Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-09-27
MONSTER SHIPS
tte''Se'
Are Favored by the Navy
General Board.
-Four Giant Batt|eships, Largest
AtIoat, Will Be Asked.
More Scout Cruisers and Sub.
marines Are Also Wanted,

Washington, Sept. 26.-Discussions Of
the most interesting character took place
at the meeting OF the navy general board
at which all the members were present
except Rear Admiral Brownson, chief Of
the bureau Of navigation.
The officers on the general board, in
clude Admiral Dewey, Rear Admiral
BrownsOn, Capt. John l.. Mcrrell, presi-
dent OF the naval war college, Capt.
Raymond p. Rogers, chief intelligence.
officer, and two other captains.
Tie meeting of the general board was
behind closed doors, even subordinate
officers detailed for service with the
IOard, who are not members, being de-
MED admittance. 1t is learned, however,
that 1t was the desire of the President
and Sec. Mctc;tlf that the general board
recommend legislation largely increasing
the navy, ana that the board voted To
favor the construction of four giant
battleShipS, OF the Same class and pat
tern, all bigger than the Two warShlpS
authorized by the last Congress and which
will excel the famous DreadnougEt.
Several members OF the board who
visited the monster liner Lusitania III
her recent visit to New York We're in
favor of turbine engines for the battle
ships. They favored bigger ships, some
suggesting tonnage oi 1000. Esti-
mates for tn" beam went as high as u
feet. and for the length 800 feet. tia
board adopting the ideas OF the .iapanCSL
and Europeans in these respects.
Suggestions as to the prdctcability of
constructing more scout cruisers of the
Birmingham type also were made. Other
members of the board advocated tile
building of squadron of still faster
cruisers, after the type of the six yes
sells Brazi! is now having constructed III
En%latd. These cruisers would hc light
~ armed and would make Il Speed of
- to = knots.
other recommendations for naval in
crease which, it is said, VIII H." made,
include an additional fleet of SubIna-
rintS The recent submarine tests haV-
inS proved successful, the members of
the board feel Warranted in recon- mend
ing tine construction of Il much larger
fleet. following the policy when is be-
ing pursued by tn" British admiralty.
The Atlantic fleet will make its cruise
to the Pacific on foreign coal. Tn"
chance o: using American coal Shipped
10 the vessels of til" fleet at their scv-
tral points of cualinG III American hot
toms. WIS made impossible ytSt"r-
day when the bids for delivering til" coal
we're opened at tn" navy department.
The United state" Shipping company
Of New DIRK, was the lowest bidder on
Welsh coal. delivered III Punta Arenas,
asking; $y.3G Per ton.
karber & Co, Of New York. wcr,
lowest. at so 81, for Welsh coal ut Cal
lao: Mccall Dinning x Co. of Baltimore,
$l1 "a for delivery at Magdclcna bay and
$l1.75 for delivery in san Francisco.
Congress may have to COM. to the aid
of the navy department and permit one
of the gia Mt bat tIeSIlipS now under way
and which it is hoped will excel the
british Drcadnought, to be called tho
Empire state.
Officers and men who served on the.
cruiser New York hav" appealed To tn"
"a
cruisers name to Saratoga. This con-
tcmplatcd change would seriously impair
histrry's record. the Complainrrs de
clare.
The plan of tho department. is to namn
cruisers after cities and hattlcsripS af-
ter states. There cannot H.. two vessels;
in the navy of the same name.
Secretary N"tcIlf is Cousid Iin.. an an-
real to Congress to Straightcn out the
tanplo by naming ono of the hattl"SalpS
tine Empire state.