guns of that
caliber to be placed in two side turrets.
The constructors held that this arrange
ment would deprive the ship of the power
of distributing the fire of the great guns,
which argument was replied to by the
bureau chiefs with the statement that the
tendency of modern time fighting is to
heavy concentration of fire upon the enemy
and that the double turrets would reduce
the amount Of heavy machinery necessary
to handle the turretS by just one-half.
The constructors also contended that the
enormous concentration of weight in two
small areas of the ship by the double tur-
rets would make them unsafe, and was op-
posed to the best modern prac tice, and 1t
was said that the pressure of these heavy
turrets upon the ships bottom would ex-
ceed per square foot the weight of the
Washington monument upon the ground
beneath. The plans, however, have been
prepared to meet this difficulty, and 1t now
remains for Secretary Herbert to say, after
hearing from the officers whom he has ad-
dressed to advise with him. whether the
ships shall be built upon conservative or
radical lines.