New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-30
THE CONNECTICCT.

Enthusiasm over the launching Of the big bat
tlcship at the Brooklyn Navy Yard yesterday Is
justified by many considerations. The occur
renee produced n scene OF exceptional beauty
and disclosed Il rare triumph Of engineering and
executive Skill The vessels Of the class TO
which the Connecticut belongs are the largest
now under construction for the American navy.
Still another cause for congramation Is the fine
progress which has been made in building her
\ government yard Iubors under certain disad
vantages in undertaking a piece OF work like
this in comparison with private yard. Never
thrlcss In the race with the builders Of the
Louisiana, a sister battlcshp the Brooklyn
Navy Yard has made a record OF which I'll mny
well be proud. The time which interviewed be-
tween laying the kccls Of and launching the two
vessels is almost identical 10 n day. being
trhe over eighteen months, but there Is reason
10 think that the Connecticut is appreciably
further advanced toward completion than the
Louisiana. Ii is not unlikely that she will he
ready 20 20 into commission ms soon as or
sooner than the ship which recently
launched nj Newport News The work already
done is officially estimated at "a per cent Of that
which was originally required If ali goes we'll,
therefore, the Connecticut should be- finished in
three years from the time when she was begun
if not soouer-a performance that would he
practically unique in American naval expert
cnce.
In the October number OF "Cassier's Maya
| zine" Joseph Il. Oldham discusses the feasbn.
ity Of rapid shipbuildlng in manner which Is
both hattering and uncomplimpntary to this
country. lie thinks that the United States has
been too slow IN the past. but he has such conf
dencc In American talent that he believes it pos
sible TO finish first class bat'leship here in
wear. Il must be confessed that the reasons
which he gives in support of the second propo-
stlou are not altogether convincing. His COM
parisou between small ship for laying cables
ana large war vessel is unfortunate not to
say absurd To cite the shortncss of the inter
val which elapsed between the laying Of a keel
aud the launching of vessel proves little. un-
less the additional time required to finish her Is
also mentioned. The most striking Instance to
which Mr. Oldham refers is the completion of
the Libertad for Chilli within twenty-One months
1t must be observed, however that this battle
ship now the property Of Great Britain and re-
named the Triumph has displacement of less
than 1900 tons The Connecticut will displace
10000 tons. Without doubt the builders of the
Libertad Nlckers Maxim & Coz performed n
remarkable feat. but they have not demonstrated
the possibility OF accomplishing n much more
difficult task in single year
Against that highly exceptional case must no
offset the almost universal practice Of the most
progressive European nations. The completion
OF two German batlcships in thirty five months
and one in forty months was recently Dro-
nounced by another contributor to '.Cassiers'
an excellent achievement IN naval constrlc-
| ton. So II was, but Germany has no warsbins
which displace more than 1900 tons The
French battleshlp Democratic, which will have
a displacement OF 1900 tons was Iauncbad
| early last summer. Fully a year. PERTAINS eIpb
| teen months, had then elapsed since work was
| begun on her, and the hope was exnressad +bo+
she might be finished In two years more The
| British DattlcShip Russell n4OOO tons) dill NOT
! go into commission until nearly four wears ofter
her keel was laid. In the last official renort of
Rear Admiral BOwles before his retirement from
| the post OF chief Of the Bureau of Construction
| the statement was made that, while there was
much 10 regret in the delays which had hitherto
attended the building OF war vessels for the
United States, this country compared favorably
with foreign nations in that respect
Admiral Bowles, in the same report euumer
atod the causes which often hinder such work
Sometimes the steel for a ship is not furnished in
conformity with agreement. Sometimes the guns
and armOr are not ready when they should be.
Occasionally the government does not fully ma
| ture its plans before closing a contract and
works ont many details afterward. to saw moth
ing of making actual changes in design II wos
remarked that the plans for the Connection and
the Louisiana had been matured and elaborated
with special care. That fact partly accounts for
! the gratifying progress already made on those