The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-27
REAR ADMIRAL O'NEIL'S REPORI
UPON NAVAL ARMAMENIS.

. ,,,..~a,. ths tremendous development
OF artillery in late years is 10 clto wv
cases. that OF the sIx-inch gun ana .ne
12-inch gun. The former used 10 weish
only as tons, was only W can or. e.,
length with a muzzle energy OF zoo iSot
TONS and a practicable rate or nre OF zts
s,rnod shots per mite The new type 10
10 calibres IN length. uses smokeless
powder weighs eight tons, can De nreu
eight times per minute and has muzzle
energy OF $500 foot tons In other WORDS
~ a 400 per cent more powerful than the
old gun The l2-inch gun shows an IN
crease in energy over the old gun OF SS15
per cent
GENERAL RENOVATION.
There IL 10 be general renovation OF
che batteries OF the Older ships, ana, u
is said that new batteries VIII De p'acsd
on the Baltimore, the New York, the
Newark and the Albany. IL is recon-
mended that the Philadelphia be given
a new battery of siX-inch guns which
would make her fit for many years more
OF service The bureau Is considering the
Feasibility of replacing the present tur-
refs of the Oregon, Indiana and Massa-
chusetts. with new eliptical balanced tur-
rets, adding materially TO the EFFICIENCY
Admiral O'Neil has much 10 say respect
ing speed versus armament. He argues
that ship Ia naturally a compromise be-
tween various necessities and says:
TIE SPEED CRAZE.
Gan nations are afflicted with the speed
craze At intervals. and this country Is 10
exception. and unless each batch on new
vessels can equal or bsat the woria res
ord they are usually characterized as
failures and in difference TO public sen
timent the tendency Is 10 design vesseis
of the highest possible speea. nrespe;y" 81 IN
tended and In consequence enormous
sums of money have been expended py
several countries In producing large anu anu
for fightlng purposes. and today IL ~
quires no little moral courage on the part
OF the designers 10 subordinate the popu-
lar element OF speed TO other quailtles,
no matter how important the latter
admiral o'Neil further says:
''It has always been the policy OF the
United States to provide its vessels of all
classes with great battery power that IL
10 SO arm them that they shall be supe-
rtor 20 foreign vessels IN rsm. tndt sn, wSile
we have In a few instances subordinatea
all other elements to speed, II is no.
likely to OCCUR again. and the consensus
Of opinion at the present time Is In iavoI
OF applying large percentages OF weight
for armior and armaments. rather than
to assigning It for. the purpose OF attain.
ing the last possible traction OF Ano'
OF speed.
NO MISTAKE MADE.
''rhe bureau is convinced that no mis-.
take has been made In the adjustment OF
the speed, armor and armament OF the
vessels The best vessel 10 not neces.
sarily the one that can most quickly get
in or out OF battle, or keep out OF bqttle,
but ~ rather the one that can remain III
battle the longest after she gets there it
is safe to say that any vessels or this
class OF equal displacement. having a
higher speed. are deficient In Yome OF the
other Important qualities which these
vessels possess.
The report says that the seven subma-
rine boats ordered for the United states
navy are nearly finished. and will soon
have their official trfalF.
Admiral ONeil went to Europe last
summer and looked over the great naval
ordnance works there. He declares, how
ever. that while there are no such estao-
iishrncnts In this country In point or SIZE
and capacity as many Of the ordnance
factories Of Europe. II IL gratifying to
know that such as we have DO not suHef
in comparison with any of them with re-
aard to the character OF the work or the
method OF performing II,
The last chapter OF the report Is de-
voted to an urgent plea for the better
instruction of officers and men In gun
merry.