The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-18
Big BATTLESHIPS.
NAVAL BOARD BELIEVES THE
BRITISH PLAN rs GOOD.
Its Recommendation Probably for Boats
Of the D-reNdnOukht Type-New Ar
mOredC Cruisers OF the British Navy Are
Also Attracting Attention OF Experts.

IT'S recommendation FrODNDiy tOt nOat"
Of the ~DreNdnOuEht Type-Ne~ Ar
mOrefC Cruisers OF the British Navy Are
Also Attracting Attention Of Experts.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE Navy De-
partment has information from private
sources indicating very clearly that the
new English fighting vessels, the so-called
armored cruisers Infexible, Invincible and
Indomitable, are Of 1920 tons diSplace-
ment, will carry eight IL inch guI,s and
will rave a speed Of rs knots. These specih-
cations Of the vessels came to America
last week in the news dispatches and
have been amply verified by the Depart
ment.
The new battleships, for their power
is such that they are not regarded as armored
cruisers, are causing a great deal OF COM
ment in naval circles here, and there il
little doubt that their construction by the
British Government will have a material
effect on the plans OF the Navy Department
for increase Of the navy. Many Of the
features Of the new type OF warship will
doubtless be Incorporated into any new
ships which this Government may build.
The General Board Of the Navy Depart
ment has submitted its annual plan for the
lIlCIChSC vi luS navy IL
declines to make the details public. but it
is pretty well understood thai in consider
ing the matter Of new battleshipe the board
is unanimous in its agreement that the bigger
battleship, such as the D~readnought. the
English ship which has set the whole naval
world talking. is the thing. Mr.. Bona
parte will probably recommend In his
annual report that Congress continue its
own plan Of last session for the constitute
ton Of big ships. Congress provided foI
a vessel Of strength greater than any ship
then on the seas OF building. The Dread
nought started the dig ship propaganda.
In accordance with tine desires OF Congress
the Navy Department has gone ahead
with plans for a 10000 ton ship. and these
plans will be sent to Congress early in the
coming session.
There is a general feeling among officers
of the navy that the building programme
should be so arranged as to provide for
four ships Of the type contemplated by
the plans Of the Department for a 10000
ton ship. To have only one ship OF a class
in the navy il contrary 20 all theories OF
squadron formation and utility. The eX-
perts Of the navy are in accord in believing
hat il one of the 10000 ton ships IL author
lied there should be three Others author
lied later. thus perfecting a unit Of fight
ing strength.
There can be no doubt that the English
in building such large vessels as the three
new battleships, with 40 much armament
and such great speed, must have sacrificed
something. Displacement, armor, arma-
ment and speed canno all he had in a jingle
ship. II speed is most desired something
else must give way, and in this case the
navy here believes that the English have
given up more or less armor protection.
This idea is borne out by the fact that the
new ships are extraordinarily long and
consequently there is much more 10 protect.
There is a great difference Of opinion among
naval experts OF all ~nationalities Of the
value of speed. Speed, of course, adds
TO mobility. but whether it is Of value in
an actual fight is a disputed question. II
il is not. then it should make way for more
protection or offensive power. The ques-
ton will doubtless be thoroughly threshed
out before the Secretary Of the Navy makes
his recommendations for naval increase.