Evening star., 1898-03-12
OUR AUXILIARY WARSHIPS
Thirty three That Could Be Used as Un.
armored Cruisers.
Could Be Ready In Three Days-HOw
the Liners Would Look In
War Paint.

Written for The Evening Star.
In addition to the fifty regular cruisers
| of the United States navy there are some
| thirty odd vessels now employed in the
| merchant service which could be rapidly
converted into cruisers and which should
| be taken into account In estimating the
| naval strength Of the country. These ships
would be unarmored and would carry a
| comparatively light complement of guns.
| 1t would be impossible for them to fight
| even a small warship, and they would not
| be expected to do so. Their special work
would be to prey on the enemy's commerce
and to capture unarmed merchant vessels
For this they would be admirably adapted
by their high speed and light armament.
In the Navy Department, where an exact
list of these vessels is filed, they are official
ly known as auxiliary or casual cruisers.
Last year, when Congress was considering
the bill appropriating sS5O,OO for providing
an armament for this auxiliary fleet, the
chief of the bureau of ordnance reported
thirty-three vessels as available for this
kind of service.
OF these, twenty-four are on the Atlantic
coast and nine on the Pacific. Together
they call for forty-six six-inch twenty
seven five-inch and 1O4 four-inch rapid-fire
Founders and 112 machine guns, or a total
armament of 351 guns of all classes.
The largest and beSt-known OF these are
the four American line steamships-the
New York, Paris, st. Louis and St. Paul
1t is interesting to note the transformation
which one of these big passenger steamers
would have to undergo in order to fit her
for the work of an auxiliary cruiser. Just
what changes would probably be made in
converting one of these peaceful ocean
| liners into a warship pointed out by
Mr.. G. c. Griscom, jr., of the Interna tional
Navigation Company, in talk with t. )
writer the other day. Most persons will
probably be surprised to learn how much of
the build and fittings of an unarmored
cruiser these big passenger boats now con-
tain.
No Agreement Necessary.
There seems to be a general impress
sion," said Mr.. Griscom, that some kind
| OF contract or agreement exists between
the United States government and the In
ternational Navigation Company by which
the latter are to turn over their boats to
the service Of the United States whenever
needed. There is no such agreement, be-
cause 1t is unnecessary. The United States
has perfect right to demand and take the
property of the Internati tional Nayigat ton
Company, just 1t has the right to de-
mand the property or services of any other
OF its citizens, and it could undoubtedly do
so, with proper indemnification, should oc-
casion arise.
What was done by the government when
the postal subsidy act for the encourage
ment of American shipping was passed was
to demand that, in consideration for the
privileges granted by that act certain plans
should be followed in the construction of
the vessels that were to benefit by It,
These requirements were, roughly, that tie
| rudder and steering apparatus of TIE
steamship should be under water, and th1t
the vital parts of the ship should, so far as
possible, be below the water line, where
they would be less liable to injury from
cannon shot
1.-The plans for the American line steam
ers were inspected and approved by an Off
Ger of the government when the boats were
built and they satisfy these requirements
If you look closely at the New York you
will see four white marks at regular inter-
walls along each Of her sides. Directly
above these white marks, on the steamers
promenade deck, are the places where the
six-inch guns would be located were she to
be armed. You will notice. too, that the
deck supports at these points are strength
ened by an additional column. On the deck
at this point is a round steel cap covering
a manhOe, intended for the passage of am
munition from below.
Ready for the Guns
"These are the only marks Indicating to
the uninitiated any preparation for the
placing of cannon; but there are other pro-
visions. The deck platform and supports
are strengthened at this point by additional
girders and cross beams, so as to sustain
the weight Of guns and carriages. There
are also arrangements for the mounting of
the smaller machine guns. Practically the
only thing necessary to equip these vessels
for use in war would be to run the gun
carriages on board and mount the guns on
them: There would probably be some al
terations In their internal arrangements to
provide quarters for seamen and marines
but those could be made within a very few
days.
Last year. when the English steamship
Majestic was detailed to attend the naval
celebration of the queens Jubilee she ar
rived in Liverpool on Wednesday after
noon; on Saturday she sailed for South
ampton, fully fitted out as an unarmored
cruiser. The whole equipment had been
placed on board and put in position within
three days. l see no reason why the New
York or the Paris could not be fitted out
within the same length of time, assuming
that the guns were ready to be put on
board.
THE theory Of an unarmored cruiser Is
that she shall be fast enough to run away
from any warship and strong enough to
overpower any merchant vessel. 1 think
that our boats fully satisfy these REQUIRE
ments. You remember that when the CO.
lumbia made the trip across the Atlantic
at speed of about eighteen knots for the
whole voyage 1t was hailed as a remark
able achievement. 1t was-for a warship.
But our ships cross the ocean, year in and
year out, in the course Of their regular
business, at an ordinary speed of about
twenty knots. No war vessel in existence
unless 1t was of the small torpedo
boats or torpedo boat catchers, could over
haul them. OF course, a single shot from
a modern battle ship would go through
their sides, but / think that 1t would take
more than one to destroy them because.
as have said, they were laid down on
lines intended to guard against that"
Hand Steam Fire Engine.
FIem the Philadelphia Record.
hand fire engine for use in suburban
and country towns where the public hre
service Is rot within easy call has been
hrfii1ht In e La =