Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-20
UNITED STATES
TO BUILD MORE
SUBMARINES
IBy Latest MALL

WASHINGTON, d. C.-The secre-
tary of the navy will open bids on De-
cember Is for the construction of eight
submarines, numbers 80 to 50, and on
November 10 for the construction of
six torpedo boat destroyers, numbers
So to IS. .....- ...... =" (.
The designs for the submarines are
regarded as confidential, and no infor-
nation whatever will be given to the
public regarding even their general
characteristics. Instructions have
been given to those who are to SUI
pervise the work of construction TO
preserve this secrecy. This is in line
with departmental policy followed for
number of years, which makes the
submarines a special object of naval
reticence. ..~....
The destroyers win follow in q gem
eral way those built in recent years,
excepting that there will be triple
tubes instead Of twin tubes. The new
vessels viii be 80 feet long, 20 feet 10
inches beam, with a draft of IL feet.
The displacement will be HOS tons,
and each vessel will carry battery of
four finch rapid-fire guns and four
triple torpedo tubes. These new YES
sells win be of slightly less normal
displacement than those of the imme-
diately preceding class, but in other
respects the dimensions will be practi.
.caIly the same.
The speed expected of the engines
is about 20 knots. There has been
some discussion regarding the increase
OF speed in the case of destroyers, but
the experts have come to the con.
|clusion that dependable speed OF 20
or 80 knots is ample for all service
needs. Some of the British torpedo
boat destroyers, it is pointed out,
which have attained higher rate Of
speed, have been unable to maintain
it, and it is sal dthat such excess of
speed is at. the expense Of other de-
sirable features
Secretary Daniels of the navy de-
partment has already stated publicly
that it is his purpose to ask Congress,
in his annual report, to make more
liberal provision next year for subma.
rfnes; and It is evident that the United
States, in common with all the other
great powers of the world, Is to take
advantage of the lessons taught by the
war in Europe. The submarine, 1t has
now been thoroughly shown, is war
force OF the highest value, and all ma
val powers will be quick to make such
additions to their submarine forces as
conditions may seem to demand. I'm
il8the present war had given an OPP
portunity for the submarines to be put
to a practical test their value in actual
use was somewhat uncertain. The en-
tire question, even at its best, was
academic. But there is nothing aca-
demic about what happened to the
three British cruisers in the North sea
when q single German submarine, U-9,
was able to locate their positions.
Colonel Goethals before the house
naval committee when the question
was up Of providing additional bar
racks for the marines on the isthmus
of Panama, was questioned by Repre-
sentative Hobson of Alabama, with
regard to the value of protection by
submarines, and he stated that the
moral effect of the knowledge that the
United States had large number of
submarines for use in defending the
canal would step any country from
sending its fleet to attack the canal.