The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
orr AUriIIxRr WARsBIPs.
Th,r,, .shrss p~rerehantu,ss Thnt csuid y
Fitted Oct ne Crutsern.

SO Yftted OCT ne Crutserp.
In addition to the nfty regular vosrels OF the
United States Navy there arc some thirty odd
vessels now employed in the merchant service
which could be converted rapidly into oruiserf
and should be taken into account in csti
mating the naval strength of the country
These ships would BIO nnarmored and would car
~ q comparatively light complement of guns
Il would DO impossible for them TO fight even a
small warship. md thsy would not be expected
TO do so. Their special work would BIO to prey
on the enemey's commerce and to CAPTURE un'
armed merchant vessels. For this they would
be admirably adapted by their high speed and
light armament.
In the Navy DEPARTMENT, where an exact list
Of those vessels is filed, they are officially
known as auxiliary or casual cruisers. Last
year, when Congress was considering tho bill
appropriatlng $s50,oo for providing an arma-
ment for this auxiliary fleet, the chief Of the
Bureau OF Ordnance reported thirty.three yes
sels as available for this kind Of service. OF
these twenty.four are on the Atlantic coast and
nine on the Pacific. Together they call for
40 six.inch, 81 Hve.inch, and 10a four.inch
rapid.nre rifles, "a six.poundcrs, 8 one
Founders, and l12 machine guns, or a total
armament OF 351 guns Of all classes.
The largest and best-known Of these are the
sour American line steamships-tho New York,
Paris, 81, Louis, and 81. Paul. 1t Ia interesting
to note the transformation which one of these
big passenger steamers would have to undergo
in order to At her for the work OF an auxiliary
made in converting one OF those peaceful ocean
liners Into a worship was pointed out BY Mr..
ton Company, In a talk with a correspondent
the other day. Most persons will probably be
surprised to learn how few these changes wonld
unarnored cruiser these big passenger boats
now contain. -
said Mr.? NJ. G iff%o 10 tina. e so%ssN kind %p Of a CON.
tract or agreement. exists between the United
States Government and the International Navi-
turn over their boats TO the service Of the
United States whenever needed. There is no
such agreement, because 1t is unnecessary. The
United States has a perfect right to demand
and take the property Of The lnternational
sN s%sna fSe f ppnpsrpy Or }u sarS 81 IT, h Of a ,ne d piSet o 5f
indemniacation, should occasion arise.
the Postal Subsidy act for the encouragement
Of American shipping was passed was TO demand
by that act, certain plans should be followed in
the construction OF the vessels that were to
benefit 4 BY i; - These requirements were. rough;
the steamship should be under water and that
the vital parts Of the ship should, so far as pos;
be less liable to injury from cannon shot.
THE plans for the American line steamers
the Government when the boats were built, and
they satisfy these requirements. II you look
closely at the New York you will see four white
sides. Directly above these white marks, on the
steamers promenade deck. are the places
she to be armed. You will notice. too, that the
deck supports at these points are strengthened
Dy, an additional column. On the deck at this
for the passage of ammunition from below.
unin ahsss arc sn the n en1s aiT1hs f tmd tSs h1sc to the ne
cannon, but there arc other provisions. The
d tSis n piIatt or ad and supports t are str StE5engthened at
SO as to sustain the weight Of guns ard car,
riages., There are also arrangements for the
mounting Of the smaller machine guns. Prac-
vessels for use in, war would he 10 run the gun
SSrriages on board and mount the guns on them.
their internal arrangement to provide quarters
for seamen and Inarines, but those could be
made within a very few days;
Majestic was detailed to attend the naval ceie.
hration Of the Queens jubilee, she arrived in
urday che sailed for southa npton fully fitted
out Us an cruiser. The whole equip
ment had been placed on board and put into
Why the New York, or the Paris could not be
fitted out within the same length OF time, as.
THE theory OF an unarmored cruiser is that
she shall be fast enough to run uway from any
merchant mshs9 hR VESSEL seEo"f t 9hh1Gse That aG o STeF Bo"is fa any
thot when tho Columbia nude the trip across the
achievement; 1t was-for a warsIip. But our
the course OF their regular business. at an or.
binary speed OF about twenty knots: No war
vessel in existence, unless 1t was one of the small
torpedo boats or torpedo boat catchers, could
bettleship would 60 through their sides sides,
destroy them. because. as | have said. they we're
ialo aoWn on lines guarding against that"