Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-13
Ideas From Late War.

There are two reasons why work is
being rushed on thefDreadnought One
is the great saving In cost, but the
chief reason is that the ship is to some
extent an experiment and 1t is desired
mencing construction on any more Of
her class. Great Britain, 1t will be
remembered, was the only power hav-
ing attaches or observers on Japanese
ships during the Russo-Japanese war,
while expert British constructors we're
given every opportunity of learning
wherein the ships of Japan proved
weak or strong as the case might be.
These men were busy from start to fin
ifsh Of the war and Immediately after
the battle of the Sea of Japan, came
home with their data, which was sub
mitted with suggestions, to special
committee on which sat not only the
most experienced naval experts, but
the director of naval construction,
| Lord Kelvin. and number of the lead
ing private shipbuilders. The Dread
nought is the outcome of their delibera.
tions, an embodiment of the lessons of
the late war in the far east, ship ap.
parently invinoible, capable at one dis.
charge of her guns of throwing with
unparalleled force twice as much metal
as any, foreign man-of-war now afoat,
while her armor will render her i'm.
mune from attacks by any
enemy's guns, and, some claim
even against torpedoes, when fired
at the usual battle range.
Construction Secret.
| The details of the Dreadnoughts
construction remain secret so well
has the admiralty guarded the plans
Efforts Of naval attaches to gather In
formation for their governments have
been fruitless No information is
Forthcoming, the answer to all inqui
ries being the candid one that Great
Britain intends to maintain secrecy as
| to what her experts learned as re
suit of Japan's experiences for one
year and by rushing to completion the
Dreadnought, will gain year If moi
more in naval construction over al
other powers except her ally. Usually
when ships are building board is
placed at the head of/the slip giving
the name, displacement. principal di
mansions, horse power and speed. II
the case Of the Dreadnought not ar
item in the design is revealed the
board containing the simple sentence
His majesty's ship Dreadnought
commenced October 2, 1905"
1880 Tons Displacement.
When ready for sea the ship viii
displace 1880 tons but this Is the
least remarkable thing about her fol
besides the ideas introduced as a re
suit of the far eastern war Britain Ii
/ placing on her new fighting machine
the heaviest armament ever carried
by ship. In the past British vessel!
!. have carried four twelye-inch guns
throwing $50 pounds shells; thu
Dreadnought will have ten of thes'
weapons of new type with muzzl'
energy of 49,56S, as compared with thu
1892 of the guns carried in as recen
4 battleships as the Majectic class, al
increase in power Of so per cent. Il
a great sea fight the Dreadnought will
be able to discharge every minute tel
projectiles weighing $500 pounds witt
sufficient velocity to send them TWEEN
ty-fve miles or to penetrate about six
teen inches of the hardest armor at
7 range of about two miles.
;, All Big Guns.
Unlike all British and foreign bal
tleships built in the past thirty year
; the new addition to the fleet will carr
no weapon smaller than the grea
twelve inch piece except eightee
three-inch quick-firers for repelling a.
lacks by torpedo craft. She wi
.. mount neither 90 inch, rs inch nor
inch guns, she will be the biggest wal
ship afloat and she will have onl
the biggest and most powerful guns
, The secrets which will be incorpora
: ed in the huge hull are still hidde
but it is known that they tend to ecor
: omy as we'll as efficiency. The DREAD
) nought will cost ten per cent per to
/ Drsfs e