The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-08-05
SPEED IN BATTLEsHIPs.
It Is Consideration We Must Not
Ignore,
Chicago Tribune.

Santiago naval engagement are before
the public, something definite may be
said as to the part which the element Of
speed played in the battle. The facts are
eloquent in their suggestiveness. II the
victory over Cervera had been an object
Lesson made to order 1t could not more
thoroughly illustrate the vital import
auce Of speed in battleships. Incident
ally. too, 1t shows the great value OF
knowing how to get the necessary speed
out of ones engines and the desirability
OF having the engines surpass their con-
tract power instead of falling far below
it,
Admiral Sampson speaks again ard
agsin of 1.-THE fine speed" "the amaz-
ing speed,' developed by the Oregon.
Captain Clark says; sour speed was in
creased to 16 knots" Yet the contraut
epeed Of the Oregon and the speed on
which it went into commission after it's
trial trip was only l5 knots. To this un-
expected reserve power oi..speed the
Oregon owed its opportunity to take
part in sinking all four of thu Spanish
cruisers. The Indiana ie credited with
the same nominal l5.knot speed SIS the
Oregon, and the Iowa is put down in the
books for speed Of l6a knots, yet both
OF these soon fell behind The Oregon
and they bad not just finished Is 900.
mile cruise either Admiral Sam pson saws,
speaking of the final race in pursuit. Of
the Colon: "The Oregon, steaming with
amazing speed from tho commencement
OF the action, took first place. The
Iowa and Indiana, having done good
work and not having the speed OF the
other ships, were directed by me to drop |
out of the chase"
That is the part which speed plays in
the matter of rivalry for honors and in
the ability to snatch victory from an
enemy that does not want to stand and
fight. AS Tor the difference it makes
from the other point Of view, inquire Of
Cervera.
The failure OF the Spanish feet in the
matter Of speed caps the climax in a
long list OF similar failures at every
point in the Spanish naval fiasco. Even
the vauntsd destroyers, which we're sup.
posed to have speed surprising every.
thing in American waters, gave us no in
dication that they could have got away
from the Gloucester, even If they had
been given the time. The swift torpedo.
boat, in Spanish hands at least, has
shown itself thus far to be much over
estimated affair But all the cruisers of |
Cervera's feet were supposed to have a
record speed of 20 knots. Certainly they
had every incentive in the world to de- |
velope their utmost speed in the Santa |
go race for life, yet Admiral Sampson re
ports that the fastest Of all Of them--the
Crissobal Colon-maintained an average |
speed Of only 10 knots an hour. From
the moment it came al full speed out Of
the harbor until it was run ashore over
40 miles away, at Rio Torquino. it aver.
aged only little more than the speed
kept up day and night by the Oregon.
including stope, on the latter's notable
cruise around the Horn. The bottoms
of the Spanish cruisers were undoubt.
edly fouled, but theoretically they should
have been five knots faster than the
Oregon anyhow, instead Of over two
knots slower. Perhaps their vessels
were never capable Of the speed they
were skeduled for. Perhaps their fire.
men and engineers did not know how to
get the speed Of which they were cap
able. In any case the result is the same
1.-The ships lie at the bottom OF the Car.
ibbean sea. And in any case the Lesson
is the same--it is speed, combined with
good gunnery. that wins naval battles.
II the board Of naval construction at
Washington does not profit by this ex.
hbit OF hard facts, 1t will be derelict in
it's duty. The intention to construct a
lot Of new 16knot battle-ships to cope
with the 19.knot vessels now being add
ed to all other fret.class navies should
be abandoned We shall not always
have as poor eailors as the spaniards to |
fight, and nothing but the best is good !
enough for the American navy Of the !
Inture.