New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-13
mr.. BP4SSEY on MINIMUM SPEED.

n.
In "The Fortnightly Review" for July the
Hon. T. A. Brassey. the English naval author
ity. throws out hint about the desirable speed
for batte-shlps which should not escape the
attention of people in this country who think
that vessels good for Il, or by chance 10. knots
are all that we require. Comparing the Brit
ism with the combined French. Russian and
German navles. Mr.. Brassey points out where
the British force needs strengthening In order
to meet a Continental alliance He notes par
ticrl;arly the nferiorty In numbers Of the Brit
ish fleet In the waters Of Northern Europe. The
Channel feet might be needed in the Mediter-
ranean, and the reserve squadron. with Its
base ut Dover would not be strong enough to
blockade the Baltic and German as we'll as the
northern French ports. Therefore he suggests
more vessels designed for operations IN the
waters OF Northern Europe and for home de-
fence and says that for such uses vessels OF
1.-THE sea keeping qualities Of the Majestic or
the Campus class are unnecessary. For these
purposes we need ship with as powerful an
armament and rs good protection as our pres
tent firs-class battle-shl2s and with a speed
"of not less than IN knots"
Thus 1t will be seen that Mr. Brassey when
making his utmost concession for home defence
and slight steamng requirements, puts the
minimum speed for battle-shps at 17la knots.
He does not ask for the 1874 knots Of the
Campus or the great coal-carrylng capacity OF
the Majestic He would not be extravagant in
his recommendations, only he could not think
ut this stage Of naval progress Of building even
slow battle-ship. to be employed within
limited radius. having speed bit less than
171h knots an hour. We, on the other hand,
without vessel in our Navy with bunker
capacity Of $50 tons Ike Mr.. Brasseys eX-
amples Of ships with sea-keepng qualities and
without battle-ship that can come near to
the 1873. knots Of the Campus class are plan
ming to build sea going battle-shps OF mini
mum speed Of u knots. and deliberately reject
ing the proposition Of the head OF the Engi-
neers' department OF our own Navy to equip
those ships with improved engines and boilers
of tested efficiency. so that the ships can make
1S knots and carry enough additional coal TO
Increase their radius Of action. To do this
would, according to the statements given out
in the Navy Department while the subject was
under advsement require some redistribution
OF interior space, and 1t was then said that the
naval architects did not wish TO delay the work,
and preferred to use old plans rather than re-
draw them for improvements. however desir
able.
1t was perhaps natural that this view should
be taken, as The Tribune has already said, but
in view Of the facts that the battle-shps would
not he finished for two years or more. that we
have five others already nearly completed and
that we are also to build monitors for coast
defence and have them in commission long be-
fore the three proposed battle-shps, we have
held that II would be folly TO gain time at the
expense Of efficiency in the case OF these three
vessels Apparently the advocates OF the old
plan regard their haste argument as INSULT
Client. but instead of acknowledging It frankly
they make some wonderful and confused state
ments TO the effect that they want battle-ships
of only % feet draught, because our harbors
forbid ships OF more than "a feet draught.
They say no vessel ever fought at 1G knots speed,
and Captain Clark reports that he fought the
Oregon M that speed They argue about the
evils OF different dimensions from those OF the
Illinois type, as If somebody wanted different
dimensions or anything but the Encouragement
OF the engIneroom space 10 suit the improved
machinery which Is being used In progressive
European naves
We have no disposition TO he cautiously crit
cal, and II a mistake In Judgment with regard
10 the need OF haste was made In the first place
II was no doubt made honestly But the
strange defences Of the l5-nominally 16-knot
ship put forth TO take the place Of the original
argument against Commodore MeIve's plan
suggests n present realization OF the mistake.
coupled with an unwllllngness 10 correct II.
That is the disqueting feature Of the situation.
The burden of war might easily bring error