The Washington herald., 1907-01-18
PRESIDENT PLEADS
FOR TWO BIG SHIPS
CONTINUED PROM FIRST PAGE.

understood that in this sense efficiency /
of gunire refers exclusively to hitting, /
that is. to the number Of large projec- /
tiles that can be landed against an |
enemy's hull in a given time, and not TO |
the number of al calibers, including |
6-inch, &C. that can be fired In a given /
time, which latter is known as the /
volume of fire, a popular expression /
having no useful meaning in a military |
sense.
But, disregarding these arguments. il /
may still be clearly shown that d certain /
sum Of money appropriated for naval con /
struction can be more advantageOusly ex-
pended for large. high free-board vessels /
having many large guns of the same cali /
ber than for smaller vessels Of lower free /
board having fewer large guns and nu- /
merous small guns.
Big Ships Destroy at Longer Range. |
For example: Now that a high degree |
of skill has been developed in naval |
craftsmanship, especially with heavy |
guns. future battle ranges will be 50 |
great dhree or four niles that small |
guns (six-inch and less) will be practi- |
cany ineffective. especially against large
vessels having all Of their guns and gun
crews in twelve-inch turrets behind heayy
armor
Therefore, the effective offensive power
of a battle ship may now be measured
| by the number of heavy Gwelve-Fnchl
guns she can fire on either broadside.
For the ordinary battle ship this effective
broadside fire consists Of four twelve-inch
guns.
1T follows, as matter of course that
large ship having broadside fire OF
ten twelye-inch guns could promptly de-
strOy a battle ship Of the usual type hav-
ing four twelve-inch guns and with the
advantage OF the greater speed OF the
larger vessel, which would enable her 10
choose her own distance, she would be
more than match for two Of the smaller
vessels.
But as battle ships are not intended
to fight singly, their efficiency must be !
/ determined by a comparison or their rela- /
tive ability when fighting in feet fOTma- /
ton. Ia this respect a relatively small |
squadron Of large battle ships. having the /
same number Of heavy guns as q much /
larger squadron OF small battle ships. has /
still greater natural advantage. which /!
is inherent in the design Of the large 1
vessel. This advantage consists In the 4
ability OF the small squadron of large
vessels 10 concentrate upon limited part /
of the enemy S line the Ere Of many more /
heavy guns than the ships Of that part /
Of the line are able TO return. which 4
Of course, would result in the successive /
destruction Of the entire fleet Of small /
vessels.
How Plan WouId work in Action.
Putting the extreme case for the sake /
Of Illustration this may be shown by 4
comparing the fighting value Of two I
squadrons having exactly the same num- 4
ber of heavy guns mounted in one case I
on few large vessels. and in the other +
on many small ones. Thus. "a squadron /
Of ten small vessels. each having q broad I.
side fire Of two heavy guns, or twenty /.
guns in all, must inevitably be- defeated I
by squadron Of two large vessels. each I
having a broadside fire OF ten heavy
guns, because the squadron ~ small 4
vessels would be about two miles long
and therefore cannot concentrate al or 4
its fire effectively upon the larger two /
vessels, whereas the latter. By the great /
concentration of their guns, all within .
a length OF half a mile. can readily de- /
stroy the small vessels nearest to them I
in the line. and I'm the same manner sue /
cessively destroy the remainder.
THAT is 20 say. large vessels can al (
y
ties, namely, the concentration OF 4
superior force upon an inferior one-upon /
"A part Of the Cngmy's line while the re- I
naming parts are outside of effective /
range. and no tactical skill on the part 4
Of the squadron OF small vessels can
counteract this advantage, because the /
ability % concentrate IS inherent I'm the 4
design of the large vessels.
The squadron n large vessels must /
of course be able 70 choose its own dis /
tancf and relative position. which it can 1
always 90. because of the much greater /
speed that can be given 10 vessels OF /
large displacement
Question of Greater Efficiency.
THE same is true. though to less
degree. when we compare vessels having /
a broadside Of four E-inch guns (the ordi- /
nary battle ship with those having a 1
broadside Of ten Pinch guns Uhe battle /
ship proposed.
From the above it seems evident that. |
from the point Of view of naval efficiency
alone, we should build vessels each mount 4
ing as many heavy guns as practicable. /
That is to say. if it be decided that our /
naval force should be increased by Il 1
broadside fire Of forty heavy guns, then /
high-speed ships each having a broadside /
fire of ten Pinch guns, rather than a /
greater number of smaller ships having T.
a broadside fire of four Pinch guns each. /
For the reasons given above. a f
squa dron Of vessels each having a broad /
side FIRE Of twelve or more heavy guns. /
would be more powerful than a squadron /
having the same number OF guns mounted /
on vessels having q bTOadside of ten guns /
each, and the sole reason for not adVOCat- /
ing more than ten guns on a brOadside is /
that such vessels are not at present neces- |
sary, as none Of the vessels Of our pOssi- /
bic enemies have a greater offensive force. !
The principle. however holds good that. /
given the same number of l2-inCh guns in /
each Of two squadrOns. the squadron hav- /
ing the most guns on each of its vessels /
(and consequently the greatest hexibility
in maneuveTing and concentration Of fire.
will be the most powerful. assuming skin !
in craftsmanship. tactics. &c, 10 be equal /
Bigger Vessels Would save Millions.
While the question Of economy should I
not be allowed to diminish the naval /
force Che number of effective guns) re- |
quired for national defense, it may, never /
theless, be stated incidentally that We
can increase our naval force by a broad /
side fire of. say forty Pinch guns ut con- /
siderably less cost by building ships nav /
ing a broadside fire of ten heavy guns I
each. than by building a greater number /
of smaller ships each having a less broad /
side fire.
For example four large vessels mount 1
ing forty heavy guns, would cost about /
S00O0,Q00, whereas ten small ships. mount /
ing the same total number of heavy guns /
would cost about S70,0CC000. Moreover /
though a large ship consumes more coal /
small ship, having a large number of |
small guns (6-inch, &c), actually re- /