Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-08-19
The new NAVAL PROGRAMME
Tho Board Of Experts Decides to Re-
commend Fifteen New Ships,

~>-~.>~
THREE MORE BIG BATTL ESHIPs
ARE INCLUDED IN THE LIST DE
CIDED UPoN-TWELvE CRUISERS
AMONG THE LoT-ALL THE YES
Sells ARE TO BE BETTER THAN
ANYTHING NOW BEING CON.
STRUCTED ABROAD--ALL WILL
BE SHEATHED TO AVOID FOUL
BOTTOMS IN TROPICAL WATERS
PROGRAMME CONCENTRATES AC-
TIvITY IN THE PACIFIC-ARMOR
ED TROOP SHIPS, EACH ABLE
10 CARRY A REGIMENT WITH
ALL IT'S EQUIPMENT AND SUP
PLIES UNDER CONSIDERATION.
Washington, August 1S.-A naval
programme for presentation to Con-
gress. involving the immediate con-
struction of fifteen warships, has
been adopted by the naval board of
experts, to whom tho subject has
been referred by Secretary Long 1t
provides for three sea going barbette
turret thttleships of 1900 tons dis
placements, and minimum Of 1871
knots speed when the vessels are
loaded to their deepest draught, or
an average speed above 10 knots
under ordinary cruising conditions;
three first-class armored cruisers of
10000 tons displacement and % knots
speed; three second-class protected
and armored cruisers of 5000 dis |
placement and 20 knots speed, SIM
liar to the Maine type, but highly
improved, and for six protected /
cruisers of $500 tons displacement
and 16 knots speed
The reduced speed of the ships.
which is uniformly about two knots
less than that proposed at the pre-
urinary meeting of the board on
Monday, was brought about by the
1esire to secure unprecedented range
II action on account of the increased
of the United States
n the Pacific, and the certainty that !
.hese vessels, or most CT them,
would be required to make up the
.eet in the ocean. The sacrifice Of
peed to endurance was made with
view OF securing vessels of at least
900 knots radius, or capable of Q
teaming straight away from San
francisco to Manila or Samoa. ine
GARD decided that the Pacific, rather
ian the Atlantic, would be the chief
ieatre OF American naval opera
ons in the future, and that while
'eat sacrifice to speed Could be
rely made to vessels attached to h
e outer line of defense on the east fl
asst of the United States, abnormal
al capacity and high economy
ere prime requisites as long as dis SC
MT possess pns to the westward re. VI
tired protection. All the vessels, :,
owever, will be speedy as the fast Sc
It vessels now building abroad, and
ley will be eminently more practic- u
ole in endurance, strength and for >.
iaability\ D
The main battery Of eech OF the
attleships will be composed of four IL
,-ineh rifles in turrets on the center T,
ne fore and aft similar to those Of
le Iowa, and the secondary battery 81
i'll mount from IA to 16 rapid-fire =,
x-inch guns. In addition to these
lere will be unusually large auxil- k
ary batteries q escorted FOUNDER
yes, both quick-fre and semi
utomatic. The 13-inch guns Of the
arlier battlesE,p s have been put ]
side in the new designs, on account p
f their great weight, and because L
will be necessary to increase ma e.
,rially the length of the 12-inch cal g
IRE to meet the requirements of E
powder, which is to be used e
hereafter in the navy. \
The first-class cruisers will be COW CT
red with heavy armor from bow TO 81
tern, and will be armed with four el
inch rifles in turrets, and twelve g. W
lch rapid-fres in broadside. They
re to be superior in every way to
ny ship afioat.
The second-class cruisers, as at Ii
rst proposed, were to be of 5000 h
DIS, but the board added ten tons 81
} them to be used for coal capacity C
hey will have twelve 5-inch rapid t.
res. The details of the small YES o.
els are not yet determined upon, as 81
Il the energies of the board were at o.
rst directed to the heavier vessels. p
All the ships will be sheathed. They
Ill all have quadruple expansion
ngines and water tube boilers, and
18th the exception of the smaller v
raft they will be equipped with I'M v
tubes RI
The smaller cruisers will have a il
radius Of $4,000 knots at a e,
speed. The second-class a
ill nearly approach this radius.
he first-class cruisers will be able to