New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-28

powerful Blue feet was largely due, It
is held, TO the absence OF first line
Of scouts, which might nave picked up
the enemy, defeated its screen or
scouts, combsted its destroyer hotllla,
and ultimately prevented the landing
Of the military force which accom-
panied the Red admiraps armada.
The type Of scouts advocated Will be
an Improvement on the British scout
cruiser Arethusa. Naval officers say
the department should suggest TO the
next Congress the construction al once
Of two test vessels of the type they
believe furnishes the idea scout ships
Of about 900 tons displacement, with
a speed Of rot less than 30 knots and
preferably 81 knots an hour. ] he
scouts should be armed with two high
power six-inch guns and not fewer
than six four-inch guns in the man
batteries The range OF the slN-lnch
guns should be, in the opinion of eX-
perts. double the battle range OF the
torpedoes Of any enemy fotllla, 80 that
an advantage OF not less than 5000
wards in range would be possessed by
the modern scout. The ships will re
ouire a complement OF about two hun
dred men each, or about three times
the complement Of the destrOyers. and
each will cost approximately s3,OOO,OOO.
Want Two Scouts a Year.
The proposal for two vessels of the
scout type in next years building pro-
gramme is advanced with the sugges-
ton that tTo more should be added
the following year and in the third
year the navy would have reached a
point where it could say to Congress:
I'VE have developed ship Of the
tyne we want. Its usefulness in war
depends OF there being enough ships
at the earliest possible date. We need
now one scout for every battleship.
The navy's complement OF these yes
sells should be filed within the ensu-
ing six years"
Next in importance to the creation
Of the feet Of scout cruisers naval
officers consider the construction a.
once Of rot fewer than four battle
cruisers of the most modern type.
These cruisers should have a speed OF
not less than tNenty-eight knots an
hour and preferably thirty knots. They
should carry not fewer than eight OF
the highest powered guns and be ready
10 fgh; or run.
The japanese have four vessels Of
this type. Il will require at least
twenty-five months from the passage
Of the appropriation bill to put such
ships in commission. Although 1t Is
unlikely that the next Congress will
provide them, naval officers will urge
that at least TWO battle cruisers be
authorized this year and two more the
following year
In the navy to-day are nine armored
cruisers Of the class of such ships as
the North Carolina, Tennessee and
West Virginia, which have ceased 10
have real military value in calculating
R war problem against q modern foe.
Naval officers believe that within three
years at most every one OF these once
powerful vessels should be sent to the
scrap heap. They are as out OF line
with the modern development Of sea
lighting as would be the old Oregon.
Massachusetts, and Indiana against
ships OF similar power to the super
dreadnoughts Arizona and New York.
This is conservative estimate OF
the views the General Board will pre-
sent IN its next recommendations 70
the Secretary of the Navy. The prob
lem now confronting them IS 10 CON
vince Congress that such a revolu-
tIoHary programme is desirable.