Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-10
NAVY BOARD URGES
50 SUBMARINES
Higher Efficiency Expected
From New Craft Than Pos
sessed by Any Now AfIoat.
HaRRiS GWffxG@

Plans for making the United States
submarine more efficient than that OF
any other power are being worked out
by the navy general board in connec-
ton with the preparation of the next
building program of the navy. That
program includes estimates for nearly
double the number of under-sea craft
appropriated for by the last session OF
Congress.
At least thirty, and perhaps more
submarines wifi be asked of the next
Congress, 1t Is said. Some officers. 1t
is asserted, believe fifty or seventy-five
would not be too many. Secretary
Daniels is said to favor large build
ing program, and those familiar with
President Wilson's views would not be
surprised II he were to FAVOR an un-
usually large program.
Iuforma ton is being gathered rapid
ly abroad by the experts OF the Navy
Department concerning the latest I'm
provements in the underwater boats
One of the reasons why some Euro
pean countries have been aple 10 manu-
facture submarines rapidly mas peeh
because of their development OF the In
dustry of making Internal COMBUSTION
Oil burning engines
Experiments are being conducted py
the navy for the use of electric pal-
teries in propelling submarines for SUD
merged operations. and 1t is pelleFeo
the number Of submarines recommend
ed will depend almost entirely on the
number of batteries and engines that
can be supplied.
Greater efficiency than has been
achieved by any foreign navy Is comb
IDENTIFY predicted by high naval onlceIs ;
for American submarines as result
Of the new batteries which are tc Dc
introduced. Already Secretary Daniels
has announced that all submarines
built will be equipped with one or more
disappearing guns for surface action
a school devoted entirely to the train
ing of officers and crews for subma-
rines now is In operation.
While the development OF the SUD
marine is being worked out, plans lot
the two overwhelmingly provided
for by the last Congress are being De
layed pending the results of expert
ments now in progress with detehSe
against torpedoes. Secretary Danieis
said today that Rear Admiral Iaylof
chief of the bureau of construction and
repa1r. was directing the series Of ex-
periments, using armored calssons To
represent battleships.
II is said that the thickness of armor
necessary to Withstand the exploslon
the amount OF hull subdivision re-
quired to keep ship afoat after her
BUTTON has been torn open by mine
or torpedo arc problems upon which
navy officials are working.
A point to be determined IL whether
the now ships shall carry main bat,
tories Of eight sixteen-inch rifles or OF
twelve fourteen-inch weapons each
Tho new sixteen-inch rifle. the largest
ever designed for naval use. has proved
entirely satisfactory. it has been stated
although no details of its performance
have been made public. The big CUR
has a greater range and striking force
than the fifteen-inch weapons of the
newest battleships of foreign nations
There is also, however, a tremendous
increase in weight. making 1t neces-
sary to reduce the number of guns
carried.
fourteen-inch gun, which has a range
beyond the reach of vision at sea and
tremendous hitting power. should be
retained for the new ships because
twelve can be mounted on each ship as
against eight siXteen-inch.