The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-03
HIGHER SPEED DEMANDED
The Three New Battleships Mus
Make ID Knots an Hour.
PLANS ARE ALL CHANGED
The Board of Construction Determines
to Profit by the Experience of the
Naval Engagement at Santiago.
Radical improvements.

New York, Aug. "A special to the
Times from washington says: The
question of speed of the three battle
ships provided by the new naval pro-
gramme has been reopened again. 1t
was supposed the matter had been set
tied when Secretary Of the Navy Long
announced a few days ago that the
preference would be given to the bid
ders who offered guarantees of the
! highest speed, retaining the general
| characteristics or design as set forth
in the departments circular. 1t is pro-
posed now to change these designs
completely, to drop everything that has
been done, and start all over again
with the intention OF making the new
vessels larger than was intended and
speedier and consequently costlier. To
do this will require an amendment to
the law providing for the building of
the three battleships. That law says
that they shall be of a displacement OF
''about IL 900 tons and shall not cost
more than SO. 900, 900 each"
The board of construction decided to
make the displacement Ll,500 tons,
which il considers was as far as IL
could go and keep within the law.
When the plans were under consldera-
ton the board unanimously agreed to
make the ships practically repetitions
of the Illinois type with such improve
ments that could be added without ma
terially modifying that type. The
speed was to be 16 knots. The chief
engineer advocated the substitution OF
water tube boilers for the Scotch boilers
adopted. but as ii was shown That IL
was not proposed by such substitution
NhA IAnH1
down the proposition. Later, when the
experience derived from the Santiago
sea fight showed the Importance or
speed in naval warfare, the subject was
reopened. but II was demonstrated thai
with the limitation as to displacement
and cost imposed by the new law and
the restriction as to depth of raugh
imposed by the shailowness of most of
our harbors, it was impossible to in
crease the speed of the ships without
either reducing their armor protection
or lessening their armament. IL then
was determined to adhere TO the gen
eral designs laid down. but to give
preference in awarding the contracts 10
the bidders who would offer TO produce
the highest speed.
II is now proposed and the proposal
was discussed at length at a meeting
of the board of construction this after
noon TO design the new ships on a basis
OIL HtHNlt INV
cost than the present law permits with
the idea hat II will take until about
December to complete the new plans
and tina by that time congress Will be
In session and can be depended on in
view of the showing made by the navy
I'm this war TO vote the increased APP
propriation asked for and amend the
act so as to legalize the heavier dis
placement.
The proposition now under considera-
ton is TO give the proposed ships q dis
placement of l., 900 tons instead Of 1850
and 10 fix the maximum speed at Is
knots instead of rs. Chief Engineer
Melville has been asked to submit de-
signs of the newer improved machinery.
including water tube boilers. which he
to install with a view of de-
v~eloping an 1S-knot speed. These de-
signs ready. Chief Constructor HIGH
born will set his bureau of construction
and repair TO work on designs on a hull
to accommodate that machinery with
the requisite coal space and the desired
batteries.
The new scheme contemplates a main
battery Of Finch and eight-inch guns.
instead OF IS-inch and six-inch. as in
the present designs. his change being
prompted also by the lessons learned
from the Santiago engagement.
A further and a most important
change proposed 10 be made in the new
battleships Is the addition of copper
sheathing. At a meeting yesterday
afternoon. the board voted unanimous
" 10 have the new battleships sheathed
with a view to preventing the fouiing
of their bottoms and the loss of speed
resulting therefrom. This is a reversal
Of the boards position on the sheath
ing question. 1t has stood heretofore
three to n against sheathins the bot
toms Of battleships. Commodore HIGH
born being the only advocate of the re-
form. The experience Of the feet in
Southern waters during the present
war. when the bsttleships and the
cruisers have steadily lost what speed
they started with, as the result of
marine growth on their huiis. has
convinced the board that costly as the