New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-23
FAST BATTLESHIPS.

To obtain a correct idea OF the merits Of the
Missouri which has just had her speed trial,
few comparisons are necessary. When IL is an
nounced that she Is the best battleship of her
class in the whole world. it needs to be remem-
bered that there are good many other classes,
and that the one which the Missouri represents
contains only three vessels.
The old Maine. which sunk in Havana
Harbor like the Texas, was good for about
fifteen knots. The Indiana has made half
knot more while the "crack" battleshlp OF the
United States Navy five or six years ago was
the Oregon. The vessels of higher speed at
that period, like the New-York and the Brook
Ign, the Columbia and the Minneapolis were
cruisers Among the newer battleships at least
three grades have come into commission recent
w. The double turreted Kearsarge and the
Kentucky diSplace about II 800 tons. and nearly
reached the seventeen knot limit on their trial
trips. The Alabama, the Wisconsin and the
Illinois developed over seventeen knots, the last
mentioned ship making the best record of the
three. While the displacement Of these three
vessels is almost the same as that of the Kear
sarge and the Kentucky, their turrets are only
one story high and their batteries are not quite
SO heavy.
In the next grade above the Illinois come the
new Maine the Ohio and the Missouri. with
displacement of l. 800 tons, lighter armor and
batteries which, everything considered. are
hardly equal TO those Of the double turreted
ships. Eventually three more eighteen knot bat
tleships, very much bigger than these. are to be
added to the American navy and five others
have been designed which viii displace 1900
tons and develop nineteen knots. To-day, how
ever the Missouri is not only the fastest battle
ship Of her class but the fastest battleship Of
the United States.
Great Britain, too, has several classes Of
heavily armOred vessels, and none of them ex-
actly correspond in either size or armament to
those of this country. During the last few
months at least four battleships of an entirely
new group have been launched. The Common
wealth was set a1oat In May, the King Edward
VII In July, and tie Dominion and the Hindu
stan each at later dates. These are monsters,
displacing no less than 1880 tons, and are ex-
pected to develop eighteen and q half knots.
None Of them having been tried as yet, it is not
possible to say how nearly the expectations of
their designers will be realized but there is little
reason for entertaining doubt that point.
Moreover the British Government already has
in commission much faster battleshps than
these. Vessels of the class TO which the Pussell,
now or recently in the Mediterranean, belongs
displace 1900 tons and achieve no less than
nineteen and half knots! 1t is pleasant when
contemplating these figures. to think OF the
friendly relations which exist between this coun-
try and England.
1t is automatic with naval experts that shin
OF any description usually makes better show
ing on her trial trip than she ever does after
ward Her engines are new, her fires are often
fed with picked coal, and occasionally some adj
ditional advantage is derived from another
source. Thus, in the trial OF the Missouri this
week ii is asserted that oil was poured upon
the solid fuel, TO intensity the heat. Neverthe-
less, the same deterioration In speed which may
be expected with age In American ships may
also be anticipated in those which they Will be