Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-28

cable rate Of fire and onehalf f, aimed med
ibers in length fadds smokeless powder,
a minute, and has a muzzle energy of
1886 foot TONS In other words, 1t is COO
per cent more powerful than the old gun.
The 12-inch gun shows an increase in en-
ergy oyer the old9abn of 351z per cent. Adj
miraI ONeiI says That no such rate Of in
crease is looked for. -the near future.
There is to be aHsnHal renova ton of the
batteries of the oder Ships, and it is said
that new batteries VIII be placed on the
Baltimore, the New York, the Newark and
PhiiadelphIa be sHA new battery of 8
many years more-of service. Also the bu-
reau is considering the feasibility of re-
placing the presgpt fprrets of the battle
ships Oregon, Indiana and ssachustees
with new elipticsEbafxpced turrets, adding
materially to their efficiency.
The "Craze FOR Speed"
With the strife nthe construction board
fresh in his mind, Admiral ONel has
much to say in his report respecting speed
versus armament. He argues that a ship
Is naturally compromise between various
necessities, and says:
IAN nations are afflicted with the speed
craze at intervals. and this country is no
exception. and unless each batch Of new
vessels can equal or beat the worlds record
they are usually characterized as failures,
and in Difference to public sentiment the
tendency Is, to design vessels Of the highest
possible speed, irrespective of the uses for
which they are intended, and in conse-
uuence enormous sums OF money have been
expended by several countries in producing
large and fast vessels which have but
trifing value for fighting purposes, and to-
day 1t requires no little moral courage on
the part CT designers to subordinate the
popular element of speed to other qualities,
no matter how important the latter may
be-"
Then by way of explaining why our new
ships are to be slower than foreign naval
vessels of like size. Admiral O'Neil says:
TT has always been the policy of the
United States to provide its vessels of all
classes with great battery power; that is,
to so arm them that they shall be. superior
to foreign vessels of equal class in that
respect and that sentiment still prevails
and while we have, In a few instances, sub
ordinated all other elements to speed, 1t is
not likely to occur again, and the copsen-
sus of opinion at the present time is in ia
vor of applying large percentages of weight
for armor and armament rather than TO as
signing 1t fer the purpose of attaining the
last possible fraction of knot of speed.
The bureau is convinced that no mistake
has been made in the adjustment of the
speed, armor, and armament of these yes
sells The best vessel is rot necessarily the
one that can most quickly get In or out OF
the one that can remain in battle the long
est after she gets there. .p,- ~ ...t..sf F
instruction in Gunnery.
The last chapter of the report is devoted
to an urgent plea for the better instruction
of officers and men in gunnery. Admiral
O'Neil wants more and better gun pointers
and he especially urges young officers to
each take up at least one feature OF ord
nance work. mechanical or chemical OF
mathematical, or in connection with torpe-
does. and thoroughly master it. An INCL
dental statement in this connection of inter
est as showing how thoroughly the work OF
improving the gunners is going on, is that
three battle ships aof the North Atlantic
squadron alone expended for target practice
during twelve months quarter CT mil
lion dollars WorthJof ammunition.
In closing, Admiral 10 Neil calls tttntfor
to the inadequacy edits present quarters OF
the bureau. 'RomaSsaTe overcrowds d." he
says, ''renderingclit difficult to carry or
work with accuracy and dispatch, and the
necessary space f6f records, drawing tables
ETC.. is absolutely ia ching both for the Off
GERS and civil force. sd All the officers are
packed in one room and carry on their work
under many difficulties. Every year the
situation becomes worse. and soon will be
intoierable unless feIieffs afforded"