Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-06-08

in providing greater factor of preparedness.
The kind of craft construct addition to our
fleet will depend the kind of craft proved the most
formidable we must meet.
The earlier naval engagements between British and
German craft especially those in South American waters,
showed concusvey that the battle cruiser ndspensa
be where great speed necessary make possible the
taking of the The casual observer would conclude
that the great victory Of the Germans the British
cruiser squadron in the North Sea had put the battle cruiser
out of business
SO you might argue that the ability of battleship to
sink whole squadron destroyers submarines with gun
fire would eliminate both of those classes of warcraft To
state such proposition under known conditions of naval
warfare is to emphasize the weakness of such
No does the sinking Of lighter craft by heavier vessels
in the North Sea combat under peculiar conditions rule out
Each class of vessels in navy designed special
service and the well rounded out fleet requires few craft
of pursuit well of destroyer submarines self
propeng mines and monitors to go into shadows waters
heaviest dreadnaughts to constitute the backbone of fleets
fighting strength.
Secretary Daniels of the navy department has already
jumped the conclusion that the result of this engagement
between the British and Germans in the North Sea
change materially the program of the United States navy
for the building of capital ships The apparent fact that
German bateshps able to the assistance of
the Kaises cruisers attacking the British cruiser squad
indicated by the reported loss one German
baeshlps is apparently leading the head of navy
contemplate the abandonment the project now pending in
Congress to provide Uncle Sam with squadron Of fast bat
tie cruisers carrying the heaviest of guns addition
If we had any battle cruisers Whatever the situation
you'd be entirely different from that in which the United
States now finds itself. We have considerable number of
heavy battleshps of the latest which arc equal to
any the world If it were possible to provide batteshps
then again the situation would be different from what is
at the present time.
AS matter of fact however, the extreme thickness of
nor OF batteshps and their consequent great weight in
consistent with superior speed under conditions of
question battieshp capable of making tventv.eirht
knots an hour cannot overtake and put of commission
hiryve knots In order to provide craft capsbe Of fJ ths
accomplishment thickness of be sacrificed
increased vulnerabiy heavy fire from baeshps as an
inevitable result.
Where the naval authorities in Washington are appar
envy lDe 10 mistake IS IN arguing for the substitution of
pae cruisers for batteships vice in
with our building program. business man might as
truck or vice If he is to be in position to meet all
requirements of his business he needs get him
deliver his goods United States must meet enemy Bat
teshps with baeshps and rival battle cruisers and
erce raiders WIN SUN more speedy battle cruisers
These considerations do not, however, prevent the
champions Of the two classes of warcrat ptted against
each other IN Washington from urging the claims of their
particular pets to the exclusion of the other.
j. FOR instance one high official Of the United States
1T shows that neither battle cruisers nor armored
cruisers are able to bateshps without getting
cruisers small craft is concerned they
are unable to cope with few modern first battle
ships This has apparently been shown in the fight lust
concluded in the North Sea- and will be shown again any
me squadron of battle cruisers cruisers up against
modern dreadnoughs.'
No naval officer in his right senses would think of send
ing eet OF battle cruisers against fleet Of batesps any
more than ne would depend upon mosquito fleet of tor
lighter armor of the cruisers would prove he undoing
even II they had heavy the dreadnaughts
same token no naval officer deserving command would
THINK OF sending fleet Of dreadnaughts overake lot of
speedy commerce destroyer like those of Germany which
British cruisers including those Just lost on the
North Sea, swept from the ocean.
It is striking coincidence that the number of
the Literary Digest which is read simultaneously with re-
ports OF the AngoGerman naval combat should contain
an article entitled "The Worlds Battle Cruisers for
America The article starts off with the quotation of
crisp summary n of the value Of the baecruser by un
named editor as follows: mo floating thing that can whip
her catch her and nothing that can whip can escape
her." ~ 'p
That applies of to the fastest and heaviest armed
baecrusers such the United States contemplate It
does not apply however to the attempt to baecrusers
to light dreadnaughts was apparently the with the
British in the recent cOmba-an emergency which will
main to be cleared when the public all the
the case, if we do.
In the article in question Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary
is quoted advocating in public letter the building of six
teen battecrusers quickly possible eight for the At
Antc and eight for service the Pacific With two
such fleets in commission in addition to the baeshps in
process of building and others to follow, together with
sufficient aerial coast-deense system, Peary believes
might feel that sentences in fairly good shape