New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-24

II is gratifying 10 find n technical journal Of
thn high character of The Engineering Nws
indnrsiug The Tritunc's views rs 20 the folly or
manning hattlc-ships distinctly inferior 10 those
Of foreign navlcs already In service In It's
issue for the current week this conservative
poper has n thoughtful article in favor Of faster
battle ships. marshalllng wealth Of figures and
professional knowlcdg, in scpport of the opin
ion expressed few days ago In these columns
that II would be n great mistake on the part Of
our Government, for the sake Of gaining few
weeks in time. to build three now battle ships Of
sixteen knots when q little trouble and delay
would secure eghteen-knot ships. The ships
cannot be completed within two years NJ the
best They do not promise 10 cut any figure in
the present war; and we cannot so anticipate
events far ahcnd as TO make little saving OF
time in putting the ships in commission worth
sacrifice of their efficiency.
There is no more reason TO suppose we shall
need the ships In twcnty-four instead Of twenty
seven months than there IS t. fear we shnll
be In straits for vessels in eighteen instend Of
twenty-four months. yet we do not content our
selves with cruisers and other craft which might
be completed in the shorter period. Making
Roadway with our present Navy in the existing
struggle. satisfied with the prospect of five bat
tle-ships already under way and soon to be nm
ishcd W, are content to take the time necessary
10 build battlc-ships instead Of using rhe money
for cruisers Under such circumstances. with
such leisure, our manifest duty Is To build the
best battle ships possible and not waste the PEG
ple's money by turning out AT the end of the
long wait vessels which cannot cope with for
eign ships of the same class. As if To meet any
disposition to sacrifice excellence TO haste IN the
construction of these great fighting machines
Congress has specially provided for several mon
itors which in fighting strength are comparable
to battc-ships, but are wanting in the speed
and scagoing qualities so conspicuous in the
fast European armorcd vessels. 1t would Ger
teinly seem that the lew hattle-shps. then,
should be built with special attention to the
speed which the MONT rs and all our existing
and prospective battle ships lack
As "'rhe Engineering News" points out. there
ARE at least fifty battle ships already ahoat or
"under construction which have speeds one To
three knots in excess of the speeds of any bat
"tlc-Shps in the United STATES. Not since 1855
has an English battlcship been launched de
signed for a speed below 1861 knots while the
Iowa is the only one OF ours which reached n
17-knot speed on her trial Among the older
English Ships are speeds ranging from 10 10
1872 knots while vessels finished between 1893
and 1891 ranged from 1i6 TO 1874 knots. and the
new ships now building are planned for 1915 or
10 knots. France has the Carnot with n record
of 1s.5 knots; the Charles Martcl. Of 1913 knots.
and others not far behind them. Germany, Rus
sin and japan have been building battle ships
OF equal speed Even Italy has the Stella.
which, under natural draught has made 1913
knots; the Sardegna, with record of 0.64 knots
made four years ago. and the ten-year-old he