New-York tribune., 1905-07-15
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
rrnon 80 raIBuNn nanEAu.l

IFRoN THE TRIBUNE RrREAul
Washington, July "A.
To PRACTISE OFF NARTHA'S VINEYARD
Preparations are already being made for the tar
get practice which viii be held by some forty-ive
fifty ships Of the navy at Martha's Vineyard N
September or October. The work Will be OF pre-
liminary nature and not what is known as record
target practice. such that held at Pensacola
IN the spring OF each year. There will be two sets
Of ranges where the ships will operate. one oeIhs
for the larger vessels and another. more proteceo
from the winds and storms. for the smaller crulS-
ers Eunboats and torpedo craft 1t is probable.
also there viii be torpedo practice. with Which
50 much has been accomplished in Southern waters
during the last few months. There had been pre-
viously practically no practice OF any klnd Win
tOrpedoes outside OF the torpedo station at New
mort and most officers OF the navy had come to the
conclusion that, whatever the torpedo might be as
a factor of offence. # not, strictly speaking
an instrument Of precision. There was the prelu-
dice that It required considerable skill to tre the
torpedo so as TO do damage 90 an enemy. rms Is
admitted by those who know most about the toI-
pedo but they say the same lllhs iIllsIa +bet
marked Of guns and Frolectiles. II IS hele tna1
pedosts there will be rs much expertness in that that
sort OF work as n navad gI%5eis % and IN the pTeVi-
S1S 1raSement IN he firing Of the torpedo. and It
snerrT while the ships are at Marthas vineyard
ySe u IS i believed there should be no dimnu-
ton Il is found from reports received regaI0lls gs
the naval battles of the Russians ana JapaIisSSS
that the firing At long Tspge % & afGre aRa ir8 SetweeR
shins 81 war viii be al distances which are gov
eTned entirely by the hight Of the Pr9ieGtle. .aia ~
treinnr in bifting the target at something peslaSS
the ordinary range. In the same We Wy ,sg be ac-
,,sf5-sa os 1s 10 ne appearance OF enemy under
cover Of the darkness.
Wv tn INSTALL, TIJRBINES.-The most i'm
,ortant change in naval construction In years Is
that which proposes to place In one OF the nc"
hattleships for which plans are no" oeins iI.aO =.
turbines instead Of reciprocating engines II Is
.peoted that this viii result IN speed OF elshIeeh
80 tbree-ouarters knots. or three-Quarters OF a
knot more than the New-Hampshlre type. inns
win present the direct question OF "netheI me- me-
should be a lessening OF weights IN otheF oePaIl I
rnents OF the ship in order TO give greater speeu'
- prohsblv the tentative plans presented TO the
@ noe ~ ~ ssHoT Of less speed and more guns, less
- lssRts az m S +a srr16r There will also be the
question Of coal supply. coming up IN com eoletoi t
and which IN time Of war would make them & oea
pendent upon their own resources IA me Tooe
81 f0Feign coallng stations ne ~ % - an eI1
10 be recognized as Of prime importance sS s %
ton on board a batteshiR is radical depaTtuI e
from the conservative policy OF the bureau oL
TeDorts which relate TO the chief characteristics of
the ships, and these documents VIII De sem "
the experts with whom rests the final decision
THE SAN FRANCISCO CAUSES oUANDARY,-
The long apd hard fight the boilers Of the
San Francisco has ended with a decision not TO
replace the present boilers OF that ship This de-
cision TO repair the old Scotch boilers OF the san
Francisco includes the making OF other repairs and
changes Of great Importance on the ship The pros
pect is that the vessel viii be out of commission
for several years, and that before the San Fran
cisco Is restored 10 the active list large amount
Of money will be expended IN her renovation. The
question rises just now, and will probably be pre-
scented to Secretary BonapaTte when he gets down
20 business in the Navy Department, as to the fate
Of the San Francisco The naval strategists say
that the ship has outlived her usefulness and that
there many defects which cannot be re-
moved without going TO the expense OF pracIlca-ly
rebuilding the ship, that II is not worth While k6c-
ting the vessel in the service They are Inclined
believe that IL would be better 10 offer her Tor
sale rather than eXpend much money on her:
one proposition has been to place turbines instead
OF reeiprecating engines IN the hull, and make this
q ship Of three or four propulsion. This plan
eontemp Plates adding TO the coal capacity and also
increasing the battery TO include a number
of The heaviest guns which the vessel can carry
The Navy DeDs Ftment people believe that this
would be good idea but they are inclined TO leel
that they cannot make such radical change az
such great cost without the express authority OF
congress. A recommendation in the line indicated
may come before Congress next session