The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-08-01


this is not mere patriotic or idle
Boosting.
It was only a few years ago that the
country was engaged in a debate over
the merits of the controversy as to
whether the armor plate on the sides
of the warships was to high or too low
This controversy started in the navy
itself and was given voice by Henry
Reuterdahl. The arguments then were
SO twisted as to make it appear that
the United States navy was worse than
any other in that regard, whereas the
fact was that it was better. Today
the fleet is far better in respect to the
location Of its armor plate than any
other in the world.
Important Change Made.
Since then an important change has
been made in naval architecture. It
was an old story to hear naval critics
declare that the batteries of American
warships did not permit them to dis
charge broadsides which would favor
ably compare with foreign navies At
that time all the navies of the world
were at work on this problem, the gen
eral theory being that it was impos-
sible to mount one turret above an
other and fire the guns in the upper
turret with safety. The result was that
barbettes were placed all over the
deck in the various navies, but it re-
manned for the United States experts
to demonstrate that it was feasible to
mount turrets, superimposed, on the
center line of the ship, bring ten or
twelve without upsetting the ship or
desolating the crew. Now, all other
navies are copying the American plan.
Big Gun Is Perfected.
The next step in American advance
ment was the perfection of the 14-inch
gun, which is the greatest death deal
ing monster now carried by the ships
of any navy. These guns are mounted
in pairs, and ten or a dozen of them
can be fired as readily in one broad
side as Pinch guns. In this connec-
ton there has been much written about
the explosives used by other countries,
much of which has been to the detri-
ment of the United States navy. During
the Russian-Japanese war the so called
Shimose explosive used by the Japan
csc was lauded. Shimose is nothing
more than the English Lyddite or the
French Melonite. The Japanese have
yet to invent anything really new in
war materials, but they sometimes
have a faculty of carrying to it's logi-
cal conclusion the invention of some
other country.
Explosive is too Sensitive.
AS to the merits of Shimose, Lyddite
or Melonite, whatever it may be call
ed, military men have no hesitation is
saying that it is too sensitive. 1t will
be recalled that the Japanese had two
guns on the battle ship Migasa put out
of commission in the running sea fight
off Port Arthur on Aug. 10, 1906 Both
were the result of the premature ex
plosion of Shimose in the shell before
il left the gun barrel. Furthermore
all of these explosives are likely to
explode on the impact of the shell
against the armored side of a vessel
and before penetration. The United
States navy, has an explosive of a
nitrocellulose composition which, if
criticism can be made of it, is not
sensitive enough. 1t is designed, how
ever, to explode by means of a fuse
after the shell has penetrated through
the armor of ship. The effect of
such shell has penetrated through
is equal to the best now used by any
navy, and if exploded after penetration
the effect is something terrific
Any one of several problems may be
the next evolution. One of them is the
ERECTION of the 16-inch gun, which will
destroy anything anOaC at present,
This gun can be made available at any
time, the problems involved in the IA
inch gun having a direct bearing on
the larger caliber. There is also the
possibility of mounting three guns to
a turret and probably the issue soonest
tc be fought out is whether three II
inch guns in one turret are more eff
fectiye than two 16 inch. In order to
get a broadside with three guns to a
turret, however, it would be necessary
to arrange for their simultaneous firing
by electricity, else three guns will not
he better than two The jar of firing
lone ahead of the other would destroy
the effectiveness of at least two guns