Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-25
U. S. NAVY IS SLOW;
ISIT OLD-FASHIONED?
LOCAL EXPERTS DIFFER
American Battleships Have
Limit of % Knots, While
Foreigners Have 28-knot
Fighters and Are Build
ing Faster Vessels.

The American Navy is in danger OF
being out of date. Our mighty battle
ships dreadnoughts and superdread-
noughts, which no American can gaze
upon without perhaps, a feeling Of awe
are far behind the English and German
ships when 1t comes to speed. Twenty
two knots is the speed limit of American
battleshps and cruisers while 2S knots
an hour is common thing for the
formidable sea-fghters of several foreign
Powers.
The fact was brought to light more
forcefully by recent news that England
is building dreadnoughts which will have
the high speed of 80 knots an hour. Where
will the relative position of the Ameri-
can navy be then? That is hard to an
swer because experts who are familiar
with the subject hold varied opinions.
America needs lighter and faster ships,
some declare. Others say that the faster
ships OF the foreign Powers cannot travel
far from their base.
Back comes the other side, saying, THE
faster n ship is the poorer a target 1t
lHthNt9 III q lulllllb pbANlcs
faster ships can give battle when and
where they choose"
% KNOTS is UNITED STATES LIMIT.
The startling fact remains, however,
that not one of our battleships and
cruisers, including the most modern, has
been built to make a speed of more than
% knots an hour, while many of the Brit
ish and German dreadnoughts can make
easily from 26 to 2S knots an hour, and
the English dreadnoughts or superdread-
noughts building today will have n speed
of 80 knots.
1t appears at first glance that our proud
sea-hghters-even the Arizona and the
Pennsylvania. the largest battleships
afioat-would have little chance In a run
ming battle with such ships as the Lion.
the Tiger and the Queen Elizabeth, with
their powerful guns and high speed. To
be sure, an American will bank on Amer
lean Workmanship every time. and most
of the larger ships In the American and
English navies carry 4-inch guns.
Both the Arizona, launched last Sat
urday, and the Pennsylvania are of 3l,4OO
tons. They are designed to make from
q to 22 knots. They might be steamed
UP TO make a little more, but II heavily
coaled and armed, they would make less.
They will soon be outstrpped In size by
the California, Mississippi and Idaho.
WllCn, Wnen COUlpltlcut Will pS VI o%iVvv
tons. Among the other so-called fast
American battleships are the Arkansas
Delaware, Florida, Texas, North Dakota,
Utah and Wyoming, which are OF ap-
proximately $1,000 tons, with an average
speed of q knots The Argentine battle
ship Moreno, which cost more than va
900. 900, has a tonnage OF 1850 tons and
speed of % knots.
EUROPEANS ARE FASTER.
Both England and Germany have a for
midable list of battleship cruisers and
dreadnoughts OF from 10000 to 2SOOO tons
which can make considerably more than
"a knots. The Lion, the Queen Mary and
the Royal Princess average 1900 tons
and 28 knots Some OF the Japanese bat
tleships are in the same class.
"Battleships Of the Lion type are Just
what we need in the American navy"
an official OF the Philadelphia Navy Yard
said today, Speed on the sea as well as
on land Is certainly a big asset In modern
warfare. There are perhaps Is l0OO-ton
destroyers being built for our navy today.
They viii have a speed OF 29h knots. but
what's the use OF destroyer making %
knots II the battlecruisers can make 80
or more7 Most OF the later American
battleships have been designed 10 make Il
knots, and although outclassed In speed
by many of the ships OF foreign Powers,
they are nevertheless the finest battle
ships ahoat,
"Our submarines. Of which there are
perhaps % now being built, will compare
favorably with those OF other nations.
They will make from 5 10 10 knots under
water and possibly Il on top.
you must not overlook the fact that
when foreign Powers make battleships
for high speed, they sacrifice part OF the
armor and armament. and also limit 10 a
certain extent the cruising power OF their
ships To make speed means other linn
itauons."
The same opinion was expressed at the
New York Shipbuilding Company and al
the William Cramp & Sons Ship and En-
gine Building Company.
Another side OF the speed question was
ably presented by a naval constructor at
the Cramp yards
1T Is difficult 20 compare the battle
ships Of different nations" he said Many
OF the German cruisers and battleships
are built only TO cruise IN the North Sea.
with many Of the English high-spesd
battIeships the case Is somewhat similar.
phey do not get far away from coaiing
stations In fact. they couldn't Battle
ships OF dinerent nations are designed for
what they are expected % accomplish,
American ships. you know. have clrcled
ne globe. The ships we have are un-
doubleday 81 the finest"
When ali Is considered. 4 may - fhat
fTueie san d not So slow aflar aIli