New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-19
4 FINE RATTLESHIP.

The Rhode Island, which was launched on
Tuesday, is the second battleship of her class TO
take the water The Virginia was put afioat Mt
Newport News early last month. Three others
are in process Of construction-the New-Jersey
at Quincy, the Georgia at Bath and the Ne
braska at Seattle. These vessels, alike in d.
mansions and equipment, promise to constitute
an important addition to the United States
Navy. Their speed is expected TO reach nine
teen knots, and will be equalled by that Of few
batteships belonging TO any foreign power,
while their armament will place them among
the most formidable fighters in the world
In the vessels OF the Virginia class Will be
carried out the comparatively modern policy OF
Introducing a number of guns having a cali
bre intermediate between the standard 6inch
rifles and the 12-inch guns in the turrets The
Rhode Island and her sister ships will mount
no fewer than eight 8-inch guns IN addition TO
dozen 6inch rifles, whereas the last battleship
10 go into commission in the American navy the
Missouri has nothing bigger in her secondary
battery than 6-inch breechloaders, of which she
carries sixteen. As yet, apparently, Russia
Japan France and Germany lack battleships in
which this class OF weapon is employed, but
England and Italy have shown their apprecia-
ton of its merits. In the King Edward VII and
the vessels built on the same model the next
smaller guns than those of the primary battery
ly purchased battleships the Triumph and the
Swiftsure Originally the Libertad and the Con-
stitucion). mount several 712-inch guns Italy
has put, or is about to put dozen Sinch guns
into each Of her best battleships. 1t will be re-
membered that the United States made tho first
experiment of this kind with the Kentucky and
the Kearsarge, which have two S-inch guns in
the upper part Of each turret, or four alto
gether. While other countries are beginning to
foil fha
veloping the system still further.
The contracts for the FIVE battleships of the
Virginia class were signed ON February 10, 1901,
and they called for the completion of the vessels
on the corresponding date this year With n
single exception. not keel was laid until April
or May, 1902 1t is not TO be wondered ut
therefore, that progress has been slow Rarely
is big war vessel ready to go into commission
until eighteen months or two years after being
launched. 1t is improbable, therefore, that the
Virginia and her sisters will be ready for SER
vice before the close of 1905 or early in 1906
Much as the delay is to be regretted there is con-
ISOLATION IN the fact that England and Germany
usually experience similar Yexations Just be-
fore his retirement from the service Rear Adj
miral BOwles, then chief of the Bureau of Con-
sruction, reviewed in one of his reports the
causes which combine to hinder the completion
OF warships at the time agreed upon. Un-
fortunately, the government itself has In the
past been responsible to some extent having
sometimes altered its plans after the contracts
were signed, or found itself unable to supply
the guns when the ships were ready. For this
and other reasons Admiral Bowles advised MAX
ing larger time allowance in framing future
contracts. There can be little doubt about the
expediency Of doing so, but If such course is
adopted the government should impose heavier
penalties than hitherto for failures to finish
work in accordance with stipulations.