New-York tribune., 1906-07-17
THE NEW BATTLESHIPs.

In the battleships Michigan and South Caro-
lima for which the contracts have just been let
the United States government for the first time
embodies the great principle emphasized by the
war between Japan and Russia-that hereafter,
In all probability, fighting at sea will be con
Quoted at long range. The modern policy is to
employ in the main battery only guns of single
size and these Of the largest practicable calibre.
The dozen finch rifles Of the vessels of the Con-
necticut class, the eight S-inch guns and the
dozen 6-inch guns of the Georgia class will be
discarded, and the sole reliance, except for re
pelling torpedo boats, will be Pinch breech-
leaders. In the Michigan and the South Caro-
lima the secondary battery will closely resemble
but differ slightly from that Of the Connecticut,
but the largest guns which 1t will include will
have a calibre Of inches and discharge a IA
pound projectile.
If Admiral Dewey and his associates ON the
General Board could have had their way, Con
gress would have been asked to sanction an in
crease in the size Of these two vessels. whose
construction was authorized more than a year
ago The members of the General Board pre-
ferred a displacement of $4,000 tons (like that
Of the DreadnoughU to the 10000 which was
originally proposed. They also wanted to equip
the new ships with ten big guns another respect
in which the Dreadnought would have been
eaualled The board Of construction and Secre-
tary Bonaparte however did not approve of this
scheme Only such changes of plan, therefore,
as the department was at liberty to make itself
were effected.
In size $4,000 tons), engine power (1650O
horsepower and speed Us knots the Michi-
gan and the South Carolina will be identi-
cal with the Connecticut, but they will mount
eight 12-inch guns whereas no other battleship
under construction for the United States or
already In commission mounts or will mount
more than four Of that calibre. With the ex-
ception Of the Dreadnought the same thing may
be said Of all the other navies of the world
-Four other powers besides Great Britain
Japan, Russia, Germany and France-are COM
mitted TO the policy Of having 1SyO00-ton ships
with no offensive armament intermediate be-
tween 12-inch guns and the small pieces re-
quired 10 discourage torpedo attack, but little
headway has yet been made toward the con-
summation Of their new plans
The Senate having thwarted the proposition
20 authorize a battleship even bigger than the
another year. This country, nevertheless, will
have occasion for satisfaction over the fighting
qualities Of the vessels just put under contract
The arrangement Of their guns-in pairs along
the central line Of each ship-will make 1t pos
sibe TO employ all OF the eight guns in broadside
fire, and In that respect the power Of the Dread
nought will be fully matched. The Dreadnought
can train six guns directly forward, whereas the
Michigan and the South Carolina will be able
to bring only four 10 bear in that direction. On
the other hand II is probable that the gun fire Of
The new American ships directly aft will be
more powerful than the Dreadnoughts. 1t has I
been asserhsd that the two turrets In which thA I