The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-03
OUR NEW NARSHIPS
Government Proposes to Increase
the Size and Speed.
LESSONS OF SANTIAGO
BATTLESHIP'S SPEED AN I'M
PoRTANT CONSIDERATION.
New Vessels Will Be of $4,000 Tons,
With a Minimum Speed of Eight
cen Knots-Will Also Have Cop
per Sheathing-Congress MustAp-
prove the Change.

New York, Aug. "A special to the
Times from Washington says: The
question of speed of the three battle
ships provided by the new naval pro-
gramme has been reopened again. 1t
was supposed the matter had been set
tied when Secretary of the Navy Long
announced a few days ago that the
preference would be given to the bid
ders who offered guarantees of the
highest speed, retaining general char
acteristics of design, as set forth in
the departments circular. 1t is pro-
posed now to change these designs
completely, to dlop everything that has
been done, and start all over again,
with the intention of making the new
vessels larger than was intended and
Speedier, and consequently coStlier- To
do this will require an amendment to
the law providing for the building Of
the three battleShips. That law says
that they shall be of a displacement of
about II, 900 tons, and shall not cost
more than $4,000, 600 each.'' The board
of construction decided to make the
displacement II 800 tons, which it con-
SiderS was as far as it could go AID
keep within the law. When the plans
were under discussion the board unan-
imousIy agreed to make the ships prac-
teal reDetitionS of the Illinois type,
with such improvements as could be
added without materially modifying
that type. The speed was to be 10
knots.
The chief engineer advocated the sub
stitution of water tube boilers for the
Scotch boilers adopted for the Illinois,
but IS It was shown that it was not
proposed by such substitution to in
crease the speed, the board voted down
the proposition. Later, when the eX-
perience derived from the Santiago sea
fight showed the Importance of speed
in naval warfare, the subject was re-
opened, but it was demonstrated that
with the limitation as to displacement
and cost imposed by the law, and the
restriction as to depth of draught i'm
posed by the shallOwness of most of
our harbors, it was impossible to in
crease the speed of the ships without
either reducing their armor protection
or lessening their armament.
1t was then determined to adhere to
the general designs laid down, but to
give preference in awarding the con-
tracts to the bidders who would offer
to produce the highest speed.
1t is now proposed, and the proposal
was discussed at length at a meeting
of the board Of construction this after
noon, to design the new ships on
basis of heavier displacement and
gre alter cost than the present law per-
mits, with the idea that it will take
until about December to complete the
new plans, and that by that time con-
gress will be in session and can be de-
pended on, in view of the showing
made by the navy in this war. to vote
the increased appropriation asked for,
and amend the act so as to legaliZe the
heavier displacement.
The proposition now under considera-
ton is to give the proposed ships a dis
of 5000 tons, instead of H.
500. and to fix their minimum speed at
Is knots. instead of 16. Chief Engineer
Melville has been asked to submit de-
signs of the newer improved machinery,
including water tube boilers, which he
proposes to install, with a view to de-
an 1S-knot speed. These de-
signs ready, Chief Constructor HIGH
bern will set his bureau of coastruc-
ton and repair to work on designs of
a hull to accommodate their machin-
cry, with the requisite coal space and
the desired batteries.
The new scheme contemplates a main
battery of 12-inch and S-inch guns, in
stead of 13-inch and 6-inch, as in the |
present designs, this change being !
prompted also by the lessons learned |
from the Santiago engagement.
A further and most important change |
pIOpOSSQ " ne III Tie new SliiOS
is the addition of copper sheathing. At |
a meeting this afternoon the board |
voted unanimously to have the new |
battleships sheathed, with a view to ]
preventing the fouling of their bottoms |
and the loss of speed resulting there
from. This is reversal of the boards /
position on the sheathing question. 1t |
has stood heretofore three to one
against sheathing the bottoms of bat
-leships, Commodore Hichborn being
the only advocate of the reform. The
of the fleet in south wat !
ers during the present war, when the
and cruisers have steadily
ost what speed they started with, and
he result of marine growth on their
lulls. has convinced the board that,
costly as the sheathing is, it will be
economical in the long run, since it will
enable the ships to retain their spead
or an indefinite period.