The sun., 1915-10-10
First Step Toward a
Well Proportioned
Fleet Taken in Pro.
posal to Adi This Type


sn the development Of American sea
mower The decision Of the Navy do
rar,ment to ask Congress to provide
.he money Tor one or more vessels OF
his type is the first step toward
making the United States navy well
n-oport.oned In the sense OF eQulpping
with at least the same kinds Of
xe,pons possessed by the navies OF
other great Powers.
Ever since it's adoption by other
nay,es the battle cruiser has been
discussed in the United States. Dur
ing the European war II has received
Increased attention by reason Of the
fact that II figured prominently in
rwo Of the three engagements between
British and German squadrons which
1ave been tho nearest approach to a
general naval battle the war has pro-
duced thus far Meagre as have been
the opportunities furnished by the
present war for observing the battle
cruiser IN action. they have been SUM-
Gent TO bring about virtual unanimity
40 70 the wisdom OF adding battle
cruisers to the United States fleet.
The battle cruiser owes it's incep-
son to Great Britain. like many
other developments in naval construc-
,on. II came int, being almost simul-
taneously with the dreadnought type.
Late in 1905 Lord Fisher. then First
Sea Lord Of the Admiralty. laid down
the Dreadnought. Six months later.
early in 1906. the first battle cruisers.
three In number. were laid down.
They are the 1nvinciblc. Iniexible
and Indomitable.
Every effort was made by the Brit
ish Admiralty TO keep tho design OF
the three battle cruisers ,lose
secret Nevertheless. presumably
through the activities of spies. the
German Government learned that the
British Government was building IA
rev type Of fighting vessel and se-
cured partial information as to the
characteristics Of the craft. At that
time Germany was eager to initiate
everything England did IN naval
way. and accordingly laid down IL,
October, 1905. the battle cruiser Blue
cher.
The German Admiralty failed. how
ever, to get complete and accurate in
formation about the British battle
cruisers. and the Bluecher was not
the equal Of the vessels Of which 1t
was an attempted duplicate. The
Germans knew that the British were
building large vessels of higher speed
than ba;tleships and with more gun
power than armored cruisers. but
guessed below the mark in both mat
ters, Consequently While the Irwin
cble and her sister ships had a speed
Of more than twenty-five knots and
elgh, l. inch guns. as the Germans
discovered later. the Bluecher was de-
signed for a speed OF only twenty-four
and one-half knots and carried twelve
guns Of only So inches calibre.
As soon as they discovered their
error the Germans laid down the Won
der Tam, Moltke and Gocben. all Of
which have figured in the present
war. These were followed by the
seydlitz. Dcerflinger and Lutzow. and
the last one laid down. the Ersa:Z
Hertha, was begun in 1919 and pre-
sumably Is in commission by this
time. In these subsequent ships the
Germans followed. of course. the trend
OF the development OF the battle
cruiser
The German advance in battle
cruiser construction was shown IN the
Dogger Bank fight. The B!uecher
me, her doom because of the fact that
she fell behind the other battle cruis-
ers in the German squadron and WAS
thus exposed To a terrible fire from
The pursuing British battle cruisers.
Her successors in the German navy
no, only carried larger guns but were
capable OF a higher speed and thus
escaped destruction.
During this same period Great Brit
ain Was making continual improve
ment in the design OF the battle
cruiser. The first three were followed
by the interchangeable. New Zealand
and Australia. the last two furnished
by the co.onies Of those names. Then
came The Princess Royal and the Lion.
and the latest pair that American au-
ihor.'.es know about, the Queen Mary
and the Tiger The speed was raised
guns Aas brought up from Il inches
10 49,
During this period the British built
one battle cruiser for Japan. the
Nongo, while the japanese later laid
doVn three for themselves. the HI
vel, Haruna and Kirishima. now all
Quit and the only vessels OF their
ir N 1,
ria has laid down battle cruisers. but
th"y are not completed. The United
states, Il it adopts the battle cruiser
" now planned. will thus be the fifth
nation to take It up. after a delay Of
nine years
lAc battle cruiser combines the
speed uf the scout and the hitting
power Ut the battleship, This combina-
uon Of characteristics is obtained
chiefly 10y IA sacrifice OF armor protec-
non and reduction in the number
o'enns carried The present tendency
III INC development of the battle
'ruiser IS toward even higher speed
"dh mas already been attained. which
means Of course st!ll larger vessels
'"4 sun greater sacrifices in tine num-
yer "f guns and the amount OF armor
| Protection
is promised that the first Amer!-
.eh designed battle cruiser shall be a
uSuhct advance over anything of the
N."' now afioat, The experts OF the
nav department. are convinced that
81 "'S' ~ In all other departments OF
"''a development, American genius