New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-02
THE NEW BATTLE-SHIPS.

The terms Of the bids for three new battle
ships opened yesterday afternoon by the Acting
Secretary Of the Navy amply vlndlcate the long
fight made in and outside Of these columns for
high speed as an essential requisite in any
future battle-ship programme II will he 'c-
inembered that some months ago. when Iro-
posals were invited for the construction of the
three battle-ships authorized by the Naval APP
preparation act of May 4. 1898, students OF
naval progress generally were astonished To dis
cover that the Departments plans contemplated
merely duplication of the type chosen for bat
tle-ships Nos s, o and 10. the Alabama the Hi
nos and the Wisconsin themselves practically
copies Of the nearly completed Kentucky and
Kearsarge. For all these earlier vessels speed
of sixteen knots had been deemed sufficient:
and the Department authorities seemed to be on
the point of committing the Government TO the
further reproduction OF stationary and
Judged in the light of recent expcrlences-an in
adequate batte-ship type For If any lesson
was brought clearly home ny the naval engage
mcnt Of July 3 off Santiago 1t was that, for
offence or defence, speed Is vital factor In
the efficiency Of heavily armored ships.
But the Department officials or at least
majority Of them seemed strangely blind 10 the
real suggestiveness of the Orcgon's splendid per-
Torrance and instead of seeking 20 increase the
speed capacity Of the new battle-shlps asked
only for the maximum set the ship-building
firms over two years ago Against this non
progressive policy Of the Board OF Construction
The Tribune entered at the time It's earnest
protest n protest whose reasonableness was ut
last made so plain that the Secretary OF The
Navy ordered the conditions Of the competition
TO be modified so that, other things being equal.
the contracts should fall 10 bidders Offering the
highest guarantees Of speed.
The original designs OF the Construction
Board looked 10 no material changes in the lew
battlc-ships from the type Of Nos. I. s and ..
providing for displacement OF LOO tons and
n spccd which might be as low as fifteen knots.
Bnt so readily have the great ship-bull Ing
firms OF the Atlantic and the Pacific responded
20 the suggestion that higher speed might he
combined with equal armor and increased
endurance that each Of the chief bidders In
yesterdays competition declares himself willing
70 furnish the Government with a battlc-ship as
fast as eighteen knots. The Cramps propose TO
construct ships of this class. with 1850 tons
displacement and length sixteen feet
greater than that fixed in the Departments
specifications. The Union Iron Works offers to
turn OFT vessel Of 1890 tons. hut twenty feet
longer from stem 20 stern. and the Newport
News Company has planned an Improved and
swftcr Iowa OF about l2.JO0 tons.
II IL evident from Yesterdays bidding that the
ship-hulders themselves are prepared 90 acct
the new demand for swiftncss in heavily
armorel vessels ard that tie Government is
soon 20 I've put In possession Of type Of battle
ship as formidable in its combination If power
and sneed as that carried in any other naval
list in TIE world. Thus apparently terminates
In a triumph Of reason a controversy In which
reason was really all ol one side. The Tribune
may perhaps venture 20 take particular salts
faction in the result. having first called official
ard pnblic attention 10 blunder which was
abou. 10 10 committed, and by It's persistence
having cplsted r. opposition 10 tho original ptrs
force Of opinion tco strong and authoritative
% DO oycrborre.. The now batt'e-sh'ps VIII