The Washington herald., 1915-10-10

cape from an onrushing torpedo. A tor
pedo. as compared with a rifle projectile.
Is slow-moving danger and it is largely
luck when it hits a swift vessel do not
limit the speed to 25 knots-the speed
must not be less than that figure The
faster the ship the less chance it has of
being hit The average speed of the feet
/ should be nearer 30 than D knots.
Small Guns Futile.
The information which We have deriv-
ed from the present war and the lessons
of the Russo-Japanese war show the fulfill
ity of guns of medium caliber The pre-
dreadnaughts had a main battery of big
guns, an intermediary battery of lighter
guns. a secondary battery of yet lighter
guns. and sometimes a tertiary battery
of small rifles. The dreadnaught and it's
successors are fitted with main battery
Of very big guns and a secondary battery
OF lighter guns: the Intermediary and the
tertiary batteries are omitted.
] am of the opinion tSat the secondary
battery of small guns should be retained.
at least for the present. for torpedo de-
tense, but the power of the ship should
be concentrated in the main battery
which should have the largest caliber
and longest range rifles that it is possible
to produce. All the sea fights have been
"oH ny lue Si1pS Will tnC DlgStSt EuIlS.
Therefore the guns of the new ships
should have a caliber of fifteen or sixteen
inches; I have selected ma jor battery
OF eight rather than twelve guns in order
to reduce weight. Since ships do not
fight at close quarters in these days, the
second battery need only have such guns
as are required for the destruction of
merchantmen or small armed craft.
The modern battleship has a host of
<.rnv, 70. .f1 hi. s.-I
which make for the comfort of the Off
GERS and crew. but which do not add to
the fighting power. while they do add
to the weight of the hull would fit the
new ships as simply AS possible cutting
down to the harest necessities and put
the saved weight into the boilers and en-
gines-put it into speed
Since the torpedo is more deadly
enemv than the projcctile. much of the
present armor may come off and the ship
further lghtened. 1t might be we'll to
wholly abandon armor. but on that point
| am not yet decided. Certainly the
arTnor must be limited to the protection
of the vitals and. the stability of the
ship: one-half of the present weight
should be enough for these purposes. In
any event. it is doubtful if armor pro-
tects against full blow from big
shell.
differ in general appearance from the or
dinary hull. but its construction will be
on new lines.
The underwater armor will be inside
and so placed as to resist the attack of
the explosion upon the frame OF the
ship. This armor will not save the ship
harmless. but il will minimize the de-
structive power of the torpedo.
Since he topredo will undoubtedly do
h., of ~
is most important.
The question of the design, size. and
of the internal c"mpart- !
ments of The shin should he one of ma ior |
and thc number. location. !
and character Of such compa rtmsnts !
should he most carefully thron=ht out. (:
Auxiliary to ~" safety compartment :
viii hn :: '.>mr, 'SsSed-;'ir system. whi"h !
ran in&tantiv check the water in any !
pncned ""mrartn:en, "u the principle uf
th" cris$or. which t. =" 'a;2nsivc'y used in .
bridge and ,rr',el work. AZ arrangement !
is easily made hv ..l,rh 49, sir M.
also hc ct mo The compartments adjoin-
ing the IanrlE,I 100. roT % MI thu !
greatest pressur" only il ono compart-
IN, n oJid b. to r2c! and strain tn"
ship !
Tho sudden filling OF ccmrartmer-
With ~Ct"r Tlav turn 4 ship on it, ,
beam ends, and q bala nc"s system is !
needed to admit water into another
auua)izing compartment.
Here. then. is a ship which Is not i'm
nlne from submarine attacks but which |
i is hard for submarine to hit a IA
tai hlow. And If badly hit the vessel
should. under ordinary circumstances. be
allie to escape for repairs
Tim" will bring many improved meth
rds Of defeating the might of the sub
marine. but the type of vessel which ] |
nave Skctched repre- sents a vast advance
Ivor tho Dreadnought and is type which
night well be followed in the future ships
of the United States-at least until some |
me comes along with better design.