New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
GUNS, ARMOR AND SHIPS.
THEIR PROPER COMBINATION.
THE DISAPPEARING TURRET OF VALUE
WITH THE RIGHT MACHINERY.

,.rrvp,rs ARE oyERPROTECTED WHILE THE
v,rA1s OF A SHIP ARE EXPOSED TO EXPLo-
s1yE PRoJEcTILEs-wHERE MORE ARMoR
IS NEEDED-RELATIvE DEGREES OF
D.ScrR-How BATTLES OF THE FU-
TIRE ARE TO BE DECIDED AND
HOW PRESENT DEFICIENCIES
MAY BE CORRECTED.
Under the policy Of increased naval cons',u0
Non outlined in and foreshadowed by the Vai'o"'
9,,Is introduced In Congress providing ier o"
ships. cruisers torpedo-boats ana other >e'N
together with the supply OF adequate Da''ei 40
Tho fine feet Of merchant vessels enroied DIS
80, ouxi,aries. the question of providing the
maximum amount Of protection ana ehiO'e"0'
=. .ho minimum of expense is one OF extreme
,mnortance Not only Is the amount OF monty
.ro,ved an item to be considered, but the hVes
80 tho vessels and their crews. and their aDliI'S
10 perform the duties for when they are w
signed the protection Of the NatioH anu "
interests on the and in every part U. INV
globe are to be seriously aHecteo ny '"V iNo'
Iation called for. In view or the enoi ''.0u'
weight of responsibility resting on the men i'''o
whose hands Is conhded the designing anu
building of the new ships 10 be provided io'' anu
those for which contracts have a're0oS oeei
signed. the Forthcoming issue OF the froceeu-
,ne. of the Naval Institute" will be one of the
most important which the Institute mas pre-
pared. bearing as it does on the question OF
The yulnerability Of American war vesseis III
connection with the discussion Of THE Disap-
n.er,ng Cum Ahoat" an extended account OF
urh,ch was published IN The Tribune a short
time ago There is one point in connection with
the unfolding of designs for future construction
allied to an explanation OF the errors u NC
avoided which should not be overlooheo' ~ Is
that the Navy Department has at us cofii'i'ahu
q corps of men, educated ana trained at 'he
expense of the Government. and at the emo Oh
.,a,r course in the ANNAPOLIS school sent abroad
90 forsipn wards to learn all that is best from
foreign constructors and utilize the knowieoee
obtained for the benefit OF the Nation 1hese
men are without superiors In the art OF designing
and constructing ships, and fully competent
70 grapple the great problems lnvoiVeo' anu
solve them successfully. Depth. lucidity and
cogency of reasoning are to be expected IN argu-
ments advanced by members Of the Bureau OF
CONSTRUCTION and Repair, and so far the eX-
nectations have been fulfilled That the knowl-
a6ge embodied in the lessons learned by the
constructors through their experience in foreign
shpyards is not utilized to a greater extent IN
the formulating of plans for American SHIPS Is
q matter TO be regretted, but II is defect Whlch
nav easily be remeded. and 1t seems apparent
that the sooner it is remedied the peter IL VIII
be for the Nation as far as It's naVal polcy anu
programme concerned.
Through the courtesy Of the officers Of the
1rstitute and Assistant Naval Constructor Rich
mond P Hobson. whose paper VIII form Il large
part of the next issue by the INSTITUTE Inc
Tribune Is enabled to present portions OF eo-
vance sheets of discussion which has been
In AZ
constructors in the world. and the importance
of which can hardly be overestimated. The issue
of coming ENGAGEMENTS between battle-ships. the
part in the contests to be played by casualties,
the influence on the results of the present man.
ner of armor distribution, the exposure or the
yitals of ship constituting one OF the weak
est points, the inadequacy Of the present depth
of the heavy armor belt. and the PROFANITY OF
vessels being blown up disabled early in an
action are Comprehensively treated. ana the
English Majestic class and the French Charle-
magne class are compared with American YES
sells built or provided for.
Tho Views expressed by Charles n. Cramp,
whose experience with ships of war ranges from
the sea forts Of the Iowa and Brooklyn GLASS;
down through a long list Of swift and efficient
ships 10 the little dynamite thrower Vesuvius;
A. Croneau who stands at the head Of French
designers: CAPTAIN William Crozier, captain or
Ordnance United States Navy; ]. E. Compton
Bracebridge captain Of English Volunteer Artil-
lerv: Lieutenant James II. Glennon United
States Navy; Naval Constructor Hobson, j. w.
Van Hooee, the inventor Of the system OF dls-
appearing turrets. and others. cannot faii 10
be of weight and interest when the magnitude
IF the problems involved is considered as they
represent the latest thought in the science OF
ship-bui,ding. gun and mount construction. and
the combination Of the two which is 80 large
part of the successful ship of war.
In the contest between the gun and the armor-
Mate. both being afoat and gun and gun on rival
vessels the possibility OF involving the very life
of the Nation IS not far away that 1t can with
safety be overlooked. and any new idea or modi-
fcation Of an old ioea which will have tend
ency to tip the scales of battle in favor OF the
Nation adopting il is OF too great importance to
be sacrificed for any question of party politics.
The coming paper may be divided into two
parts:
l. The comprehensive and exhaustive treat
ment Of the general question Of the possibilities
OF the disappearing gun for use on board ship.
2. The treatment of the important question Of
relative protection. q double conclusion of far
reaching Importance being arrived at-that in
present battle-ships the hull is inadequately
protected and except in few cases cited. the
armor assigned to hull protection is not ad-
yantageously distributed.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
The consensus of opinion the disappearing
gun agrees with the conclusions arrived at by
Mr.. Hobson. that disappearing turret In a per-
fec,ed form would offer decided advantages over
an ordinary turret. but that the technical diff
culties in the way of realization are great. if
not insurnountable. Mr.. Cramp and Naval Con-
struc,or Croneau. Of the French Navy agree
with the author Of the paper; but Captain Gro
gier, whose experience with the Crozer-Bufiinton
mechanism gives him the standing Of an en-
pert. takes the ground that an ordinary turret