The Detroit times., 1909-04-02

done away with the old-time hghting
masts. as they were called. and the
plans OF our naval experts contem-
plate the rapid substitution OF light
wire-wo towers, which Nh their ap'
pearance suggest an inverted waste
basket. These have been tried and
found adequate for all uses served by
the fighting tops and military masts
whose small caliber guns were shown
in the Japanese Russian war Ia be en-
iirely useless and whose heavy metal
work were so much more taget for
the missiles OF the enemy. The al
miral's bridge and the woodwork OF
the pilot house have also been con
demned as superfiuities.
Installation OF Gas Engine.
The great stride ahead which has
been adopted by Great Britain IS the
installation in their newest type o.
Dreadnaught OF wha5 amounts 10
gas engine. This type OF engin'. per
fected in the United States. has been
adopted by foreign countries for their
torpedo boats and small destfoyers.
So backward however. are we n our
naval construction that We have NOT
even kept pace with foerign nations
in this Improvement II comes, how
ever. as surprise o. all the worli
or Il will when Il is heard-that the
enormous 26.00O-ton Dreadnaught bat
tleships OF Great Britain are 10 have
engines OF this sort
According 10 the we'll authenticated
information here coal is still the fuel
of the British Dreadnaught. but in
stead OF heating steam for engines or
the ordinary type. the coal Itself is
heated and the gas produced is run
into cylinders. where IL is exploded,
Just as the gas from gasoline by its
explosion furnishes power TO run the
automobile. In word. the principle
OF the engine and the perfected pow
or which has come into general use
with the development OF our automo
bile, Is TO be applied on an enormous
scale to the latest engines OF naval
war
The advantages Gre obvious. The
huge smoke clouds are done away
with. The looming tunnels are abol-
ished With smoke stacks gone there
is not only less target for the enemy
and less destruction wrought by the
striking missile. but more room re-
mains for the operation OF the guns
Now the turrets swing and shoot In
all directions without let or hind
rance.
Ship Has SIX Turrets.
The modern Dreadnaught is a ship
with six turrets built in terrace fash
ion. That is 10 say. No. tu.ret az
the bow is enough lower than No. ,
turret so that No. . can swing It's guns
and shoot over No. ]. No. can shoot
over No Q No is high enough 10
shoot over No. and No. 2 can train
It's guns and shoot over No. 6. The
higher turrets are in the center o.
the ship and they slope down at either
end.
The only question which remains
as 10 the appearance OF this new type
OF warship is that touching the lighter
military tower. II Is thought by some
that il will be found necessary 10 pro-
vide some point OF elevation from
which TO work the fire control and
signals. Likewise a mastless ship
would be without the proper elevation
for the wireless rigging. II Is quite
SSteoif, HSscItHcieSs. ludt any SieNu
ton added to this low rakish craft
will be Of the woven wire mast variety
such as we are substituting row oh
our American shipstn place of the OLD
feavy iron military mastE. and tho
heavy iron work OF the admirafs
bridge. -
Although our navy department has
not come TO the point OF adopting the
type OF engine which will do away
with smokestacks. orders are already
out which will strip the principal
Snaps in our fighting squadron % wha,
the sailors call their tophamper. The
military masts. the admirals after
bridge and much OF the heavy work
of the forward bridge, are being taken
on.