Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-06-02
Is the IsattIeship Doomed2

The discussion started by Senator
Hale of Maine shortly prior to the ad-
journment of congress relative to strik-
ing out the appropriation for the build
ing of additional battleships. although
1t failed of its immediate purpose, is
yet Indicative of a growing sentiment
that the efficiency of these great float
ing forts in the actual test of war has
been greatly overestimated. The sink
ing OF the Petropavlovsk and the in
jury wrought by torpedo and mine on
other Russian war vessels doubtless
had much to do in crystnllizing public
opinion But 1t will be recalled that
naval experts have predicted for many
years that with the introduction of the
submarine and the inevitable develop
ment in the line of torpedo warfare the
comparatively clumsy battleship would
be at the mercy Of these lighter craft.
The comment of the press on the sub
ject is all pretty much in the same di-
rection, the trend being adverse to the
battleship. Says the Washington Post:
At this distance. and with the facts at
our disposal we are bound to conclude
that the battleship, save as an escort for
or the victim of the torpedo boat, cuts
very small figure in naval warfare as de-
veioped by the Japanese 1t is a vast
and cumbrous structure costing millions
OF dollars, filed with delicate machinery
easily disaITanged and subject at all
times to disaster from within. The loso
of one of these means the loss of hun
dreds of lives and millions of property.
1t means also a stupendous calamity, with
all the inevitable consequences of horror
and decentralization. If 1t means anything
more than this. only the gifted few are
in the secret.
We are told that Admiral Makaroff re-
garded the battleship as a mere helpless
death trap. III so, he Illustrated that
theory in his own lamentable and heroic
death. 10
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, however,
regards the results in the far east as
tnconclusive, SO far as the practical
value of the battleship is concerned,
and thinks there are not yet sufficient
facts on which to base decision. 1t
says:
These vessels have never been given in
war that crucial test without which 1t
would be folly to condemn them. The
Spanish American war was so one sided
that 1t proved nothing, and the same prom
iSes to be true of the war now in progress,
so far as hattleships are concerned. This
type of craft has never yet been subjected
to the trial for which it was designed
to stand in the first line of a naval en-
gagement in the open sea and bear the
brunt of the battle.
The Boston Globe believes that there
Is need of radical revolution in the
plan of constructing war vessels. In,
this connection it cites the invention of
q Boston shipbuilder, which, it says.
has received the hearty approval of
naval experts. The scheme of the in
ventor is thus described:
He has developed double nulled shir.
with compartments so arranged and con-
structed that 1T supplies mathematical
certainty against sinking. Between the
outer and inner shells of his vessel is a
series of longitudinal compartments to be
filled and emptied with water by the
ships pumps for ballast; above this sec
height of the vessels sides, is a series Of
chambers filled with small air tight tanks,
their capacity being figured in excess of
the known displacement of the ship and
cargo. Thus a cubic foot of air has a
perfect supporting capacity for certain
weight. IT the supply of air In these
tanks is % per cent above that required
by the formula, nothing short of a frag-
mentary destruction could sink vessel.
Any probable collision, the penetration of
shot or the explosion of a torpedo
would 1nJuTe only small proportion of
the air tanks, and the rest would easily
and safely perform their work. vessel
thus equipped would be practically non
sinkable
The New York Times sums up the
matter as it relates to the American
appropriations in this fashion.
The discussion in the United States sem
ate started by Senator Hale in his com
ments on the conference report on the
naval appropriateness bill was extremely
significant 1t warranted the conclusion
that II the matter of the appropriation
Tor new battleships had not been agreed
to by both houses and thus placed beyond
the jurisdiction of the conference COM
mfttee its recommendation would be to
strike out the provision for battleships,
As It Is the members Of the committee
seemed to derive some comfort from the
fact that the authority conferred upon the
president In this matter is permissive and
not mandatory and that it was hoped
he would avail himself of the discretion
vested in him to postpone for a year the
authorization of tho building of craft of
this character, thus awaiting the results
OF the war now In progress in the east In
which 1t Is believed the value OF the bat
faS