Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

The most striking difference between the
old and the new navies is the habita bility
OF the ships and the great difference in
their value as the nations defense. The
people aboard the new ships are far more
comfortable. For instance, when they get
out of fresh water they can make more
with the condensing apparatus on board
Ihey don't have to live out of a can like
| they did in the old navy. They can today
Keep provisions fresh for a long while by
means Of the refrigerating machinery. In
the old days there was nothing but salt
morse. Inc new guns will shoot and hit
al range of ten miles. while the old
navy today is a mechanical one, while
the navy of other days was that of sail
and wind. Everything aboard ship today
Is done by machinery.
1t is claimed we have today a navy
somewhere larger than two years ago,
yet less quantity Of every kind Of OIL
for instance, is used than ever before
Last year the navy used 10000 tons of
coal less than the year before. The cost
of fuel to drive a naval vessel has de-
creased in the last year about "a per cent.
The ships have been made more nearly
self-sustaining: they go to the navy yards
and facilities for making repairs are being
extended on board all the vessels of the
navy.
The average steaming radius has in
ship today uses about per cent less coal
than the best battleship did on the trip
around the world. All Of the details on
board ship have been improved The de-
partment is making 1t known throughout
the service that all methods that lead to
Improvement In active efficiency of oper-
alton OF the feet is what is wanted. Each
ana every man is doing what any one of
them happen to find out is a good thing,
which helps to keep the feet up to date
AS result they have been able with the
decreased appropriation to take care of
the navy, and at the same time to in
crease the amount of money spent for
Improvements.
The question of oil fuel has been before
the naval authorities for some time and
today there are oil installations made on
torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroy
ers. 1t is extremely probable that the
future will see oil instead Of coal in use
on all our war vessels, including the bat
tleships. The United States produces
fully 80 per cent Of the worlds supply of
Oil. A few of the many arguments in
favor Of oil is that 1t is easier to handle.
easier to be slowed and can be more
easily supplied the fleet at the various
naval bases.
The gasoline engine has practically
taken the place Of the steam engine on
launches and small boats of the navy.
but 1t is claimed by naval authorities
that the gas engine will never take the
place OF steam on the larger vessels of
the navy.
Uncle Sam has the two greatest war
ships in course Of construction, These
new fighters are to be christened the
wyoming and the Arkansas. They
were authorized by an act Of Congress,
approved March 3. 1909. In June Of the
same year requests were made for bids
on the construction. and William Cramp
& Sons Of Philadelphia were allowed
price of s4.45o.ooo. The contract for
the Arkansas was allowed the New
York Shipbuilding Company at Camden.
n. j., at the lowest bid Of s4,675.OOO
Both contracts specified that the war
ships should have the Navy Depart
ment's design Of machinery Installed.
The vessels are to be completed on
or before the expiration Of thirty-two
months from the date of signing the
contract The contract for the Wyom-
that OF the Arkansas on September rs,
1909
The two vessels are to be exactly
alike in nearly all Of the particular
points-sister boats. Each will have
main battery Of twelve 12-inch, so CAL
iber breach loading rifles and two sub
merged torpedo tubes. They will have
q secondary battery Of twenty-one s.
inch rapid-fire guns. four S-pounder
saluting guns, two 1-pound semi auto
matte guns. for boats: two 3-inch field
pieces. and two machine guns OF 80
caliber. The vessels will have length
at the water line of 554 feet. The
total coal bunker capacity will be
about $500 tons and the coal and fuel
oil carried on trial will amount to 1888
tons. The speed at the trial must not
be less than twenty and one-half
knots.