New-York tribune., 1901-07-21
p,TTLE OF BATTLESHIPS.
,nauRAI BRADFORD ATTACKS
TIE BOwLES PLAN.
-ocATEs sUPERPosED TURRETs AND
DIFFERENT BATTERY ARRANGE
WENT - THE BRADFORD-sIGs-
BEE DESIGN LIKELY TO
BE ADOPTED
BE ADOPTED.
FAY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TR1sUNE.l

rzv TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIsUNE.l
..,g+on. July 2O-The right of the five
.,,a1 officers who constitute the Board Of
a"e -.-,cr;on 10 have forceful views on the sub
o - vvarship designs has come to be fully
g.o,ized. and the fact that they all actu-
solelv by the desire to do what is best for
so-ce afoat and make II superior TO that of
o+her nation has given great value to the
@ ns of theii animated controversies ever
-.s the new navy began to grow. Adu1rals
s--rsua Bradford. O'Nef and Bowles and Cap
-, eigsbee are in the front rank of the most
D-as-essive and aggressive officers. in the navy.
a ~ has come to be automatic that. while
s.-r,onous on all matters of general policy
- nositive views on specific details are so
s-s-qent that the splendid designs on which
.v must at times agree eabody the best COM
---,ises attainable without imperilIing the eff
sency Of the result
LAST year the board fought for months
,hs nlans for FIVE battleships and four armored
,-,dsers and in the end seven of the fighting
e,+ains Of the line had TO be summoned to Sc
cure a settlement. Then Congress at its last
session declined to authorize any more ships
until a definite policy had been adopted and
lsns for ships presented with the estimates
The hoard has been work for several months.
and after discussing seven different original
n-oects for battleships. has come TO the usual
Engagement and submitted TO Secretary Long
,,yo designs. one of which. the Bowles ship ap-
,roved by majority Of the board, was printed
IN The Tribune this morning. This is followed
nv the design submitted to-day from Admiral
bradford and Captain Sigsbee. constituting the
minority. Their project. illustrated herewith.
nnnhines the good qualities OF all the successful
American types Of recent years. to which often
-o 4 5s<e civ DoVrPr is added m ma them
superior 10 any warship thus far proposed for
srv foreign navy. The entire board has pro-
eesded on one of the fundamental precepts Of
the United States navy, which holds that since
1872 American prowess on the sea has been due
TO nsstence on throwing more effective shell in
a given time than the enemy. No American
naval designer has dared 70 violate this rule
More powerful guns more accurately aimed by
more men than the opponents. have never failed
TO carry the day. other things being equal. and
for this reason it is expected that the next
American battleshps will be built on the Brad
ford-sigsbee plan. These two officers. oddly
enough, composed the minority last year. and
finally general approval against the ma
!ority Of the board.
ADMIRAL BRADFORD's REPORT.
Admiral Bradford. in his report to Secretary
fcation OF the rejected design of a year ago con-
demned by all the fighting officers OF the service
The Bradford-Sigsbee ship has the superposed
turrets adopted for all five Of last years battle
ships. its main battery consisting Of four 12-inch
twelve S-inch and twelve 6-inch guns. four of
the eights being placed in the turret with the
twelves. and the eight others being in pairs in
corner turrets. the Oregon. The Bowles
design substituted twenty finch guns for these
ofu17~-
broadsides equal in repulsing simultaneous at
tack on both sides. This feature Admiral Brad
ford criticises as follows:
The best naval tacticians believe that naval
engagements of the future will present few II
any, instances OF a single ship being engaged on
both sides If two ships are pitted against one
II is much more advantageous for these two 70 be
on one side, and prevent their single enemy from
using all his guns. In addition, IL the two ships
are in formation, il would hardly be possible for
their single enemy to pass between them. With
out doubt future engagements will be fought at
long range. While engaged side only,
the battery Of the minority plan is able to de-
!iVer n one minute an energy OF hre represented
by 253, 10 foot tons, against 230,620 foot tons
for the majority. II is true that the latter type
Is able to deliver at the same time the energy Of
IRE on the opposite side, and the former de-
liver both sides at the same time but 900, $50
foot tons, which is little less than in the case Of
great advantage over the latter in the fact
that il delivers its maximum fire over 100 de-
srees Of arc, while the latter delivers it only
"a degrees.
COMPARISON OF THE BATTERIES.
Comparing the guns onnitting the tweIves.
common TO both designs. the following data are
presented
The s-inch gun will be fired at the rate OF IL
rounds minute.
The finch gun will be fired at the rate OF 25
rounds minute.
The 6-inch gun will be fired at the rate of 3.5
rounds minute.
Eight-inch gun muzzle energy minute. 1922
seven-inch gun muzzle energy minute. 23.O62
foot tons
six-inch gun nuzzley energy minute, 2o,433
Eight-inch gun. weight of metal thrown in one
minute 300 pounds
seVen-inch gun. weight of metal thrown in one
six-inch gun. weight Of metal thrown in one
minute 800 pounds.
This information" says the admiral was
supplied TO the members OF the board by the
Chief Of the Bureau Of Ordnance. Any decrease
IN the rate Of fire Of the finch guns. any in
crease in the rate Of fire Of S-inch guns. will
favor the minority type It is understood that
the rate Of fire given for the S-inch and for the
o-nch gun is the result of actual practice on
board ship. The fire of the finch gum however.
Is assumed by the Chief of the Bureau of Ord
nance. for the reason that no 7-inch gun exists"
OPPOSED TO 7-INCH GUNS
After showing that the 7-inch gun is dis
unctly inferior TO the s-inch in every particular.
Admiral Bradford declares
me homogeneity of the feet is a most i'm
portant element The majority plan corresponds
ooliy with the Alabama and Maine classes. I
70 not hesitate 70 assert that these ships possess
weak battery. and the omission of S-inch
s1's from their armament is much regretted by
ne best Informed officers in the navy. While
shefe are six Of the above mentioned classes.