New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-01
pOBTABLE ARVOR PROTECTION.

Professor J. H. RiIcs. member of the Council
of the Institution of Naval Architects. London
who in 1891 aroused so much interest among
the navy men of other nations, in addition to
those of his own country. by his discussion of
some Of the recent warship designs of the
American Navy. read n paper before his society
a few days ago on the practicability OF so con
structing merchant steamships as to render
them available for war purposes. In view OF
the frequency with which new propositions are
put forward by various naval experts upon
naval architecture. naval ordnance and naval
engineering Professor BLESS paper Is likely 10
attract considerable attention
He AYERS that the two purposes for which
merchant steamers may he used by navy in
time of war are first as armed cruisers; ana
second as auxiliares for supplying fleet with
necessares aud as troop transports. II utilized
as armed cruisers they may have TO hght
cruisers. If mt into service as auXilaries or
troop transports. they would require protection
from either armed mercantile cruisers or regular
warships The work done by some OF the mer-
chant ships leased or purchased for the Amerl-
can Navy in the recent war with Spain proves
their ABILITY 10 do the duty of scouting, cable
cutting coal and water carrying. ana drawing
the fire Of forts 10 discover their strength II
the proposition of Professor Biles can be MADE
practical (and there is really so little DOUBT tha
II need not be discussed. in addition to employ
ing vessels valued at from 100000 to S2ooo'p)
AS scouts etc. they can have portable arnor
protection so that they would be able to cope
with second-class cruiser with fair chance OF
holding their own. Some might raise the point
that the addition of Il few hundred tons OF arhor
might destroy the stability Of the merchant
shin but Professor Bes shows in his paper
that there is no such danger During the war
with Spain all of the yachts purchased by the
United States for duty In the harbors. and also
many of the merchant vessels. were put into III"
dock before the guns were mounted and had
side ormor plates rivct,d on; and this weight OF
additional plating and the mounting OF the guns
merely took the place of other weights that
,vera taken on. If. as Professor BileS pro-
noses in his plan. there had been portable side
arnor ready Tor boiling on at once there would
have been saved much time and labor that were
reourad to form and III the plates. drill the
holes and DO the rivcting. one OF the Dest ok
amples OF a ship going into action with port
able" armor was that of the kearsarge where
old pig iron and chain cable were improNised foi
protection by the executive officer OF the ship
before she had the memorable engagement with
the Alabama.
Sir Edward Reed many years ago concluded
that one great difficulty In the development oi
portablc protection for vessels taken from the
merchant service was the impossibility OF get
ting an interest established between the State
and the individual. He believed. however, that
if the millions or n part Of them that were
spent OH cruisers for the Royal Navy were de-
voted 10 taking such measures as might be
most expedienl for transforming mercantile
Sims into cruisers in time Of war, then much
OF the money would be better spent the navy
would be stronger in time OF war, ana the
maritime trade would be helped in an enectual
manner 1t would seem from the experience OF
his country last year and from what Professor
Bjles advances. that there would be no great
difficulty in rapidly converting an ocean steam
shin into n passable armored cruiser