The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-11-27
DEFENDING WARSHIPS
FROM SUBMARINES
To Place Heavy Armor on the Bottoms
Would Necessitate Tightening of Ar
mament Above and Would Slack
en- the Speed of the Vessel.

Washington, d. G., Nov. 27.--Whil'
| American navy officers have watched
with critical eyes the deadly work OF
torpedoes fired from submarines and oi
contact with mines in the European war
nothing has, developed as yet which in
dca tes any radical change in battleship
construction TO offer greater defense
/ against underwater attacks.
| The problems presented are not new.
! They have been studied by naval con-
structors of every power since the Rus
sian-Japanese war when many fine ships
fell victim TO mines and torpedoes. Pro-
posals of many sorts have been dis
cussed Some have been adopted. but
the theory OF warship building still
clugs to concentration OF offensive pow
Ter in terms Of larger guns. bigger and
swifter ships and wider cruising radius,
even at the expense of defensive armor.
The heavy losses sustained by the
British navy by submarine attacks has
brought up for renewed discussion the
subject OF armoring the bottoms OF war
craft. Recent issues of English service
journals have noted a plan to cover the
entire bottom of a battleship with four
inches Of armor plating. II was urged
that the experiment be tried with an
old ship, which should be subjected to
actual test with the explosion against
ler hull of the most powerful modern
torpedoes. The ship also would be driv-
en- into contact with mines of various
types to determine their effect, il was
said.
American naval experts believe there
is little doubt Of the result They say
four inches of armor would resist any
known torpedo or mine successfully. To
equip a ship in that way, however the
enormous weight OF the armor would re-
luire a reduction in weight elsewhere |
and the only way il could be- accom-.
Dlished would be to reduce the size and /
number OF guns. the thickness Of surface 4
,rmor. the weight Of engines and coal 4
'apacity and because Of this last, the 1
.ige OF the ships themselves With ar 4
nored bottoms battleships would become 4
low. heavy vessels Of small cruising ra 4
Inns and their usefulness as instruments
B ith which 20 strike swift. terrible blows
t distant points before word Of their
oming had gone out. would vanish. \
INtNfF@ anu NWAAA HAtlNNhNI Nf~~fte I
would take care only 10 keep out of 4
auge of their guns The terrific power
u the modern dreadnaught would he a
hing Of the past.
II j. not impossible. however. that
ONE degree of protection for the bot. {
ons Of battle craft vii b. considered Z
n future Heretofore constructors have
elicd almost wholly upon increasing
umbers Of watertight compartments 30 :
sep torpedocd ships ahoat. The loss Of J
hs British hattleship Audacious. one Of q
be most modern hghting machines in :
be- world. has shed new light on the
lhiert. Details ~ that disaster ave n
.cl,ing hut many bliefe the Audacious q
.n irt0 q mine which sent her 20 the I
rttom. Her compartments kept her s
loat until her crew uas rescued. but s
le ~ one they gave uav under the is
easinr pressure 81 thc water and final. 3
rhe urnt down. t
Navy nficrrs are unwilling - yet 70 q
.raiet what elect ~ naval constrar-
On that Ni1 hnSe. Ihey sar u fsa
ffsffan af fialnnHe istneen s.Henzr ana
fsnst 81 tattieebip construction and a
% oId aEiou THAT the greatest defenss
.s Is she hirhest capacity for offensive
.rk stm h6ids roof d appears esr
in. however. tist in planning nfs 81
rfrs 49,. subirrf ef thr aruInrra fsaffafr L
at 1enw frrfiat n-rnof far thr ufa n
ss alffinus ~ tas tsftom nfH a. 81
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