The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-10
THE ALL-BIG-GUN BATTLESHIP
AND NAVAL SUPREMACY

lald down in October, 1905, was
launched February 10, 1906, and was
completed early in 1907. Its displace-
ment was 1900 tons; its immediate
successors ran to $4,000; and those
which next followed to 1920. Argen-
tine and Brazil, relations between
which are strained, are building now
Argentine two Dreadnoughts of $4,000
tons; Brazil three of 10000 tons dis
placement
Germany, up to 1907 purposely built
battleships of a moderate displace-
ment-13,500 tons; but the large ad-
vance in size of the Dreadnought. and
the particularities of its armament
and other qualities, compelled a radio
al change of policy in all naval states.
AS soon as its trials showed the sue
cess of the design, Germany laid down
a batch of four ships of the same gen.
eral type, with displacement variously
stated as 1880 and, most recently,
$4,000 tons. 1t is the German policy
to build ships in squadrons of four
homogeneous; and the second group
OF Dreadnoughts is said to have more
than 10000 tons displacement.
The great center of naval interest
has been transferred during the dec
ade from the Mediterranean and Eas-
tern waters to the Channel and North
Sea. France, on the contrary, having
now an understanding with Great Brit.
ain, has concentrated its battleships
in the Mediterranean, diminishing it's
Northern Squadron" These are the
strategic distributions springing ulti-
mately from commercial and naval de-
velopment-that of Germany. It IS
proper, however, to note that concen.
tration of battleship force has become
the general practice of all navies.
Division of the United States battle.
fleet between the Atlantic and Pacific
would meet now with general profess
sional condemnation. In the cruise of
the battlefield around the world in
1908, 1t was noticed that the previous,
yet recent, practice of dispensing ma
vies in various seas and ports was un.
iversally abandoned. Ships are nc
longer scattered, but are kept togeth-
er in bodies; the distribution of peace
thus corresponds to the probable emer.
gencies of war. This is development
of the decade.
l have purposely refrained from the
treatment of technical matters, in
most of which warships have much IN
common with merchant vessels. 1t is
proper however, to note one very
great progress since 1900, and espec-
tally since 1905; namely, that in the
rapidity and accuracy Of gun-fring and
aiming. This is due partly to more
systematic training of the gun-layers;
partly to improvements in the method
Of fire control" by which the posi-
ton of the target and the falling Of
the shots are more continuously OBJ
served, and more certainly transmit
ted to the gunners in the batteries
Details are too technical and cum
brous for a short article, and also &
certain element of Confidential" sur
rounds the returns. For general state
ment, 1t will suffice to cite the larges
navy in the world. "In the British ser
, vice the 'gun-layers tests showed
, an increase in the percentage of hit
l to rounds fired from 1868 in 1901 t,
l S1.5 in 1907" (London "Times," Jul.
> 30, 1909 The Battle Practice test
4 are more severe-yielding, according
: ia a paper in the Scientific Amer
4 can" of December 10, 1908, an ave.
r. age of 35 to 40 per cent; the hes
s ships have risen as high as 65 pc
e cent. Doubtless the still severer tris
= of actual battle will decrease thi
j. somewhat, but the improvement owe
/ former results is manifest and grea
u III INC al lldLlSlIdIg ANGlulu VI bdJli
e Practice for 1909, the Admiralty ha
j. expressed its continued satisfactio
# with the advance shown The higl
r est British authority asserted in 1876
that the British Navy could then h
y large at a range Of four miles nor
o often than it could hit one year {
e two before at three-quarters of mil
e This development began with Capital
e (now AdmiraD Sir Percy Scott, of !
A M. s. Terrible. in 1900. Falling undt
If the observation of Lieutenant (no
10 Captain) w, s. Sims, 1t has becon
10 the foundation of that now used in Il
4. American navy.
J. It is also not amfss to mention TIL
,r hopes are entertained of introducir