The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-10-02
The New Kind of Ships We Need
to Meet Modern Wars Demands
Lieutenant H. r. NJ Robinson, One of the
Worlds Greatest Naval Experts Describes
the Battleship to Withstand Submarine Attacks

thick and heavy; II extends from eight or nine
feet below the waterline to about ten feet
above
The weight OF the twelve heavy guns and
the protective armor makes necessary a most
ponderous vessel. but In addition to this great
weight is the elaborate equipment for the CON-
Portable housing OF the nine TO twelve hundred
men who form the crew. thousand things 90
toward making the modern dreadnought
heavy. complicated piece of machinery.
The ship is. OF necessity. clumsy; the marvel
is that these ships are so easily handled. The
best OF them will make about twenty-one knots
an hour. They fulfil neither OF the modern re-
quirements for speed and mobility.
Some genius may find a complete answer to
the submarine. but he has not yet appeared.
In the meantime we can only the materials
and the methods we know. and these are fairly
adequate IL We can keep the torpedo as a con-
slant factor. That is where the rub comes. I
will agree to build a ship that viii resist any
given torpedo; know the strength OF that tor
pedo. and can build against it. but I cannot
build against all torpedoes. and 1t is far easier
10 increase the power OF the torpedo than 1t Is
to build new ship.
The best outside protection is a Gordon OF
destroyers or other craft to detect and sink
the submarine IL it happens to come to the sur.
IL.
and depends upon keenness OF vision and an
obliging excursion by the submersible to the
surface.
Steel nets may also be placed at some dis
lance about the ship. and these will catch the
ordinary torpedo. but now these weapons have
been fitted with a wire cutter. and the net is
OF doubtful value: II is entirely without value
when the ship is in motion, because Il not only
makes the ship very slow and unwieldly, but
the motion Of the ship also brings the net to
the surface and defeats its object. Another
defense Is the scouting aeropane, but this air
defense is more In the nature OF a warning
than defense; the aeroplane may drop a
bomb on the submarine. but the chance is very
silght-so slight as 10 be largely a matter OF
luck.
The protection OF the ship struck by a tor
pedo IL very difficult matter; the only known
means Is underwater armor combined with a
compressed air system and q plan OF
water-tight compartments.
This underwater armor differs greatly from
the ordinary above-water armor. for the action
OF torpedo on the hull of ship Is very diff
ferent from that OF a projectie. The explosion
has crushing effect which results in a tearing
OF the rivetted joints: Il would seem that the
rivets are attacked in detail. External armor
does not protect the joints. and therefore the
mere addition OF more metal on the outside OF
the hull Will not strengthen the rivets and will
not give more protection against the explosion.
The proper armoring for torpedo defense Is
not mere plastering OF the ship with heavy
metal. but an incorporation OF the armor within
the body or the ship, so that Il will not only
protect but also strengthen the structure The
United States has about perfected what con-
slider the very best way yet devised OF placing
this armor to give the surest protection. but
am not at liberty to tell the exact method.