The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-25
THREE GREAT WARSHIPS.
The British, the Jap and the Pro-
posed American.
New York Sunl

New York SUM
What would happen if in the unlikely
event of 4 war between Japan and Eng
land, the giant British bulldog Dread
nought and the heavier japanese bat
tleship Satsuma should meet in a due
on the sea? That speculation is calcu-
lated TO stir the imagination of naval
FOLK the world over. and experts will
answer IL according to their conception
of the respective battery power of the
ships. their constructive strength Of re-
s1stance 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. II is
known also that the English are good
at hitting floating targets; in fact. that
they are second only to the bluejackets
of Uncle Sam in sea practice with big
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 200 tons dis
placement, thus exceeding the Dread
nought by 1,2O0 tons. She has what the
English themselves now seem to regard
as the disadvantage of recipTocating
engines.
The Dreadnought is propelled by tur-
bines that give her greater steadiness
when going at high speed. The more
rigid the gun platform the more accu-
rate the gun fire will be.
Both the SatSuma and the Dread
nought were built in record time The
Japanese ship has the distinction Of
employing only japanese in her design
and construction. She represents the
highest genius of the Japanese adopts
who went through the war with Russia
as officers of the conquering squadrons
1t may be that they found out a few
things that escaped the observers of
other nations who had less intimate
knowledge of the sea fights. and that
the Satsuma has been built and
equipped in accordance with these dis
coveries.
The Dreadnought has the advantage
in speed by nearly two knots. She is
practically in the cruiser class in this
respect and if 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 battery
consists of four Pinch guns in turrets
forward and aft on the center line and
twelve lO-inch guns in pairs in turrets
on the broadside. She can concentrate
the power of two half-inch guns and
four 10-inch guns ahead or astern. and
deliver a broadside of four 12-inch and
six 10-ineh guns. She also has bat
terry Of twelve 47-inch rapid-frers to
turn against torpedo boats and destroy
erS
The Dreadnought has a main battery
of ten 12-inch guns capable of piercing
twenty-five 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 Pinch
gun The japanese themselves. who
were closer to the conflict than any
body else, apparently believe also in
the efficacy of the 10-inch gun. Other
wise they would have placed more rifles
of the greater caliber aboard the DOW
erful Satsuma.
IL may be inferred. although there are
no accurate data at hand Just yet TO
bear it out. that the Satsurna and the
are much alike in having
little top-hammer and in~having their
guns so placed that the blast of one
will not interfere with the work of the
nought has three separa te coming tow
ers from which the ship may be fought
Our own uncompleted big. battleships.
the South Carolina and the Michigan.
have two each.
The Satsuma and 'Dl eadnought are
alike i'm having great beam that of the
British ship being eighty-two feet) and
depth, which give them stability Stays
and shrOuds have been abolished on
Oh ms 4frlz
self-supporting.
Whatever the American naval expert
may think about the chances i'm battle
Of the Satsuma and the Dreadnought.
be recently has had reason to congrat-
ulate himself on the prospective pos
session of a greater wardog than that
IF either the mikado or John Bull.
Uncle Sam has decided to go them one
better by constructing a floating. or
racing, battery of 20.500 tons displace-
ment.
The plans submitted ere receiving the
of a special naval board
appointed by Secretary Bonaparte. |
They call for an armament of twelve
I2-inch guns mounted in six turrets. all |
Pm 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 |
Inch rapid-firers for defense against |
torpedo attack. All the virtues of the |
satsuma and the Dreadnought, 1t is |
said, will be utilized in the proposed /
which will not be built in a |
hurry.
Secretary Bonaparte's board has six |
,ther plans than that of the giant bat 1
leship to ponder upon 1t is said that |
III of them are for ships more powerful |
han the Dreadnought.
EVER PARAGRAPHS