New-York tribune., 1908-12-19
THE NEXT BATTLESH[PS
MAY HAVE I4-INCH GUNS.
To Surpass Foreign Warships-De-
signs Under Consideration.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington, Dec 1a-The Navy Department is
about TO decide the plans for the next bat
tleships to be built. Three tentative designs are
being prepared by the board construction ana
1t is expected the propositions will be ready for de-
partmental examination and the determination Of
the President in the next week or two. BY that
time the Secretary of the Navy will be in posses
sion Of Information which he will tmpart 10 the
House COMMITTEES on Naval Affairs at the hearing
to take place after the holiday recess. when con-
sideration will be given to increase OF the navy.
for Incorporation in the next naval appropriation
bin TO be reported to the House. By that time, IL
is also expected, the President will communicate
especially to the chairman of the House committee
his views concerning the chief characteristics or
the battleships next authorized for construction
The plans now being developed by the board on
construction contemplate types of batteships su-
perior 10 any proposed abroad The main distinc-
tion is in battery and displacement Two sets or
designs Will provide for a battleshp of 5000 tons
displacement and furnish a battery OF eight 1tinch
guns The third tentative design represents bat
tleshtp of 5000 tons displacement, with battery
Of twelve 12-inch guns The thickness cf the side.
turret and barbette armor of the Pinch gun ship
is slightly less than that of the A-inch gun
ship. 1t is proposed TO have a speed from 203& to
201R under trial load displacement The speed
would be very little less at deep load displacement.
The President is understood favor the 14-inch
battery. but it remains a question which the
experts differ in opinion whether a ship barring
twelve 12-nch guns. much more rapidly served and
capable of controlling broadsde fire with the en-
tire armament of that calfbre. will be more de-
strUctive than ship with four less guns Of 1inch
calbre. The fact that 14-inch guns will form the
batteries of foreign ships must necessarily have
considerable influence in the determine ton Of this
problem The ship Of enemy bearing 14-inch
guns may presumably keep out Of range of an op-
poneut armed with 12-inch guns and still accom-
plish destruction.
One Of the resolutions adopted at the Newport
conference favored the 14-inch gun which throws
a projectile of 14oo pounds The installation of
such a battery requires many internal changes in
the structure of the bateship, and these details are
being carefully worked out by the naval construct
ors One feature of the station presented by the
proposed adoption Of a 14-inch gun the maxi
mum caibre Of naval ordnance is the necessity OF
preparing for the at the naval gun factory
at the Washington navy yard. The facilities at
that plant not at present adequate to assemble
a gun Of that length. but appropriation for
reaching the roof OF the gInshop the shrinking
pit is among the estimates presented this week by
the chief ordnance of the navy. who has request
ed that the appropriation be made for immediate
availability, that the naval gun factory may be
able TO undertake the manufacture of 14-inch guns
early in the coming year.