Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-11-27
PROBLEMS PRESENTED NOT NEW
TO ExPERrs in NAVAL
CONSTRUCTION.
ARMoR PLATE BOTTOMS
FOR BIO sATTLEsHiPs
Equipment Objected to sseauss Of tss-
senins Of Speed Of BIG Sea Fighters
Cruisers Would Lose Efficiency II
Weighted by Steel Plates Of
Large Ships Not to BE Abandoned.

Washington, Nov. 27.-While Ameri-
can navy officers have watched with
critical eyes the deadly work Of tor
pedoes fired from submarines and OF
contact mines in the European war
nothing has developed as yet which
indicated any radical change in battle
ship construction to offer greater de-
Tense against underwater attacks. The
problems presented are not new. They
have been studied by naval construc-
tors of every power since the Russians
Japanese war when many fine ships
fell victim to mines and torpedoes
Proposals Of many sorts have been dis
cussed. Some have been adopted: but
the theory OF warship building stall
clings to concentration Of offensive
power In terms of larger guns, bigger
and swifter ships and wider cruising
radius. even at the expense OF defen-
sive 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 woodcraft. Recent issues OF Eng
"sh service Journals have noted a plan
to cover the entire bottom OF a battle
ship with four inches of armor plating
It was urged that the experiment be
tried with an old ship which should be
subjected to actual test with the ex-
plosion against her hull Of the most
powerful modern torpedoes. The shir
also would be driven into constant
mines OF various types to determine
their effect, it was said.
Would Be Sufficient.
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 ship in that way. however
the enormous weight OF the armor
would require a reduction In weigh,
elsewhere and the only way IL could be
accomplished would be to reduce the
size and number Of guns, the thick
ness OF surface armor. the weight OF
engines and coal capacity and because
OF this last, the size OF the ships them
selves. With armored bottoms battle-
ships would become slow. heavy ves-
sells Of small cruising radius and their
usefulness as Instruments with which
to strike swift, terrible blows at dis
tant points before word Of their com.
ing had gone out, would vanish
Cruisers and swift merchant vessels
would take care only to keep out OF
range of their guns. The terrible
power of the modern dreadnaught
would be thing Of the past
Present. Plans Fail.
1t is no: impossible, however, that
some degree Of protection for the bot
toms of battle craft will be considered
in the future. Heretofore constructors
have relied almost wholly upon in
creasing number Of water-tight COM
partments to keep torpedoed ships
afioat. The loss Of the British battle
ship Audacious, one OF the most mod
ern fighting machines in the world
has shed new light on the subject. De-
tails OF that disaster are lacking blu,
many believe the Audacious ran into
mine which sent her to the bottom
Her compartments kept her af1oat until
her crew was rescued; but one by one
they gave way under the increasing
pressure Of the water and finally she
went down.
Navy officers are unwilling as yet Il
predict what effect on naval construc.
ton that will have. They say 1t Is
question OF balance between offenst
and defence in battleship construction
and the Old axiom that the creates
defense lies In the highest capacity fol
offensive work still holds good. 1t ap.
pears certain, however, that In plan
ming new ships. the subject Of armoret
bottom, or at least partial armor for thu
midships section of the bottom. win b
carefully weighed.