People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-09-08

much more to do with victory or defeat
than the torpedo boat or the armored
battle shipg
Mr.. Simpson. | think perhaps the
gentleman is right; and it shows the
superiority and the wisdom of the Jap.
anese in selecting the swift armored
cruisers aud torpedo boats instead OF
spending enormous sums of money in
the construction Of unwieldy battle
ships. Japan has no battle ships with
armor to exceed nine inches. That we
would call light armored vessel. But
you propose here in this bill to con-
slruct big line-of-battle ships with
these enormously thick steel armor
plates.
Besides that, Mr.. Chairman, such
vessels are not seagoing vessels. They
are not intended for such purposes, aud
are ft only for coast defense. Few ma
lions avail themselves of the battle
ships to send to foreign ports. Great
Britain is the only exception OF any Of
the maritime nations that sends any
number OF her 81 heavy battle ships to
foreign ports. They are used mainly
for coast defense.
MIR. Money. If the gentleman will
pardon an interruption, did not catch
his statement accurately. Did | under
stand the gentleman to say that the
armored battle ships were not seagoing
vessels2
Mr.. Simpson. Not considered a:
such
Mr.. Money. Not considered by
whom?
Mr.. Simpson (continuing). Because
the heavy armor plates make them tor
heavy in addition to the immense arm
anent they carry; and what l have just
stated with reference to the use Of these
battle ships is true Of every nation ex
cept Great Britain, who sends few O.
them to foreign ports.
Mr.. Savers. The gentleman is speak
ing now of the heaviest class OF battle
ships.
Mr.. Simpson. Yes, sir; the heaviest
armored ships?
Now, the only reason why we wan
these ships is to be enabled to use then
for coast defense. Let US see how prac
tical that is. This class of ships, OF tn,
displacement mentioned in the bill, il
in the neighborhood of 10000 tons; au(
they will draw probably not less thar
20 feet. How many ports in the United
States can vessels enter with such
heavy draft, and be utilized as mean
of coast defense? | venture to say tina
there is not half dozen ports in tn,
United States in which they can safel,
, enter; and so, as means of coast de
, tense, they will be useless. For tn,
protection OF our long line Of coast ant
! the numerous small bays and harbor
that indent it we want light-draft YES
; sells, quick, active, speedy, and which
can defend the coast by being able Il
enter the smaller ports, or those hav
ing less depth of water, with facility
So, repeat, as means Of coast defense
vessels of this class, light-draft vessel
and swift cruisers are invaluable.
But, sir, there is another phase o
this question to be considered; that /
whether the battle ship when built viii
; not be useless on account of the rapiC
development and discovery in the shap
of inventions increasing the alread,
powerful ordnance we have already il
this country. We go 10 work now ant
: construct battle ship at an immens,
/ cost, sheathe it with enormous stee
plates, and then at once produce a gul
that will shoot a ball right through
|, her. We have today ordnance tina
: will shoot through the most powerful
ironclad that has been built.
| cut from the daily press the othe
: day paragraph which throws light Of
c the subject. 1t says:
The Golden Gate is to be protected by thre
of the biggest guns in use in the United State:
, They will be pointed seward from vantag
positions on either side Of the gate, and the
! are calculated to furnish a complete defens
against any craft that might escape the shell
!. which the new mortar batteries viii send GU
to sea for the distance of six miles. These gun
are as long as seven ayerage-sized guns, an
! two men might easily crawl into the bore G
one of the wonders. r.
\