The times., 1898-08-07
EXPANDING THE NAVY
No Future Construction of OBJ
solete Types.
SPEED AND COAL CAPACITY
III Congress VIII Supply the Neces-
sary Money Our Builders Can
Turn Out Bnttieships Equal to
Anything Adoat - Great Improve
ment in High-POwer Guns.

The recent notice to shipbuilders issued
| by Secretary Long giving preference TO
bidders who guarantee the highest rate
of speed marks a new era for the United
States navy. In a word the Government
proposes to rank among the great powers
IN possessing the finest and fastest feet
afioat. Secretary Longs circular is. there
fore, the first step towards this consum-
nation most devoutly wished for" and
recognizes the need of greater speed in
our ships in order that they may equal if
not ECLIPSE those OF foreign countries.
Congress Will be asked 10 take uD the
whole question next Winter, and from the
preparations being made now 1t NAV be
set down that we shall have a new navy
second only to that OF England by the
lme the Nicaragua Canal becomes an
accomplished fact
The Spanish war has opened the eyes of
the Government TO the fact that in order
TO Keep abreast of the times its sea power
must De second 10 none on the globe
consequently, If Congress furnishes the
cash the experts in the Navy Department
are ready 10 go ahead in building battle
ships that will beat all previous records.
we now stand fifth on the list Of the
powers In maritime strength, but the de-
termination Is TO bring US up next 10
England as regards NUMBERS and ahead
OF her In improved methods OF construc-
ton and more modern machinery.
had a long talk with Commodore Chas
y Nell, chief of the Ordnance Bureau of
the navy and president of the Board of
construction. on this important subject
commodore o Neil is a recognized author
ity and commands the respect of shin
builders and ballastic people eyeryvvhere
by reason Of his conservative Judgment
and good common sense
II congress provides us with tho
money we can easily build ships OF Il Goa
tons displacement and a higher rate Of
speed than at present" said the commo-
dore to me Most all the foreign battle
ships are l4.0CO tons. and some of their
armored cruisers are up 10 this figure.
The maximum displacement OF Uncle
Sans battieships is only II 500 tons AZ
present, while that of our armored cruis-
ers Is but $500 tons. OF course. when Won
increase the size OF a ship you make II
quite troublesome to get such proportions
as viii meet all requirements Weight
and space are the two great factors to be
considered in your problem of construc-
tion. If you build a ship of 1900 tons
Win eoaSHe'A oAANtis lIbul ana iRnI
battery, you can make her go very fast
Speed is secured. as a general thing. al
the expense OF something else Take
ship like the Iowa. for example She has
1,1e0 tons of machinery to make her go
something under Il knots an hour The
Columbia, which IS smaller vessel, in
order TO make 22 knots an hour must
have 2.000 tons of machinery. High speed
can only be obtained by giving full ca
OF nd Tba @F
Congress provides that ships shall cost
not exceeding 100000 and be of 11.00O
tons displacement, besides carrying the
heaviest armor and the most powerful
ordnance. You must do all these things
within certain limit you see. We have
stretched the law up to 1850 tons dis
placement, thus appreciating and meeting
the needs of the service as far as we
thought 1t prudent.
"Now if the shipbuilder and engineer
can get better results out OF weight and
spaces. which represent machinery and
coal-carrying capacity, you see that that
will be so much clear gain. In the near
future 1t is quite likely that a better quail
ity of armor will give equal protection to
that now used and be of less weight.
Recently some very Interesting exper-
iments were conducted at the Indian
Head proving ground on a 6-inch Krupp
=
pany, of Pittsburg. This plate was man
ufactured under new process, and is
radically different from the Harveyized
armor. In the latter the steel can be
hardened only TO certain depth. say
several inches, whereas, under the Krupp
process, the plates can be carbonized as
deep as you please.
"Of course, all this means better ar
NOR for our battleships. The 6-inch plate
three armor-piercing projeetiles fired
with the highest velocities. And if the
coming experiments with Pinch plate
we expect to make shortly will turn out
as well, the chances are that we shall
use Krupp armor hereafter on our ships
The Krupp plate is certainly superior to
anything yet REALISTICALLY tested. Here
is the story in detail:
''The plate presented for trial was an
ugly-looking piece of armor, covered
with fine hair cracks. 1t was backed
by twelve inches OF oak and five-eighths-
inch steel ship plate, and held in position
by ten strap bolts. The gun used was a
6-inch breech-loading rifle. Carpenter
projectiles were employed.
THE first shell fired struck near the
middle of the plate, the striking velocity
being computed at 2.021 feet per second.
The head of the projectile penetrated two
and a half inches and fused in the plate.
the base breaking into fragments. There
were no cracks, not even of the radial
character, which have hitherto appeared
upon other plates struck by projectile
''The second projectile was aimed at
point in the center of the target, eighteen
inches from each edge. The striking We
locity was 2,23T feet per second. The pen
etration was five and a half inches No
cracks appeared, and the only effect of
the shot was to break two of the bolts
which held the plate to its backing
'The third projectile struck the plate
eighteen inches from the corner opposite
that attacked In the second round, with a
striking velocity of 1850 feet per second
Fragments succeeded in perforating the
plate and lodged in the backing.
1T was then determined to attack the
plate with a capped arnor piercing pro-
jectile. A Carpenter she'll, fitted with a
copper cap, was fired. with striking We
locity of 1884 feet per second. The shell
struck the target midway between the
first and second impacts. There was a
complete perforation of the plate and
backing, but the projectile could have
done no damage. 1t made a clean hole
eight inches in diameter and was broken
near the bank score.
Examination of the plate showed abso-
lutely no cracks-a remarkable showing,
when it is understood that the impacts
were only eight inches apart.
IF this Pinch Krupp plate should turn
out as we anticipate it is more than like
ly that the new armor will be used on our
future battle ships.
with this new plate and greater dis
placement and speed. do you not see that
our future vessels will compare favorably
with any in the world?