New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-31
SPEED or THE NEW CRUISERS.

SPEED OF THE NV Ch' i"hHH'
Tho naval architects Of the United states
Navy are apparently going to secure in the new
battle shin Alabama a better vessel than they
themselves dc, sed. This will be gratifying 10
those who have noted with anxiety the Wiling
moss of our designers to be content with ships OF
anti0uated speed requirements Last year.
when the Navy Department was preparing
70 build several battle ships Of an estimator
sneed of Is knots and minimum requirement
Of II knots. The Tribune criticised the plan OF
beginning such ships 10 be completed some
wears ahead. when there were already aHoa'
fifty faster battle ships. As result or us
campaign the contractors were permitted 10
submit alternative designs 10 secure the Il
knots speed which Admiral Melville desired,
brt was not permitted TO provide for IN the
official specifications. Thus the United states
Navy was saved from deliberately bulhug
ont of date ships Now II appears that the
contractor in the case Of at least one OF 'h'
vessels at that time already under construction
has so done his work as to give the Navy the
benefit Of the speed which the battle OF san
tjago showed to be so valuable IN hatIe
shin. The Alabama was designed for IT.
knots. but on the builders trial on Tues
dav made III. Knots II the same rauo OF
Improvement on Department plans can De
shown IN the newer battle ships where the
buuders' enterprise. not merely In execution but
also I'm designing. has chance Of employment,
there ought 10 be no more question about the
folly of keeping on building slow going vessels.
The achievement Of the Alabama and the
builders notifications on the plans for the later
battle ships last summer raise the question If
no
Denver class now about to be built might not
be similarly improved These vessels, of 5000
tons displacement, are calculated for only 16ie
knots. and will be accepted NJ l5l2 KNOTS WINE
according TO figures prepared by "Ihe Sciep'lhc
American" the Argentine - de Mayo OF 3'3Oo
tons-or $500, If sheathed and coppered Ike
the Denver-could with stronger armament
better protection and only 100 tons less coal
CARRYING capacity make % knots Ana that
vessel Is nine years old. The Italian Iugla,
built last year, if sheathed, would he or Zooo
tons and would have a speed OF 1912 KNOBS
while carrying 80 tons more coal than the Den
yer and having about the same protection ana
armament. Our own New-Orleans. purchased
OH the eve Of the Spanish war, Is Sheathed ana
coppered has a protective deck from IA 10
inches thick while the Denver class IS TO nave
only inches of armor on the slopes of the IN
protected deck for a third Of the length; has n
heavier battery than the Denver, and yet with
n disbursement Of 3.437 tons, as against 5000
tons. and a coal capacity Of 500 tons, as against
the Denvor's 700 has trial speed of 20 knots.
II is truo tho New-Orleans is n wet ship Ow-
Inc 10 her being cut away amidShips. The
cruisers Of the Denver class are 10 have n flush
upper deck and better officers quarters, but 1t
would seem az if these advantages might be OBJ
tanned in a reasonable degree without so OK
IRENE n sacrifice Of the speed which has always
been considered so important a factor in n
cruiser
With battle ships in many navleS OF IT, u ana
10 knots to build a cruiser at this day when
nav make 1912 and may make 1919 knots
would seem TO he questionable policy. such a
cruiser could neither fight nor run away ana
ali accepted maxim Of naval architecture mas
been that a sea going chasing vessel should be-
able 10 catch anything of equal power and get
away from anything Of greater power lhcSe
now cruisers are not mere gunboatS. they are
sblps meant TO 90 anywhere and perform gen
eral service where powerful cruisers and battle
shiDs NAV congregate As "The Scientific Amer
lean shows with great detail there are many
new and old vessels anoat of approximately the
same disbursement and strength and coal carry
Ing capacity which point the way TO faster
cruisers than the proposed Denver class while
conforming TO the general requirements they
are meant 10 meet There may he particular
reoSone why we must build slow cruisers hut
last wears experience with battle ship plans
makes II proper TO ask what they are, and 10
suggest that II might bc wise 10 give The build
ors y chance 70 improve on the Denver design
And IN q similar ship secure higher speed.