New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-16
RATTLE-SUIP PLANS.

Reference has hitherto been made to the de-
fence OF the plan for three new slow-going bat
,le-ships made for the Bureau Of Construction
In the columns Of Tine NewYork Times. and
some examination promised OF the assertions
made by these naval authorities" that grea or
speed than sixteen knots could only he obtained
by greater displacement or by sacrifice of armor
and armament and that water-tube boilers take
more space than the old tank type. They said
To give the new battle ships about to be con-
tracted for sufficient power 10 attain speed ~
eighteen knots would necessitate an increase OF
about a thousand tons in their displacement
and of from thirty to :hirty-fve feet In their
length When the type was decided on by the
Board Of Construction II was agreed that the
Engineer in Chief should be at liberty 10 put in
any different type OF machinery desired by him.
provided that II should absorb no more weight
or space than that OF the Illinois and her sister
ships.
The best way to get light on this proposition
is TO see what has been done with vessels OF
comparable fighting qualities and displacement.
The Illinois Is a vessel OF II ,525 tons, 36S feet
long 70 feet inches beam and q feet draught.
and Of 10000 horsepower. France has three
sister battle ships-the Charlemagne, the Ga
lois and the st. Loris-which offer admirable
comparison. The Charlemagne. the oldest. built
In 1895 is Of 1925 tons displacement. but de-
velops 1880 horsepower, and can make ~
knots. although her armor Is as heavy as that
OF the Illinois. and she carries four 12inch
rifles, against the four 13inch guns OF the
Illinois. and ten 3h-lnch. as against fourteen
6-inch quick-nrcrs. and smaller arms which
equal or exceed those Of the Illinois. As we are
In the hit Of going TO the extreme In the mat
ter Of armament. II Is evident that the slight
difference In projectile strength Is merely mat
ter Of taste In arming. and that the two vessels
are as nearly alike MS two different types we'll
could be- Yet the French ships. Of practically
the same fighting power as the Illinois, are 30
tons lighter and two knots faster
Let us also look at the Yashima. the new
japanese battle-ship. Her tonnage Is 1890
705 tons more than the Illinois, her horsepower
Is 1900. her speed is 1872 knots and her armor
md arma neIt are almost identical in point Of
strength. SO we see two types. one smaller and
one larger than the Illinois. with practically the
same fighting ability. developing from 1000 10
4.500 horsepower more than the Illinois and
making two or three knots greater speed. True.
these ships draw more water than the Illinois.
and that is objected to for our harbors, though
we have battlc-shps drawing over twenty-seven
feet But tie German Worth, built in 1892,
carries six 11-inch guns In place Of the four lbs
OF the Illinois, has less draught, length and
beam. and has made l72 knots. 1t is evidently
perfectly easy to get speed with displacement
suitable to our waters. provided we put in
powerful enough engines
The naval authorities" say Commodore Mel
vile was mt liberty to put in his improved ma
chinery provided he absorbed no more weight
or space for propulsion than given up 10
II In the Illinois. But that IL Just what he
was not allowed to do He wanted to put in
water-tube boilers. These take less. not more.
room tllnn the Old-style boilers, the "authori-
ties to the contrary Notwithstanding and are
economical under ordinary cruising conditions.
But that they might not waste coal even in the
emergency Of high speed nrd forced draught, II
was desired to use auxiliary heaters which took
some more space and necessitated the moving
OF bulkhead slightly. This did not infringe on
the space belonging TO other parts Of the ship.
but simply redistrbnted the space assigned for
propulsion, taking from The cOal-bunkers some
room rot needed there with the quadruple-ex
pansion engines and giving II to the machinery
enabling thc Chief Engineer 10 furnish all the
speed and endurance required Of him without
the space allotted to him for that
purpose.
Not only did he offer to keep within his own ,
space brt to save 1S5 tons for the use OF others
But he was not allowed 10 do this II il was
not simply because his plan would have in
voved some new designs for bulkheads II would
be interesting to know what the reason was. in
view of the agreement that he was at liberty to
use his own space in his own way. Undoubtcd
" the firms which arc building the Illinois and
her sister ships would be glad to have the Bu
reau OF Construction refuse 10 change even