The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-06
Programme for the Year Outlined in
the House of Ycster-
day by Arnold Foster.
THREE GREAT BATTLESHIPS
SIX CRUISERS AND TEN TORPEDO
BOAT DEsTROYERs.
Queen WflheImina Expected to Pre-
sent King Henry with nm Inter-
esting Christmas Gift.

LONDON. July SIN the House OF Com
mons to-day Arnold Forster. the secretary
OF the Admiralty. announced that the years
shipbuilding programme included three bat
tleships OF a new improved class. six cruis-
ers OF the Monmouth class and ten i'm
proved torpedo boat destroyers. The bat
tleships will be 10, 500 tons and twenty feet
longer than those Of the Formidable class.
The armor of the new battleships will be a
belt eight to nine inches thick. a peculiar
feature Of the new ships will be inch guns
net mounted in separate asement but
inclosed In a battery with seven-ipch ar
NOR. The ships armament will consist of
for forward fire TWO Pinch guns. two 90
inch guns and two 6-inch guns. The aft
fire will be of the same formidable charac-
ter. IL is thought these ships will COM
pare favorably with anything building by
any European power. The new ships will
be named the King Edward. the Dominion
and the Commonwealth to commemorate
the great support rendered to King and
country by the two great branches of the
kindred races.
The cruisers will be of $500 tons and will
have a speed of twenty-three knots. Their
armament will be heavier than the Mon
mouths. 1t is believed the cruisers which
are about 70 be laid down will be equal to
anything likely to be brought against them.
The new torpedo boat destroyers will be of
stronger construction. In regard TO hospi-
tai ships. the secretary of the Admiralty
said Great Britain now had in the Meditcr-
ranean. through the generosity of an
American citizen. Bernard Baker. president
of the Atlantic transport line. the we'll
equipped Maine. All the new ships will be
fitted with wireless biography. as will also
the other British warships as they come in
for repairs.
Efforts are being made to overcome the
arrears in ship building. and, the secretary
added. the government is now able TO sup
ply guns as they are needed. The secre-
tary of the Admiralty also said there was
an absolute determination upon the part OF
the Admiralty to find the best type of boil
er. and the government was watching with
interest a German experiment of combining
cylindrical and water tube boilers in the
same ship.
In the House of Lords to-day the Earl
of Selborne. first lord of admiralty, in a
statement on the part of the naval posi-
ton of Great Britain. said the remainder
of the year of 1901 would witness the COM
pletion of three armored cruisers of the
Cressy class. four frst-class barbette ships
of the class OF the Formidable and two
frst-class barbette ships of the class OF the
Campus. Lord Selborne said the first
two more vessels OF the Cressy class. two
others Of the Formidable class, one ar
mored cruiser of the Monmouth class. and
three armored cruisers of the Drake class.
The first lord OF the admiralty added that
the total number of destroyers built or
building was 113 and OF the five submarine
vessels already ordered the first would be
ready for trial next September.
The governments explanations or the
naval programme have failed to awaken
great enthusiasm, but they are regarded
as showing that the government is alive TO
the necessities of the case. The Daily
Chronicle. which points out that. although
Lord Selborne dwelt upon the difficulty of
getting vessels finished to- time, foreign
powers like Japan have no difficulty in get
ting enough battleships built to time in
British yards. publishes the contents Of
confidential reports on the last maaeuvers
of the Mediterranean fleet. the substance
of which, 1t declares. is we'll known to both
France and Russia, although il has been
concealed from the British public. The gist
OF the reports. according to the Daily
Chronicle. was that. in a sea like the Med
iterranean battleships have little chance,
and that the British power can only be
held by destroyers such as in the ma
neuvers found the fleet at sea and sank
every ship. II declares that both Admiral
Fisher and Lord Charles Beresford. of the
Mediterranean fleet. have demanded de-
stroyers, but that none has. as yet. been
sent. and that IL was these maneuvers
which led Lord Charles Beresford 10 take
his recent action i'm criticising the naval
policy of the government.