The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1910-02-15
CHANGES IN WARSH|PS
Plans to Make United States
Vessels Ready For Battle.
GREATER USE or ELECTRICITY

ny
The sixteen battleships of the At
iantic feet will go from the navy
yards, where they are now being over
hauled and locked. ON June Is radical
IL 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 a
These important changes are mainly
the result of experience gained during
h circumnavigating cruise of the
feet, which Secretary Meyer says cost
the government 81, 500,0O0 above what
would have been the cost of mainte-
nance and operation had the ships re-
manned In home waters.
The most conspicuous change which
the civilian observer will recognize Is
I'm the color of the vessels. The hull.
small boats and. indeed, all of the ex-
posed portions will be of a shade de-
scribed as dull gray, without h luster
to reflect the sun or otherwise add to
the prominence OF the ship. 1t 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 fit
tings. eve to the doorknobs. and in
cludes the abandonment of the bow
ornaments and the gilt letters of the
ships
The removal of the bow ornaments
Is justified not only as a means of tax
ing from b ship a conspicuous fea-
ture. but as accomplishing a reduc-
ton In the weight carried by each ves-
sci. The policy is to reduce these
weights so as to bring each vessel
down to fighting trim. carrying only
those things of practical value In at
tack, which Is 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. so that time may be saved and
the burden reduced. 1t is I'm this con-
nection that there has been a removal
of what is known as top hamper.
Much of the material which has hith-
erto made the main deck of n battle
ship an o~vercrowded 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 I'm the turret, where 1t
will be conveniently at hand and
where 1t is considered quite as safe to
those who handle II as IL 1t were
stored in the shell rooms below the
turret. This makes possible an emer-
gency supply of projectiles, with a
saving In the time of handling and a
corresponding increase in the rapidity
of fire. The problem of taking care of
powder has engaged expert attention.
and there IS 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 fire 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 If
the enemy succeeds In hitting the
mast and cutting the metal In many
places. The platforms at b 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
TO be held In August or September.
probably of the Virginia p
Electricity is being used TO 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 hat renders II
possible to describe the complete are
OF the turret at so deliberate n rate as
to be imperceptible 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 aneuv it is
purposed to ascertain II these positions
are the most effective. and some twelve
or fifteen of the torpedo oat will be
used In exercises In conjunction with
the big ships
Many changes will be made in the
superstructure Of the ships, and wher-
ever possible the temporary bridges
and cabins VIII be removed. 1t Is
probable that some Of these structures
viii be replaced. but 1t Is desired In
the coming summer to ascertain what
can be permanently omitted with ad-
vantage In the maneuverfng Of the
ships. Internally many minor changes
viii be made.
These are a few of the changes be-
Ing made on the ships OF the Atlantic
fleet and which WIN be made next year
ON b ships of the Pacific feet. II