Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-14
PLANS FOB MONSTER SHIPS
Strides of the United states as a
Naval Power and the
Cost.

While other nations are steadily In
creasing year by year their naval budgets,
the United States is making big strides
in the same direction. II has been estl-
mated that a new battleship every year
would mean an actual increase in the
available fighting force of the country
Of one battleship every five years. In
other words, while four battleships wear
out every five years there would be five
new ones to take their place.
This country is almost definitely bound
now to a two-battleship program. and twn
new battleships every year will annihilate
before many years what difference now
exists between our naval strength and
that of England. Our actual appropria-
ton for this purpose this year Is meas
urably heavier than England's, while
Germany, France and Japan are all about
33h per cent short of us.
Aside from the enormous appropriations
Of approximately 1925. 900, 900 for the or
binary care and maintenance and drill of
the navy as it stands, congress has al
ready decided to spend S3s, 719, 595 on in
creasing the navy this year by bodily
adding to 1t. And each new increase, of
course, implies a corresponding increase
hereafter In the upkeep of the fleets. And
much of this additional appropriation Will
go to ships of such extraordinary tonnage
and such tremendous battery armament
that their ordinary expenses, and particu-
larly their allowance for target practice,
will be out of all proportion greater than
that of ships already in commission.
The naval program for the year is.
briefly. seventeen ships. Two of these
will be monster 20, O00-ton battleships in
armament and size, second to none afloat,
II they will not be when launched the
heaviest ships for fighting purposes. The
rest of the program is devoted to five
fleet golfers and ten boats of the torpedo
class-five destroyers, four submarine
and one subsurface torpedo BOAT There
are no cruisers, the policy of the navy
now being to concentrate it's effective
fighting force in enormous hulls driven
by high-power engines of unusual steam
ing radius.
For some years to come each Of these
military levlathans will mean an added
100000 to the nava budget. that sum being
required for carrying on the work on them.
And the smaller boats will mean annual
expenditures in proportion. As to what the
monster craft will cost when ready for
trial 1t is hard to say. Chairman Tawney
Of the appropriation committee of the house
In a speech recently estimated 1t at $12, 000,-
900, owing, he said, to the recent lowering
OF prices on the part of the ,s%hipbuildlng
companies. But these figures were disputed
by Chairman Foss of the naval committee,
who said that the Navy department had as
sured him that the total cost per battleship
would not exceed $40. 250.0O0 1t is probable
that the truth will be shown to lie some
where between the two estimates.
The plans for these 25,00-ton ships repre-
sent a steady advance in every direction
on the fighting ships of past years. Ten
years ago the largest ship this country
could boast was of the Alabama type, a
comparatively insignificant ironclad OF
about 1l,eO tons, out of commission these
days. Five years later marine architecture
had advanced to the stage represented by
the Ohio and her sister ships, with tonnage
Of about 1850.
Today the largest ship In the American
navy Is the Connecticut, a battleship OF
only $1,000 tons displacement and an arma-
ment of four 12-inch guns. The ships now
In process Of construction are OF the Florida
and Utah type, with a displacement OF
about 1000 tons and a much heavier arma.
ment and armor. The two ships voted this
session OF congress push the displacement
forward by over 1000 tons, and give the
heaviest armament and probably the besi
arranged armament of any ship yet de.
signed.
The two ships as specified In the aut
shall Sin all respects be similar to the
ships authorized last year-and this. in tn,
Interpretation of the Navy department
means just nothing at all. Besides the diff
ference in weight, there will be the fight,
ing equipment of eight l4-inch guns, or ter
i2-inch guns, arranged so that all Of then
can be brought TO bear on either broadside
and four of them fore ard four aft. Besides
these big guns there will be, of course
smaller rapid-fire guns for torpedo defense
The thickness Of the armor on the new
ships will be measurably increased will
the Increased tonnage OF the vessel. Will
the steaming radius will be added to b,
many miles.-New York Times.
Gee whitaker
L. Nh, auyFn ,atk 60. NNyl4t.n.-- .. =