Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-07
DEWEY'S SUGGESTIONS
PROPOSED ARMAMENT FOR NEW
BATTLE SHIP.
Does Not Favor Plan of Either Ma
jority OR Minority of the Board
of Construction.

Admiral Dewey, president of the general
board, has suggested to the Navy Depart
ment that the proposed new battle ship
shall carry a battery of four twelve-inch
guns In turrets, sixteen eight-inch guns in
broadside. and about twenty three-inch
guns. In his opinion such an arrangement
would be superior to that suggested by
either the majority or minority of the
board Of construction. The majority Of that
board recommended a battery of four
twelve-inch guns and twenty seven-inch
guns in broadside and the minority favored
design of four twelve-inch and twelve
eight-inch guns, with four of the latter
type in superposed turrets. These reports
were submitted to Admiral Dewey for re-
view In his report Admiral Dewey said:
IF am called upon only to choose be-
tween the two plans proposed, then I must
unhesitatingly decide in favor of the plan
of the majority of the board; but If any
latitude for further Indication of opinion
be allowed, 1 must express myself as not
fully approving of that plan. To my mind,
it possesses two elements of weakness, both
of which. however. can readily be eradi-
Gated. Those are:
"A. Sacrifice of offensive power by the
adoption of the seyen-inch gun.
''B. insufficient protection for the broad
side battery.
with regard to the first consideration it
WOuiO seem 10 me that any arguments that
can be made in favor of the new seven-ineh
gun can apply with equal force to a new
eight-inch gun. which should be of proper.
tlonately greater power, while the slight
difference in rate of fire would only Id
TO the value as insuring greater accuracy
of aim. 1 may add at the same time dc
not consider mixed battery of eight-ncn
and stx-inch guns advisable. Ny idea
would be that after the four twelve-inch
guns were mounted these vessels should
nave broadside battery Of sixteen eight
men guns, with a secondary battery of
some twenty-odd three-inch guns"
With regard to the arrangement of the
broadside battery in an open central cita-
del. the admiral says experiments have
shown the possibility of the whole person.
mel of such a battery being knocked out
by the explosion of one high-explosiye shell
bursting within it. He therefore fayors a
scheme submitted by the chief Of the bu-
reau OF construction, where, in the main
citadel or easement the broadside guns are
protected by further subdivisions contain
ing each gun, these guns surrounded by a
bulkhead three inches thick.
Ihis arrangement of guns, the admiral
believes. would make the ship superior to a
vessel bristling with turrets for these rea-
sons:
II. The turret must be brought back to
It's train on the object after each discharge
of each gun.
"2. The limitations of the sighting hood
interfere largely with accuracy and quick
ness Of aim.
"3. The fact of all the guns whether
two or four being pointed by the same in
diVldual. the element of personal error of
one man. whether due to lack of skin.
nervousness or temporary physical condf-
ton, thereby enters too disproportiona tely
into the effective power of the ships bat
terry"