The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-06
Will EXCHANGE NAVY.
British Announce Years Ship
Building Program
10 NEW 0ESTR0YERS
Cruisers VIII be Equal to Any
Opponent

London. July Sin the house Of con-
mons today Arnold Forster. the secretary
Of the admiralty. announced that the
years ship building program would IN
clude three battleships OF a new and in
proved class. six cruisers Of the Non
mouth class and ten improved torpedo
boat destroyers.
The battleships viii be Of $3.50 tons. .
feet longer than those Of the formidabls
class Their indicated horsepower VII
be $500 and their speed lsssknots- The
amor OF the new battieships yin be =
belt eight 10 nine inches thick \ Decu-
liar feature OF the new ships VII be six
inch guns not mounted il separate case
ment but enclosed in a battery with
seFen-inch armor. The ships armament
VIII consist OF. FOR forward ire Two -
inch guns. two I2-inch guns. and two s
inch guns; the aft re viii be OF the same
formidable character.
Those ships Will compare fsvorably
with anything being built By European
power. The new ships VIII be named the
King Edward. the Dominion and the
Commonwealth. 20 commemorate the
great support rendered % the king aad
the country by the two great branches
Of the kindred race.
The cruisers VII be Of $50 tons. and
viii have = speed OF 2 knots. Their arm
aneut viii be heavier than the Non
mouth. Il is believed that the cruisers
which are about to be laid down ara
equal 70 anything that IS likely 70 be
brought against them.
The new torpedo boat destroysrs win be
Of stronger construction
IN regard 20 the hospital ships the sec
Rotary Of the admiralty said that Great
Britain now had Ia the Mediterranean,
trough the generosity OF the American.
Bernard Barker. the president CT the
Atlantic transport line. the well equipped
Maine.
All the new ships viii he equipped with
wireless telegraphy. IS vii also the 9TH
Ct British wa-ships as they come 81 Tor
repairs.
Efforts are being made to overcome Ire
arrears II ship building, ana, the secreta-
n added, the government is now able 20
supply the guns as they are needed.
The secretary OF the admiralty also
said there was an absolute determination
on the part Of the admiralty 20 ind ths
best type Of boiler and the government
was watching with interest az experiment
OF combining cylindrical and water tube
boilers n the same ship.
In the house OF lords today the earl q
selborne. first lord o. the admiralty, IN
statement on the present naval position
OF Grea. Britain, said L.. the remain
der OF the year 1901 would witness the
OF the Cressy class. four first class Bar
bette ships Of the class % the formidable,
and two first class Barbette ships Of the
Campus.
Lord selbore said that the first half OF
1872 would see the completion Of two or
more vessels OF the Crsssy class. one ar
mored cruiser OF the Monmouth class.
ard three armored cruisers OF the Drake
class.
The first lord rothe admiralty added
that the total number Of the destroyers
built or building was IL and one Of the
i've submarine vessels already ordered.
hte nrst would be ready for trial next
September.
London, July 5.-The governments ex-
plantations CT tbs naval program have
failed 70 awaken any great enthusiasm.
but they are regarded as showing that
the government IS alive 10 the necessity
OF the Csc. The IeaIy ChronicIs, which
points out that although Lord Sslborne
dwelt upon - difficulty u getting vessels
finished in time foreign powers Ike "a
pan have no el4culty in gertn geaoF-
nous battieships built 81 British yards,
publishes the coutens OF the eonddeutisl
rspor1s on the last uausuvres q tbs
Mediterranean. the substance OF which u
declares is well known 10 both Russia
and Francs. although Il has been con-
cezIed from the British public TIE gist
% the reports. according % the Da8y
Chronicle, vas that IN a sea IKE TIE
Mediterranean. batrieshlps have lirts
chance. and that British power can only
be held ~ 6sstroyers s9ch as "a The ma
neuEres found 81 the feet and sea ana
sank every ship. IL declares thar bo-h
As-rfral Fish ard Lord Charles BeTes-
ford q the alsdite-rs mean feet have de-
manae1 sestroyers. bur that none have
as yet been sent. ard that 3 vas these
maneuvrss which led Lord Charles Beres-
ford q take lis recent action III crit-elz-
ing TIE naval policy q the government
SON SHOOTS FATHER.