New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-21
THE NEW RATTLE-SHTPS.

The plan Of a battc-Ship is Of necessity
compromise between the different naval Du-
rcaus Each wishes the maximum of conSd-
Grafton for It's speciality. and the ordnance eX-
pert and the armor expert and the engineer each
has 10 concedc something in order 10 have all
work tremendously together. So it IS 10 be cN-
poctod that The designs for the new h3tlo-shii'S.
for which bids are about 10 be received, should
hv many naval men be considered lacking IN
desirable Textures Nevertheless. If the conSd-
erations which have weighed with the author
Ties in rejecting Enginccr-in-C hicf Mclvilles
plea for higher speed in the new ships are cor
rcctly rcportcd we think that the Department
IS making a serious mistake.
Commodore Melville. il is understood. desired
to put in neutrality-suspicious. engines ana
vatcr-tuhc boilers instead OF triplceXpanSion
engines with the old type Of tank boiler. mus
giving IS instead of rs knots speed and
mich greater stcaminS radius, owing 10
the economy Of fuel To this the Bureau oil
Construction objected not that the idea was
not 4 good one but that 10 carry Il out would
require considerable amount of work on ITS
mart in drawing new plans while 10y being
content with slower ships the plans already
ureparcd in great detail for the Alabama, now
in process Of construction. could be used for
the simple duplication Of that style Of ship. II
* argued that time will thus be saved. ana We
shall have the new vessels some months sooner
than If we undertake. 10 incorporate IN them the
most recent advances in naval architecture
That might he "A legitimate consideration in
huildlnc vessels which could he completed In
= few months M expense which did not diScour-
age further outlay for improved ships Of the
same character Even in the ease Of battle
shlps Il might bo worth while 10 build the quick
o,' finished rather than the best, If We forc>aw
serious need OF .hom in tho period which must
clapsc between the possible completion OF the
old and the improved type But under present
conditions there Is no reason for gaining few
weeks two years hence NJ the cost Of having the
battle-shlps Inferior 70 some alrcndy in com
mission.
) battle ship costs from S2ooooo0 TO 5000
GOO Advance in marine architecture is rapid.
and If 4 ship rs not ~ with The times whom lie
keel is laid II may We Obsolete before i has
been long at sea We now have live battle
ships under construction. All 81 The same type.
iIi25 tons and - knots speed. some VIII
be- in commission within f,w months. others
are not nearly finished Al of them are dis
rncily inferior 10 ,hc latest type 81 foreign
haitle-shlp Tho Armstrong; have built FOR
Japan thctYa lima Of l2.32o tons and 10 knots
speed The ENGLISH Prince George : lilaO
tons and 1s3 knots srccl and the Ecnown *
1880 tons md 1915 knots speed. England l.
also building 19-knot ship OF 1850 tons II
IS undcrs' TODD that the Cramps are 10 build
19-hnot haitcship ~ 1900 tons Tor Russia
II IS more than possible that they VIII take the
contract Tor ono ~ the new American vessels
Inv fi..
in one Of or own yards a poorer ship than one
beside It hul't for n foreign nation under con
tract antcdatnG our own:
80, Let Ms have the new battle ships ~ thc
latest and the best type The five ships now
building viii meet all our requirements up 20
the time when the best can be done. The little
loss Of tine will not cause serious trouble.
Work on the Wisconsin Is stopped for want Of
armor If We must have another battle ship
in a hurry We might hasten is completion in
stead Of planning to put to sen in two years
ships which may then be obsolete ana are now
known 10 be lcss than the finest. one 81 the
chief faults Of the American Navy. as compared
with that Of inferior Powers. even Spain. has
been well recognized rs lack Of spccd,n It's bat
tie ships. Ccrvcras squadron excited more than
its due of interest because Of It's superior swift
ness TO anything Of equal force that could
send out With England. Japan. Russia and
other nations owning Is ana ~ knot battle
ships. we should not 60 on planning 70 turn out
1G-kn0t ships long after the time when I'm all
probability tho present war and It's emergency
requirements VIII have been ended Then orr
naval problem will be To have not the largest
Navy but tho best for it's size In the world with
each ship the best of It's size and class. \ 10
knot battlc-shlp is not the best Of It's size now.
Much less will il be in two years.