The sun., 1901-11-24
MODERN NAvAL' PREPARATION.
The Confusion OF Expert Opinion a. IN
Plans and Methe,lS

An amazing confusion prevails For
long period the simple screw was prefer,
TO the twin system In this country. tnin,g -
the terinan. American. and Ru,.i7n p.,...
uipie screws are beng fittrd Whil. tr..a
rivals are developing the screw -r.t.
,ho brlt'sh Admiralty ur" looking 10 O. d.
turbine as possible means of .,ruri,., 3D.,
men-of-war speed hitherto regarded !,
unsttsinable We have been u,IIr ,.
Belleville boiler: the Germans are buid
shps of war. not one or two, but many N
which half the boilers are cylindrical a,d h.t
water-tube. In the British Navy ,oa
exclusively used; Russia is building si.ps -
wh!ch hali the boilers will be- heated i, rui
and half by oil. In this couutry two ~; rr.,
are mounted In the turrcts OF our battI.,h-,
t l0re and AZ: the AmericaHs. ~ sp.t. o.. H.,
diversity OF opinion prevailing Oh thu ct.
side Of the Atlantic. are placing o." tl,rr.t
On the top OF the other w,icI T.,
sa% snS"n sS.ash a. the "faberro ed T's -"
fashion. France is relying man y o. tur.. -
boats; Great Britain IL placing her D..-t n,
toTpedo, boat destroycrs uur r".'b,or,
across the Channel are modern 2.ugr.,ry
their older hsttleships. "" are ruuc,. tat.
al our efforts OF entirely new ships ~. -
hurrediy adapted an armor-r.orclrr .u.l
nave now much superior project lp ia
great Powers some years s.fc" ,sttN 81 4
pigeon lofts along their coasts a. d spent lrt,
sums In breeding and trimming su.t.nI, bft,
70 carry communications from -hI- ~ vs-
to the naval centres ashore. the Brt.,l Al.
miraity hesltated, at last "stlni -1rd thr's
telegrsphy will supplant the winged m'-,'u-
gers OF war.
These are examples of the disordercd ,t'.
OF naval opinion as II appears 20 any o'" WHO
attempts 10 get birdseye view of the t.r,-
dency OF construction and equipment Do tns
arsenals Of the world some Of the Powers
are endeayoring To perfect hyi ua,l'-s
which will lring aerial warfare within the
realms OF possibility: others ar" r'l lyilEO. ~
feasibility Of carryine DESTRUCTION secretly
beneath the waves There lr" persons agair
and among them one Of the Wost ~e..lul .all
constructors under the Admiralty. who t'.
teve that In the near futur" co"Il.t' poe
be Witnessed. They look e. the mlr,hI'-
Ing OF ships in something Of th' ~Hm" ord'-
as land forces In their dream they -
squadrons anoat corrrspoI ding tp ON lrr
division on land, ard comprising tn" three
arms, infantry. artillery and y ouItnd truoI,.
The battleships viii be heavily aru9rd "A
cruisers. built to scout. will hHN" lE''e' gus,
but will he also without torp'doos. a.., tstI}.
torpedo craft will be innocent Of guns ~ 49,
type, even of the smallest Cul''rr. riy'
solely upon the weapon that gives them th''
distinctive name
In the knowledge Of these diverse o"''io's
OF every subject that comes with. ~. f'a,l
OF the naval officer. who woli dlr" =
prophesy as To the future Of wtr'ar" or -
high seas? Nelson and even ms successor,
late as the sixties would hayr laughed -
scorn a forecast OF the world hr,'' co
sttutod as they are to-day ~" ulr N'o-.
nation has been effected In tor'v y'a.-
Wood has given place to IRON, aud ro. 'ost !
and steel is now largely dsapr1r'.g .
favor OF armor. sails were I'D 10 rf-
operation with steam with rtdi.'.
When Queen Victoria assembled iu" 'u
the Admiralty recorded their up.''. Fl.
the steam engine could never b" nor ~ 3
n useful auxiliary to sail power u"G"r 'p'c
conditions To-day "" have not o. s1. ;
ship in commiss ION. Ten year. ago " .r.I =
t'leRraphy was regarded a. ~ nnplHN "1.
toy. To day every shin Ia ia" thd'r..
IL Installed, and along IN" coast from I'''r
to Lands End STAT .ou- hnve boon '0' h"
Restless as the sea those w . ar" scarc'I'i
formeans with which To hold the ~"a Sen1f.
command never sleep. and a. new cnu p.''.'
have entered the uold Russia. tl'i "
United States and nov Germany III" COM
OF naval ia hions has grown h''n'r "a
Increasing army -p"1kirg various Tongues
is davoting Itself ~ H." study ot "a ror'..
its ACQUISITION and it- retention The Ndl' '
of ideas crows IN area ana IN irt"h,'iN
rivals lrinC up on ,,'Tr mana ~ w.
Fast. where X sia and ,ptu hay" Suppan''i
British domination A'"t. ."I ~ ID. NW''
can waters. where IA" h''A S't'"' t"'
uuTiyallet