Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-07

separate plans for the new ships. Each
provides for the same numbe of guns OF
each caliber in the secondary batteries
and the same general arrangement, but
modified by the differences in the main
batteries. In the secondary battery each
vessel is to carry 16 three-inch guns. so
cal!ber in length. 16 three-pounders, four
automatic on~e-pounders, six single-shot
one-pounders, 10 machine guns and w
field guns. In the main batteries, n
plan conte1nplates four 12-inch guns of 40
caliber, four eight-inch guns of 45 caliber
and II six-inch guns of so caliber. The
Pinch guns are to be mounted on bar
bette t,lErets fore and aft of the super
structure, four eight-inch guns in a bar
bette turret on each beam and the six
inch guns in boadside so as to give the
largest possible arc. This would give a
~broadside of four Pinch, two eight-inch
II three six-inch, in addition to the
large numbe of secondary battery guns
that could be brought to bear on each
side. The guns of the main battery that
could be brought to bear directly fore
and aft would be two Pinch. four eight
inch and two %six-inch, in addition to nu-
merous secondary battery guns.
The second plan differs from the first in
that 1T applies to the eight eight-inch
guns in the barbette, two on each side.
The other propose to substitute two 10
inch and two Pinch for the four Pinch
guns. In these plans the fore and aft
fire is the same as in the first plan, but
the broadside fire is increased by two
eight-inch guns. The fifth plan differs
from the first in having no eight-inch
guns and increases the number Of six
inch to 16, eight firing on each broadside
and four directly forward and two di-
rectly aft.
The plan that will probably meet with
,>,-cA r,,,-.. /: q : a. - $500 l. ~ ~
to carry it within the limit of weights
ultimately assigned to the battery. is that
of the four 12-inch guns and eight eight
inch. The eight-inch guns is, of course.
greatly favored by navy men and proved
it's value in the Spanish war. 1t can be
fired with rapidity and accuracy, and is
very destructive against light or even
medium weight armor. If it comes to the
question Of reducing the number of eight
inch guns in b%roadside so as to give the
inch to 10-inch many officers would ad-
vocate the reduction in the size of part
or all OF the heaviest guns. The plan is
more likely to be adopted because the new
1O-inch guns, 40-caliber in length, will
have as great penetrating power as the
l2-inch guns of the type now in service
on the Iowa. The saving in weight of
guns and ammunition is very great if the
1O-inch guns are used, and the dimensions
of the turrets being less for the 10-inch
guns there is also a material saving in
the weight of armor
Admiral O'NeilTs suggestions contem-
plate the use of armor as light as is con-
slstent with good practice. The water line
belt, to extend the entire length of the
ship, is to be nine inches fore and aft of
the vital portions and will taper to four
inches fore and aft of the main barbettes.
Diagonal armor nine inches thick is to
run from the side armor to the main bar
bettes. The armor is to b. much more
generally distributed, and the small bat
teries to be much better protected. A
novel feature for the American navy is a
proposition to isolate the six-inch guns in
separate easements, SO that a bursting
shell might not put several guns out of
action. Admiral O'Neill's suggestions are
accompanied by tables comparing the eff
f1ciency of each of the proposed battery
plans with the batteries of the battleships
already built and in course of construc-
ton for the American navy. The COM
parison is In favor of the proposed plan
in every instance. The proposed plan
will give each ship two underwater tor
pedo tubes.