The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-10-13
ITO INCREASE navy
OFFICIALS PLAN TO, BUILD
WORLDS FASTEST SHIPS


WORLDS FASTEST SHIPS
WANT BATTLE CRUISERS
United States Navy Will Have Two
Thirty.fye-knot Boats-Can Reach
Charleston From New York in Il
Hours-Gets to London in Two
Days and a Fraction. u
The outstanding and most dis
tinctive feature of the naval pro-
gram to be submitted to congress
this winter will be request for
the construction Of battle cruisers
superior in speed and power to
anything afloat.
This fact was developed following
the conference held at the White
House between President Wilson,
Secretary Daniels of the Navy De-
partment, and Chairman Padgett of
the House Committee on Naval At
fairs. It became apparent after the
conference that the administration
would recommend more than two
battleships, one or more battle cruis-
ers, and a large number of subma-
rines.
The battle cruisers will be the fea-
ture of the naval program. Pre-
liminary designs for these vessels
have been prepared by the naval con-
structors, and are before the Cen
eral Board, Secretary Daniels, and the
president for consideration. There
are several alternative designs, but
the particular one which will prob
ably be adopted calls for battle
cruiser that will make thirty-five
knots speed.
This is equivalent to a fraction
over forty land miles an hour. The
fastest battle cruiser thus far built by
any of the powers is designed for not
more than thirty knots. Consequent
" the American battle cruiser would
be able to sail rings around any for
eign vessel of similar type now in
commission.
The final characteristics Of the pro-
tected battle cruiser have not been
determined by the experts of the Gen.
eral Board of the Navy, but the un-
derstanding is that this new type OF
vessels main armor will be about
eight inches thick, and the vessel will
mount eight fourteen-inch guns, OF
fifty calibre.
The cost of the battle cruiser will
be about eighteen million dollars, or
about three million dollars more than
the dreadnought battleships now be-
ing built for the United States navy.
The battleships to be recommended
in this years naval program will also
cost about eighteen million dollars
each, the increase being due to the
price Of war material.
The decision to recommend one or
more battle cruisers is the result Of a
careful study Of the lessons taught by
the naval side Of the war in Europe.
Secretary Daniels and President Will
son have before them report made
BY Lewis B. Mcbride, naval construc-
tor, who has been attached to the
embassy in London, dealing with the
operations of battle cruisers of the
British and German navies during
the war, and demonstrating unmls-
takably that this new type Of vessel
is a most valuable adjunct to defense
and offense.
The escape of the German armored
cruiser Goeben in the Mediterranean
from the combined British and
French fleets in the earlier stages OF
the war, solely by reason of superior
speed. was the first demonstration
during the present conflict of the
value of the battle cruiser. In the
naval battle in the North Sea, and
likewise in the battle off the Falk-
land Islands, battle cruisers were a
determining factor.
Officials of the navy department
refrained from disclosing the detailed
characteristics of the projected battle
cruiser. Secretary Daniels admitted
that the vessel was designed for thir-
ty-fve knots. Another high official
said the propelling machinery would
consist of turbines. Beyond this no
information. was obtainable from any
source as to the essential character
istics of the projected warship. When
one high official was asked how it
was proposed to obtain the speed Of
thirty-fve nautical miles an hour, he
responded:
"The first British battle cruisers
were the Inflexible, Invincible and
Iadomitable, authorized in 1907 and
completed in 1908 These vessels are
identical. They displace 1880 tons
each, mount eight twelve-inch guns,
have an amidships belt of seven-inch
armor, and on trials recorded from
26.1 to 26.6 knots.
"The next class of British battle
cruisers embraced the Indefatlgable
and New Zealand, each Of 1880
tons displacement These two also
each mounted eight twelve-inch guns,
and carried eight-inch armor betting.
On their trials they recorded twenty
six and twentv-seven knots speed. IN
1911 the British government author
lied three additional battle cruisers
of the Lion class, the other two being
the Princess Royal and the Queen
Mary. In these vessels the displace-
ment ran up to 26,350 tons. Each
carries eight 13.5-inch guns, and full
powe: trials they made twenty-nine
knots an hour The heaviest armor
carried is nine inches amidships.
In the Tiger type of battle cruiser,
authorized in 1913 for the British
navy, the displacement ran up to 90
600 tons, the main batteries are the
same as in the Immediately preceding
class. eight 13.5-inch guns, AMI the
heaviest armor carried was nine
inches amidships. The Tiger was de-
signed for 80 knots an hour on de-
signed horse power of 100000. The
Tiger is propelled by the Brown-Cur-
tiS tvpe Of turbine