New-York tribune., 1905-11-25
TYPE or BATTLESHIP,S.
Board Of Construction Opposes
MoUement for I8,00O-Ton Boats.

Washington, Nov. A-Whether the President
shall be requested to recommend to Congress the
authorization of batteships dsplacing $1,000 tons
instead of 5000 tons rests with Secretary Bona
parte, who has before him the conflicting reports
of the General Board of the navy and the
board of construction The former of which
Admiral Dewey is president. consists of the
chief of the bureau of navigation the pres-
ident of the Naval War College, the chief in
teligence officer and four other line officers The
board OF construction is composed of the chiefs of
the bureaus of steam engineering. equipment ord
nance and construction and repair. and in case of
a tie vote the chief of the bureau of navigation
Great Britain having ordered the building of a.
batteship dispacing trial 1900 tons-the
Dreadnaught-as an experiment. the General
Board is in favor of the American navy following
suit by building three battIeshps of $1,000
tons and by increasing the tonnage of the
battleshps authorized at the last Congress the
South Carolina and the Michigan from 5000 to
1900 tons In addition the General Board asks
for three scout cruisers. five gunboats and addt-
tional torpedo boats and destroyers
The board of construction, its report to the
Secretary. dsapproves of the first item of the
General Boards programme, the authorization
mage of the two battleships already authorized to
that figure. The board is in favor of a homo
ship is at best experiment, and that the
additional tonnage increases only little the ships
fighting efficiency. The board calls attention
the fact that battleshps of to-day built for
long range fighting, and a ships fighting power
is to be measured to a great extent by the num-
Der of guns she can present in broadside. The
proposed South Carolina type, of 1900 tons dis
placement is designed to carry eight Pinch guns
III her battery, arranged that she can present
eight guns a broadSide. The Dreadnaught, Of
1900 tons, is designed carry ten guns in her
main battery, and present only seven guns in
a broadside Nor is the board of construction
unanimously certain that ii is possible for ship
of 1900 tons carry 127Ch gurs, the Dread
naught having a mixed battery of 81 and Il inch
guns. On the ground, therefore that the l6Oop-ton
battleship is, all things considered. the more for
InidabIe and effective man-ofwar. the board urges
that the battleShips be authorized by this Con-
gress be of this type, and recommends that the !
South Carolina and the Michigan be built au-
thOrized of 1900 tons trial displacement.
Because they believe battleships to be the para
mount need of the navy to-day and not hopeful !
that the Congress will authorize large building !
programme. the board Of construction urges that /
he departments efforts be concentrated to obtain |
hree batteships of 1900 TONS and If possible I
hree scout cruisers The board is in favor Of waiv-
ng al this session Of Congress the request for ad
iftionaI torpedo craft and gunbOats.
Reports that Japan is building a 1900 ton battle
hip are secuted by the naval experts here The
Tapanese have succeeded thus far In keeping the
xact type their latest batteship secret, although
is believed that its displacement is between 1900