The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-07-30
For a Greater Nauv

Id ECENT Associated Press reports make II
IN certain that the next congress will be asked
to authorize the construction of complete divi-
sion of battle cruisers of the greatest offensive
and defensive power, as we'll as the highest pos
sible speed and the greatest radius of action.
The general opinion among naval officers is that
the general board of the navy will recommend
FIVE such vessels, which would provide a flag
ship and four units of the most powerful type Of
battle cruiser to form division OF the Atlantic
feet 1t is proposed that the keels of all FIVE be
laid at nearly the same time If the capacity of
the available yards is adequate and the plan does
not interfere with other naval construction which
may be authorized ..'r
The stratcgical value of battle cruisers depends
largely upon their employment as group. No
type OF naval vessel, with the exception of the sub
marine, has given such good account of itself in
the present war as have the great battle cruisers
of the British Tiger and German Van der Tam
types "r~
Robert Necser, the well-known naval historian
writing of battle cruisers and the United States
need OF them to round out the feet, points out in
the July issue of Seven Seas" the new organ of
the Naval League of the United States, that had
congress followed in years past the advice of the
general board we would now own some OF the
finest vessels Of this type in commission.
In his article Mr.. Neeser says:
after 1904, congress stopped the construction
Of armored cruisers and Of fast scouts. After de-
veloping successful type, we failed to follow up
our advantage. Just about this time England
designed her first battle cruiser In 1907 the In
domitable, the Inhexible and the Invincbe were
laid down. In 1909 Germany displayed with pride
her Van der Tam, and sent her on voyage to
the South American Republics. By this time
Japan had followed the lead of the two greatest
naval powers.
IF the recommendations of the general board
had been followed by congress, it would have
been possible for likewise to build battle cruis-
ers for our navy when the type first came out
without itperiling ourrank in battleship strength
But the refusal of congress to listen to expert
advice retarded the development of our fleet along
the most, advanced linesGaItil today we find our
selves in position really critical. We do not own
capital ship which would have been able, to keep
up with the German cruiser Beucher, and yet the
Bleucher was lost in thSitscent North Sea action
because she was too slowVc Our fastest ship of the
battleship class today or building is the Wyoming
Her speed is 2l22 knots Our fastest large ships
are the armored cruiser class, the North Carolina
being able to make 22!48 knots Yet today the
Z,
guns, with a speed of l57 knots :;
the German navy has the Seydlitz, carrying ten
eeven-inch guns, with speed of twenty-nine
knots and the Japanese have the KOngo carrying
eight fourteen-nCh rifles, with a speed of twenty
eight Knots The fastest American capital ship
that could make fight against the sIowest of
these foreign capital ships would be outclassed by
a speed of seven knots about eight statute miles
per hour.
us it not about time that the American people
realized the great inieriorty in speed of their
capital ships and demanded proper congressional
action ," "#t
Dealing with the same subject, the Army and
Navy Journal of July 3, intimatcs that the recon-.
mendatiOn of the general board will be for six
battle cruisers. Some Of the members of the
board, the Journal states, believe that it would be
a wise policy to substitute battle cruisers for
dreadnoughts, while others are of the opinion that
the rc"Ommen iatiOn for next years construction
program should include four battle cruisers and
four ureadnOughts.
Judge Gary summed up the average American
ambition yesterday before the Commercial Club
when he stated his belief that the United States
should have fleet commensurate with its import
ancc as nation and able to protect American
interests at all times. Whether that feet should
be dreadnoughts, battle cruisers submarines or
whatnot, should be lett to the naval experts. The
main thing is to have the fleet and to have il
strong enough for all purposes Of defense and pro-
lection. s..
he HT1In frat III