Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-29
INCREASE OF THE NAVY
Discussion of the Size of the
Battleships.
DEWEY'S VIEWS OPPOSED
ACCESSIBILITY of Building Giant Yes
sci Questioned.
VIEWS OF THE CONSTRUCTORS
Caps Urges That Effectiveness and
Not Size is What Should Be
First Considered.

Since the decision of the House commit
tee on naval affairs to recommend an ap
preparation OF $4,000. 900 for the construction
of a battleship larger than any now a1oat
naval experts in Washington have begun a
heated discussion of the size of battleships,
which shows that Admiral Dewey Is not
supported by many naval officers in his adj
vocacy of battleship greater than the
is ,000-ton English battleship Dreadnaught.
Naval constructors are agreed that an eff
fectve battleship with displacement of
10000 tons or more can be constructed for
the American navy, but the ACCESSIBILITY of
authorizing one ship of this type at the
present time and not making an effort to
provide additional 16O0o-ton battleships to
supplement the quota, of smaller ships and
thus make a desirable working unit out OF
them is questioned by many naval author
tiles.
Four Similar Ships Wanted.
At least four battleships of the same
speed and with similar batteries and equip
ment are necessary. according to the view
of these constructors to be effective In an
engagement One great battleship. even II
ii be swifter and have more guns than any
other ship afioat, they contend. cannot ac-
complisll anything in actual war and is no
more effective than the slower and less
formidable ships with which 1t is joined in
action.
When Admiral Capps. the chief construc-
tor of the navy. discussed the size of bat
tleships before the House committee on
naval affairs he advocated the construction
of two 16.0Oo-ton battleships, like the pro-
posed battleships Michigan and South Car
DINA, that the navy may have four effec-
tive ships of this type to operate together
He assured the committee that the navy
can prepare plans for battleship of any
size, but urged that effectiveness and not
Size, is what should be considered first.
His advice was not seconded, however, by
Admiral Dewey, who showed a decided
preference for one great battleship, rather
than two smaller ones.
If Congress should decide that the new
hattleshtps must have twelve 12-inch guns,
as has been suggested a ship with dis
placement of 22.000 tons would be neces-
Sary, IN the opinion of Admiral Caps, and
Secretary Bonaparte believes this will prob
ably be the size of the proposed ship. The
British battleship DreadDaught carries only
ten Pinch guns.
The Battleships of the Navy.
The twenty-seven ffrst-class battleships
OF the United States navy are of eight diff
fent types, and the variety is so great that
few of the ships are suitable for Joint
operations. The ships may be classed In
types as follows:
Indiana, Massachusetts, Oregon.
Iowa.
Kearsarge and Kentucky.
Illinois, Alabama and Wisconsin.
Maine Missouri and Ohio.
Virginia, Nebraska, Georgia, New Jersey
and Rhode Island
louisiana and Connecticut
Vermont, Kansas and Minnesota.
Mississippi and Idaho.
New Hampshire.
South Carolina and Michigan.
This great variety is not satisfactory to
naval officers who are anxious that the
rev construction should be harmonized IN
such manner that more of the battleships
may be used In forming units for action
One Officers Views.
"In the clamor for the biggest battleship
in the world many persons seem to lose
sight of the fact that the bigger vessel
is the better target it Makes one promi-
nent naval officer said in discussing the
proposed ship. But, of course, this is
world of big things. and the United States
must not be left behind
1t is probable that a gigantic battleship
of the size proposed by Congress cannot
be completed in less than four or hve years
It will take almost year to prepare the
plans for such q ship, and consequently
Congress would really not be authorizing
an immediate appropriation in case II de-
cided to approve the action of the House
committee on naval affairs. On the other
hand the authorization of ships of the
South Carolina and Michigan type, it Is
pointed out. would mean an immediate ap-
preparation, for plans and specifications for
that type are prepared.
Great Britain constructed the Dread
naught In less than a year from the time
II was authorized Naval officers of other
countries have intimated that the Dread
powers might see how soon England can
btIild a navy.