Arizona republican., 1906-12-27
THREE GREAT WARsHIPs.
The British, Japanese and the Proposed
 American.


 What would happen if in the un- likely event of war between Japan and England the giant British bulldo5 Dreadnaught and the heavier Japanese battleship Satsuma should meet in due on the sea? That speculation is calcu- lated to stir the imagination of naval folk the world over, and experts will answer 1t according to their conception of the respective battery power of the ships, their constructive strength of re- sistance and the ability of the men be- hind the guns.
 It has been demonstrated that the Japanese can shoot and that they are as courageous as the Caucasian. It IS known also that the English are good at hitting floating targets; in fact they are second only to the bluejackets of Uncle Sam in sea practice with bis guns. The comparative ability of the ships Is a problem the solution of which is rendered difficult by the mystery with which the Japanese have surrounded { the Satsuma. She is of 19, 9,20O tons dis placement, thus exceeding the Dread naught by 1900 tons. She has what the English themselves now seem to re- gard as the disadvantage of reciprocal ting engines.
 The Dreadnaught is propelled by tur- pines that give her greater steadiness when going a high speed The more l rigid the gun platform the more accu- rate the gunfre.
 Both the Satsuma and the Dread naught were built in record time. The Japanese boat has the distinction of employing only Japanese fin her design and construction. She represents the highest genius of the Japanese adopts who went through the war with Russia as officers of the conquoring squad rons. IL may be that they found out few things that escaped the observ- CTS of other nations who had less inti- mate knowledge of the sea fights, and that the Satsuma has been built and equipped in accordance with these dis coveries.
 The Dreadnaught has the advantage of speed by perhaps nearly two knots. She is practically in the cruiser class in this respect, and If she found she were getting the worst of it she might run away. The Satsuma would have to fight to the end or surrender.
 The somewhat indefinite reports about the Satsuma published just after her launching say that her main bat tery consists of four 12-inch guns in turrets forward and aft on the center line, and twelve 10-inch guns in pairs in turrets on the broadside. She can 1s.rn ra D guns and four 10-inch guns ahead or astern. and deliver a broadside of four 12-inch and six 10-inch guns. She also has battery of twelve 4.7-inch rapid firers to stop the onslaught of torpedo boats and destroyers.
 The Dreadnaught has a main battery of ten 12-inch guns capable of piercing 22 inches of armor at 5000 yards. She can concentrate on either broadside eight of these mighty rifles and can fire six either dead ahead or astern.
 The British declare that the lessons of the Japanese sea battles have dem onstrated the superiority of the 12-inch gun. The Japanese themselves who were closer to the conflict than anybody else, apparently believe also in the ef-
 
 they would have placed more rifles of the greater caliber aboard the power- full Satsuma
 It may be inferred, although there are no accurate data at hand just yet to bear it out, the Satsuma and the Dreadnaught are much alike in having little top hamper and in having their guns so placed that the blast of one will not interfere with the work of the crew shooting another The Dread naught has three separated coming towers from which the ship may be sought. Our own uncompleted big bat tleships, the South Carolina and the Michigan. have two each.
 The Satsuma and Dreadnaught are alike in having great beam (that of the British ship being S2 feeD and depth, which give them stability. Stays and shrouds have have been abolished on both ships and the tubular masts are self-supporting.
 Whatever the American naval expert may think about the chances in battle of the Satsuma and the Dreadnaught. he recently has had reason to congrat- ulate himself on the prospective pos session of a greater wardog than that of either the mikado or Jo5n Bull. Un- cle Sam has decided to go them one better by constructing a floating, or racing, battery of 2OOO tons displace- menC
 The plans submitted are receiving the consideration. of a special naval board appointed by Secretary Bona parte. They call for an armament of twelve 12-inch guns mounted in six turrets. all on the center line and so arranged that all may be fired on either brOadside. The middle turrets of the group are to be forty-five feet above the water line
 The design provides also for sixteen 5-inch rapid-firers for defense against torpedo attack. All the virtues of the Satsuma and the Dreadnaught. it : is said. will be utilized in the proposed battleship which will not be built in d hurry. FaL}
 Secretary Bonapartes boafd has six other plans than that of the giant battleship to ponder upon. It is said that all of them are for ships more powerful than the Dreadnaught.
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 EOOIIcL EINANHE