The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-09-01
FIFTEEN wARsnIps
Plans for ,he Big Baiilesbips WIN BE Be-
gun at once.

NV NRhhH HhNNh"N "A - ~
tho Tribune from Washington says:
The naval board Of experts under the
specifications OF Secretary Long have
unanimously affirmed their action in re-
commencing comprehensive program.
involving the speedy construction Of i5
warships as outlined two weeks ago and
directed the various bureaus OF the navy |
uepartmen. to proceed with the prepar-
alton for actual plans for the greatest
construction project ever undertaken in a
single period by the United States.
Ever since the adoption Of the program
by the board on August u. the members
have devoted Themselves earnestly TO the
knowledge gained In the war with Spain |
and the necessity for vast sea power I'M
posed by the possession Of distant Islands
ana Increased American commerce and
they begun upon the details yesterday
without modifying in any importan, par
icular the classes OF vessels which were
determined upon as essential for the navy
hereafter.
The meeting yesferiay. demonstrated
tina, the members were more thoroughly
than ever convinced that larger ships.
with higher speed and much greater coal
endurance than any now in the American
service were absolutely indispensable and
ought to be begun with as ilt,le delay as
possible,
The general program. as originally laid
down. provides for Is vessels. OF which six
were TO be heavily armored line-oi-battie
nghtlng ships. six 20 be small protected
cruisers. and three midway between these
two extremes. The three batileships were
to exceed 1900 tons displacement. with
minimum speed. with all stores and coal
aboard OF lSn knots; there were TO be
three frst class armoret cruisers OF l2.Ol0
tons or one third larger than the New
YORK and. the Brooklyn, with % KNOBS
speed and coal endurance Of at least
1900 knots: three semi-armored ana pro-
tcctcd second class cruisers OF highly
improved type; and six i6 kno, protected
cruisers Of 1850 gons, slightly superior to
the Detroit class. with the remarkable
steamlng radius OF 1900 knots.
The board further determined that all
ships should be sheathed with oak and
copper. to make them comparatively Inde-
pendent OF dry docks
As a result of the meeting practically
establishing this program as the adopted
policy OF the navy for the Immediate
future. the work OF designing the three
bat;leships will begin at once along the
following lines:
The displacement, Is hxed at 1880 tons
upon draught OF 95.s feet when the ves-
sci is .oaded, and at that draught min
lmum speed OF lS,s knots is to be guaran-
teed.
Coat bunker space for between lS9o and
1000 tons Of fuel is 10 be provided IN or
der that a steaming radius of lO,OOJ knots
at 10 knot speed may be secured. The
; armor is to cover the entire vessel in The
d form Of cuirdss. 1t viii be made after
; the modification OF Harveyized process,
o and is to be l9 inches thick amidships
a taperng to fve inches AT the DOW anc
r stern. There will be tour li-inch rifles
e of extra length Tor smokeioss powder
Il mounted In pairs in two turrets, the lat
= ter being OF the elliptlcal balance type
with sloped fronts, The battleshlps, a
Is wen as the other vessels, VIII be tQt'IEe'
c with water tube bollars ana imn quad
= rupe engines. As soon as the plahs TO
y these batt,eships progress sufficiently IN
detail for the big armorcd cruisers Will o.
N taken up by the construction officers
ie 1t II peculiar coincidence that the pla
l. for these big battleships are begun al
Id most to day with the opening Of bid
es for three battleships upon which con
lr tractors have been figuring for the las
Or three months, This competition will clos
20 at noon on September l. and 1t is almos
III foregone conclusion that the Cramps
l. the Scots and the Newport News com
g. pany will each attempt to secure a YES
be sci which is practically the duplicate
" similar battleships now being built b
q, each Of the firms, although the proposal
a are expected to develop slight modiica
tions which will give increased speed an
"a, endurance over the Alabama, the lllinoi
al and the Wisconsin.
We These vessels, which were authorize
st. by the last congress, have given rise
s. considerable controversy because the