The Washington times., 1904-11-19
FLOATING BATTERY
IN COAST DEFENSE
Arson Stokes Invents New
Type Of Almlment.
EXPLAINED TO NAVAL MEN
So Constructed as to Change the
Position and Effectiveness of
Big Guns.

Naval officers are much interested I'm
plans Arson Phelps Stokes. the New
York millionaire, has devised for a cir
cuIar floating battery of great displace-
ment which lie thinks will revolutionize
the defense of important strategic
points
Mr. Stokes has patented his plans and
first explained them at a recent meeting
of the Society of Naval Architects in
New York 1t is "a sort of a circular
fortress ahoat. and is not wholly unlike
some wide beam vessels which Russia
constructed some years ago.
Mr. Stokes has named his new device
the Corebus and discussed it as fol-
lows.
zone such semi-globular battery could
defend or blockade an important strait;
could protect the mouth of a trans
continental ca al or dominate almost
any large seaport, and could safely re-
sist more than a dozen of the largest
b5ttleships. which cost s7.5OJ.0OJ apiece.
"As the purpose of the Cerberus is
defense rather than aggression, il is
not necessary that it be able TO move
rapidly from one place 10 another.
Should the Cerberus need TO move qaickl
~ 90 q distance, am armOrtj cruiser
might find useful ard safe employment
in towing her. The two vessels might
sometimes be used together as small
squadron THE roll of the CeTberus i'm
gale would bee very slight.
Value en- the Coast.
THE navel powers know the exact
position of the large guns in cur coast
Notifications, but the Cerbcrus could
change its position.
''Nhsu the great struggle comes for
the control Of the Windward Passage,
key 10 the Caribbean and the Panama
Canal. which we may be called upon to
defend. the existing type OF battleshlp
may be- found insufficient. and land for
tiicatious and mines VIII not suffice,
for the WiudWard Passage is wide and
deem. ass are also the other entrances
20 the Caribbean Sea
.'q.he late nasal battles make it evil
dent that for a leading position IN sea
power and for the proper protection OF
our coasts and of our officers and crews
I'm battle, there is need for sOmethlnE
more powerful than the present ll.p.9-
ton baft.asnip- with us tWelye-lhch guns
and insufficient armOr. and That only
the very foremost nations VIII be able
10 maintain really effective fleets.
Naval Supremacy.
with the Increase in size and power
o. new types Of blttleshiDs and naval
batteries may come the naval suprem-
acv Of America alone.
Nations Weaz III battieships may hug
abe i5ea ot commerce desUoyers, but
that b3r5aro'Iz system of waBing war
must be destroyed as were privateerins
and piracy Commercial vessels are now
Luilt much larger than the largest bat
ueshiFs But more powerful batdesalps
are sue t1 be built and more powerful
guns. Lard fort.hoauons cannot now
DE made sufficient 10 protect our ports.
'sIfo-v dangerous viii be the position of
N.v York and other large cities when
attacked D- naval guns having a range
of twenty miles or more li we DO not
rra.ss. lFcuuat. coast defense ships.
What would the capture OF al our foi-
c.-,u merchant vessels bcueur an enemy
Cr iujure us u.s. compared with the cap
urr ol one of cur great cities By hos
tIe hgst'