New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-31
SWIFT BAT,TLESHIPS.
EngLrlRs Libertad and Constitution
Erceed Our Fastest.

An unusual degree OF interest Will be felt IN the
essgn Of thu twin warsfhps. the Nbertad and the
Constitution, which Chill has Just sold to Great
Britain. Naval experts have differed among them
sesres widely about the essentials OF a typical
bartlesflsp Each OF the leading powers pursues e
slightly different policy from the others and even
ne advisers OF single government usually enter
tain extremely diverse views Of what such vessel
should be- Every one that IS built therefore. Is
practically a compromise; ana compromises never
give oornpiets satisfaction anybody In planning
the LEbertad and Constitution much greater in
dependence and individuality to have been ex-
srcised. OF course the CHILEAN authorities were
consulted and gave their approval but the design
was almost exclusively the product of single
mind. Sir Edward Reed. who IS associated with
the great shipbuilding firm of Whftworth s. Arm
strong. had things pretty much his own way. That
abe workmanship on both vessels was OF the high
order may be inferred from the fact that this
firm built one, and the other-the Libertad-was
constructed by the concern with which Nickers and
Sir Hiram Maxim identified.
The problem that Sir Edward Reed undertook to
solve was finding the best way TO get fighting eff
cheney at a moderate cost He did not design a big
vessel a heavy one. but he made a speciality
OF speed. That quality IS, OF course, invariably
sought IN cruisers. Some experts. though think
that battleship need be in particular hurry, II
She is only a formidable fortress Sir Edward is
not Of that opinion evidently. The Nbertad on
her trial trip developed a speed Of 2012 knots Tor
even better. Now until recently the best American
battleships made only i knots. When the Mis-
souri, over a shorter course, recorded 1s.l4 knots
last October it was regarded as brilliant achieve
Tnent However. the class Of English batueship or
which the Russell is a representative is designed
10 make 1872 knots. and the enormous vessels OF
which the King Edward VII IS the pioneer should
do about half a knot better, only eGualling. how
ever the speed Of the recent acquisitions from
Chill.
The designer OF the Libertad and Constitution ola
not secure his end by introducing especially big en-
Eines Each ship is able develop only 14o0-horse-
power. while the Missouris engines give 16OOO ana
the RusselTs 1900 In point of size the Gillian
vessels just trifie smaller than the American
vessel with which comparison has been made. The
displacement OF the former is S39 tons. and that
Of the latter 1880. The Russell is still heavier
The first great resource employed TO get speed for
the Libertad and her twin sister was slenderness.
The ratio between their length and breadth is GA
30 J. The proportion between the same dimensions
of the Russell is $50 20 l. The shape of the Mis-
souri, more nearly conforms to that or the RusseA
Than 10 the outlines of Sir Edward Reeds products
Something has been accomplished. too, by light
ening the armor and guns 1t VIII thus be seen
that the vessels just acquired resemble the best
erunored cruisers of the day. So insensibly does
one type merge into another that it is difficult 10
make a strict classification. The same designation
has different meaning in different countries. stil
THAT high authority. Engineering" which has
1sbertsd insists on calling her battleship. Her
four big gIIns-two forward and two aft-have
cafrbre Of 10 inches while those Of the Missouri
and Russell are 12-inch guns The armored cruiser
Tennessee now building for the United States, Will
oarry four I0-inch guns. The arTnor belt OF the
lrbertad ranges IN thickness from three 20 seven
inches The barbettes defended by ten inches
et metal The gun positions OF the Russell are
utdslded by eleven inches, while her armor belt
proper IS seven inches thick On the Missouri the
maximum thickness OF the water line belt IS eleven
inches but her turrets have 12-inch plates. The
Tennessee viii be protected with from three and
one-half TO six inches. with inches for her case
mates ana eight nine for the barbettes-in-
closures corresponding the turrets. 1t should be
added that the ratio between the Tennessees length
and breadth VIII be about TO J. her displacement is
estimated ct 1880 tons her engines expected
10 develop 1900 horsepower. and her speed is in
tended TO be twenty-five knots.
A comparison Of the offensive armament OF the
Sattleships and cruiser here mentioned is needed to
complete the description Reference has already
been made to the bigger pieces which they all
carry or VIII eventually carry The Libertad and
Constitution each have fourteen 7t-inch guns. the
Russell has twelve 6-inch pieces and the Missouri
sixteen OF the latter cabre, while the Tennessee is
Designed TO mount the same. The secondary bat