The Washington times., 1903-07-25
EXPERTS NOT AGREED
ON BATTLESHlP TYPE
Bradford Insists Speed Must Not Be
Sacrificed.

Rear Admiral r. b. Bradford. OF the
Bureau of Equipment, mas submitted 70
Secretary Mooly arguments against the
decision Of aoembers Of the board on
construction concerning plans for bat
tIeships OF the Idaho type. whose con-
struction was recently authorized By
Congress.
| II is contended by Admiral Bradford
that in the construction of these bat
tleships OF I3 .OOO-ton displacement
speed must not be sacrificed 70 armor
ant armament. He originally urged
that the battIeships have a greater
speed than the battieshiDs OF 1900 and
J 1S,o00-tOns displacement. but found that
too great sacrifice Of the offensive and
defensive power of the ships would be
required TO attain a speed of twenty
knots an hour. He now advocates the
construction OF the ships IN such a man
aer that they shall at least have speed
equal TO that OF the larger battieships.
Rear Admiral Melville agrees with
! Rear Admiral Bradford in TIE statement
that both speed and radius OF action
I nav DfNA c4~-AA|tA N AHC pans SUD
United for the i2,O00-ton SattIeships for
the purpose of giving the ships armor
and armament equal to that OF larger
battlesh.ss.
Urges Further Expert Advice.
4 After dwelling al length on the fact
that the proposed plans for the Idaho
I class call for battieship too heavily
armed to comply with the provision Of
the act Of Congress that the battleships
shall have the highest practicable speed
and greatest radius of action. Admiral
Bradford concludes with the following
statement:
Five different sketch designs for bat
tleships of the Idaho class were submit
ted to the board on construction By the
chief constructor. Two ships we're to
have a speed Of twenty knots. two
speed Of sixteen and one half
knots. or a possible seventeen knots,
| depending upon obtaining a more EN-
Gent model than the preliminary one
tested for the purpose Of the sketch de-
sign 1t was one OF the latter designs
/ that was recommended by Rear Admiral
O-Nen and Rear Admiral Bowles. al
though the qualifying clause in refer
ence to speed was omitted The nth de-
sign was TO be the Maine with armor
and armament up TO date This design
provides the following:
Normal displacement, 1900 tons:
speed, eight cen knots: coal capacity, not
given; main battery, four 12-ineh and
/ fourteen finch.
While the coal capacity is not given.
the Maine was designed for a total ca
pacity OF 2.os0 tons; when completed
however. her capacity was under 1909
tons 1 recommend this design and con-
slider if possessing more desirable quail
tiles than the one proposed by Rear Adj
miraI O'Neil and Rear Admiral Bowles-
LAS the board is evenly divided on this
subject. / recommend that further ex-
pert advice be sought before accepting
or rejecting either design"
Admiral MelvilIe's Endorsement
Admiral Melville indorsed Admiral
Bradford's report in the following letter:
Il fully concur with Rear Admiral r
B. Bradford in the belief shat both speed
and radius OF action have been sacri-
feed in the design of the Is,OOe-ton bat
| tlesbips in order TO secure arnor and
armament of a character that IS more
appropriate for battleships of increased
! displacement
IT particularly call the attention OF
the department. to the fact that by res-
son OF the progressive Improvement IN
the character OF the powder an in
creased strain has been thrown upon the
/ ship, aud that time and practical service
conditions viii show that TOO many and
too large guns are being installed The
armament is so crowded that it VIII be
found difficult in actual service 10 secure
a rapid supply of ammunition.
1T is my belief, founded upon special
consideration OF this subject, that the
fighting value OF the ship would &c
greatly improved and her endurance in
creased by giving greater speed and N
creasing the radius of action. The &C
tual lighting value Of the ship. even
after reaching the battle line, would
not be reduced by Tightening armament,
for. with the battery contemplated there
is no doubt but that continued troubls
will be experienced with the gun mounts
and emplacements-"