New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-18
VAST SEA POWER PROPOSED.
NAVAL BOARD ASKS FOR FIFTEEN MORE
WARSHIPS.
r,rT1E-SHIPS AND CRUISERS PLANNED
rou,vF 4 GREAT sTEAMlNG RADIUS
FOR USE ~ TIE PACIFIC OCEAN
nY TLLrGEArH TO THE TRInrNE

fpY TLLrGEiPH TO THE TRInrNEl
,.,sr,,cton Aug IA naval programme for
.ation TO Congress. involving the imme-
construction Of fifteen warshps. was
,,os to-day by the naval board of experts to
.r, the subject had been referred by Score
-. Long II provides for three seagoing bar
.ucret battle ships Of 1900 tons displace-
oo, and minimum Of lSia knots speed whom
.,o vessels are loaded 20 their deepest draugh'.
80 =, average speed above nineteen knots under
,,a,norv cruising conditions three frst-cass ar
,,o,ed cruisers of 1900 tons and twenty-five
,,o,s speed: three second-class protected and
.r,ored cruises Of GNDo tons displacement and
twenty knots speed similar 20 the Maine type.
br, highly improved. and for six protected
cruisers of 500 tons and sixteen knots speed
r,bo reduced speed Of these ships. which is
uriformiv about .wo knots less than that pro
nosed at the preliminary meeting of the board
Yesterday was bought about by the desire To
,ccure unprecedented range of action on account
~ the increased responsibilities Of the United
States in the Pacific and the certainty that these
vessels or most Of them would be required to
make un the fleet in that ocean. The sacrifice
% speed 10 endurance was made with view 10
securing vessels Of at least 5000 knots radius,
or capable If eteaming straghtaway from San
c,led that the Pacific rather than the Atlantic
would be the chief theatre of American naval
operations in the future, and that, while great
sacrifices 70 high speed could be safely made
for vessels attached to the outer line of Ma
tjonal defence on the east coast of the United
States abnormal coaI capacity and high econ
onv were prime requisites long as distant
possessions to the westward required protection
All the vessels. however. will he as speedy as
the fastest vessels now building abroad and
they will be eminently more practicable IN en-
durance strength and formida bility.
The main battery Of each Of the battle-shlps
will be composed Of four 12-inch rifles in
turrets on the centre line fore and aft. similar
TO those of the Iowa. and the secondary bat
teries will mount from fourteen to sixteen rapid
fire 6-inch guns. In addition TO these there VIII
be unusually large auxiliary batteries OF as
sorted FOUNDER sizes. both quick-fre and semi
automatic The 13-inch guns Of earlier
battle-ships have been put aside in the new
designs on account Of their great weight and
because II will be necessary 10 increase ma
terially the length Of the 12-inch calibre to
meet the requirement that smokeless powder
exclusively is to be used hereafter in the Navy
The frst-class cruisers will be covered with
heavy armor from bow to stern and VIII be
armed with four S-inch rifles in turrets and
ten to twelve 6-inch raDid-fres in broadside
They are 20 be superior in every way TO any
ships aloat in the world to-day.
The second-class cruisers. as at first proposed,
were 10 be of 5000 tons each. but the board
added 600 tons to them. 10 he utilized wholly
IN coal-carrying capacity. They VIII have two
S-,nch guns and ten 10 twelve 5-nch rapid
fires The details Of the six smaller vessels are
not vet determined upon. all the energies or
the board we're first directed to the heavier
vessels.
All the ships will be sheathed. They VII all
have quadruple expansion engines and water
tube boilers and with the exception OF the
smaller craft they will be equipped with under
water torpedo tubes.
The smaller cruisers Will have a steaminS
radius Of 1900 knots at a 10-knot rate. The
second class will nearly approach this radius
The hrst-class cruisers will be able to go l"'"o
knots and minimum Of 5000 knots is hxed ior
the battle-ships
The board also took under Amusement TO-
day the construction Of two troop ships. each
capable Of transporting regiment or '"elFe
hundred men. with officers. arms. ammumuoh'
equipment and supplies 1t is proposed II con-
gress turns over TO the Navy the responsibility
Of transporting troops. according TO the es'ap-
ushed usage in England and other foreign hlh-
tarv Powers Of great experience. that mooei
armed vessels constructed solely for the pur-
pose Of speedily and comfortably carrying 'he
military forces shall be promptly built II Is
areued that such vessels will be Indispensable
M, only in the Pacific for changing the garrl-
SONS at Hawaii and Manila occasionally. but
also for Porto Rico and perhaps for CUBA