The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1909-05-21
CHANGES IN WARSHIPS
Plans to Make United States
Vessels Ready For Battle.
GREATER USE or ELECTRICITY

Much Of ths Mechanism 70 BE Con-
trOiled BY IT. Most Conspicuous
Change 70 In Color sehsme-Firs
Control Masts to DispIaes Old Mill
tary style.
The aaxteen battleships OF the At
lantic neet viii go from the navy
yards. where they are now being over
hauled and docked. on June Is radical.
~ changed In outward appearance.
The vessels will practically be In a
condition for action to a degree which
has never before prevailed in the ma
val service In time OF peace and when
there has been no prospect OF war
These important changes are mainly
the result OF experience gained during
the circumnavigating cruise Of the
feet which Secretary Meyer says cost
the government $1,5O0O 900 above what
would have been the cost Of mainte-
nance and operation had the ships re-
mained In home waters.
The most conspicuous change which
the civilian observer win recognize Is
In the color OF the vessels. The hull
small boats and, indeed, all Of the ex-
posed portions win be OF a shade de-
scrtbed as dull gray. without the luster
TO reflect the sun or otherwise add to
the prominence Of the ship. II Is the
color decided upon by the experts as
least likely to attract attention and as
possessing the greatest degree Of In
visibility. This idea has been carried
out by the removal OF all the brass At
tings. even to the doorknobs. and In
cludes the abandonment OF the bow
ornaments and, the gilt letters Of the
ships names.
The removal OF the bow ornaments
In justified not only as a means Of TAX
Ing from the ship a conspicuous fea-
ture. but as accomplishing a reduc-
ton In the weight carried by each YES
sell The policy IL to reduce these
weights 80 as to bring each vessel
down to lighting trim. carrying only
those things Of practical value In at.
tack. which IL considered before the
factor Of defense. There has been an
elimination OF some Of the boats car
ried by the battleships, with the sub
stitution Of motor for row or sail
boats. 90 that time may be saved and
the burden reduced. Il Is In this con-
nection that there has been q removal
Of what Is known as top hamper
Much Of the material which has hith-
ertO made the main deck Of q battle
ship an oVererowded platform has
been placed below deck. out Of sight
and range Of an enemy's shots. or has
been entirely eliminated.
Another feature which has been
tried out successfully Is the method Of
carrying ammunition. Some Of this
will be stored In the turret, where It
will be conveniently at hand and
where Il "a considered quite as safe to
those who handle It as II 1t were
stored In the shell rooms below the
turret. This makes possible an emer-
gency supply Of projectiles. with q
saving In the time OF handling and a
corresponding increase In the rapidity
Of IRE. The problem OF taking care Of
powder has engaged expert attention,
and there n now being adopted a sys-
TEN OF cooling the magazines so that
there can be maintained a uniformity
OF temperature as a protection against
accidental ignition.
A conspicuous change Is the installa-
ton OF the flre control masts and the
removal Of the old military masts
The new structures are Of steel pip
ing, so interlaced as to resist attack
and remain In position, no matter II
the enemy succeeds In hitting the
mast and cutting the metal In many
places. The platforms at the top are
to be used by the range finders in de-
termining the distance from the enc
my. This requires an elaborate sys-
tenn Of electrical communication. which
is also being installed and which will
be tried out during the target practice
10 be held In August or September,
probably of the Virginia capes.
Electricity is being used 10 a greater
extent than ever before. and much Of
the mechanism on board the ships Is
now to be controlled In that way
This is especially so In the turning OF
the turrets. which can be regulated to
a degree hitherto impossible and with
a nicely OF movement that renders It
possible to describe the complete arc
OF the turret at so deliberate a rate as
70 be lmperceptIble to an observer.
The searchlights have been taken from
the positions they have hitherto Occu-
pied and been hung on the skeleton
masts. In the coming maneuvers It In
purpOsed to ascertain II these positions
are the most effective, and some twelve
or ffteen Of the torpedo boats VIII be
used in exercises In conjunction with
the big ships
Manu- chanCaa will he made In the