The Red Cloud chief., 1898-10-21
FOR FIFTEEN NEW WARSHIPS.


A Great naval Program to he Recon-
mendsd to Congress.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE board Of
experts, which includes the chiefs of
oil the bureaus Of tho navy depart
mcnt. has agreed upon . general pro-
gram and made recommendations TO
the secretary OF the navy, which will
doubtless be approved and forwarded
20 Congress soon after the resssem-
bling Of that body. The program en-
braces the construction of fifteen sea.
going fighting vessels, Of which three
are TO be first class battleships Of
greater dimensions and tonnage than
sny now in the navy. The battleships
are each TO have a displacement of a.
0oj tons, . minimum speed Of 1917
knots when loaded to the deepest
draught, and an average speed Of nine
teen knots under ordinary cruising
conditions.
In determining the speed, due con-
sideration was given to the new condi-
tions that have arisen In the Pacific
ocean. and the board decided that
speed should be sacrificed to secure
steaming radius and coal capacity. All
the vessels, however, will DO a. fast a.
any var vessels now being construct
ed abroad. The battle ships will DO
capable Of sailing 5000 knots, or the
distance between San Francisco and
tho Philippine islands. Their main
batteries will DO composed Of four 12-
inch rifles In turrets fore and aft, sim
liar to those Of the Iowa. The second
airy batteries will mount from fourteen
to sixteen rapid FIRE e-inch guns. Tho
auxiliary batteries will DO composed
Of a number Of guns Of assorted cali
bers. both quick fire and semi-auto-
matte.
In addition TO tho three battle ships
the program provides three irst-clsss
cruisers, each Of $4,000 tons displace-
ment and q speed Of twenty-five knots
they will be covered with heavy ar.
NOR from stem to stern. and armed
with four S-inch rifles In t~urrets, and
ten or twelve o.inch rapid Hre guns In
broadside. In their armament IL Il
proposed to make these vessels superior
to any afioat Of the cruiser class.
There will also be nine cruisers. Of
which three will be the second class,
protected and armored, and six pro-
tected cruisers of the third class. All
the vessels will be copper sheathed.
One of tho important lessons Of the
wer with Spain Is the Importance Of
sheathing our naval vessels to
protect them against marine
growth. the accumulation Of which
in tropical waters is very rapid. re-
ducing the progress Of the vessel fully
IS per cent, and frequently so per cent.
1t is unnecessary to say that all the
vessels will be supplied with the most
advanced machinery and engines.
Tho board has under consideration
plans for tho construction Of troop
ships. at least four Of which will be
needed In connection with the West
Indies and Oriental territorial scquisi-
tions. It 10 In contemplation to at
once construct three ships. each Of
which will have capacity for carrying
1 200 troops, with all their supplies
and equipage. Ships will also have to
be especially designed and constructed
for carrying artillery and cavalry with
their mounts. Aside from tho Philip
pine islands It Is definitely settled that
the United States must at once pre-
pare for taking care Of It's colonies In
the West Indies, the Hawaiian and
the Ladrone islands. Transports will
be required to carry men and supplies,
and these must DO immediately con.
structed.