The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-04-11
Naval Appropriation Bill Being
Framed by House Naval Sub
Committee
PLAN FOR MUCH SPEED
Scout Cruisers of Newest Type viii,
BE Able to Travel at Rapid Pace
and Consume Less Coal.

tiohs DeSln tomorrow framing the
naval appropriation bill which in
cludes the administration half bill
lion dollar five year programme for
new fighting ships. Chairman Pad
eett hopes to lay the completed meas
sure before the house by April 25.
The big fight is expected to come
over the 1917 programme for capI-
tai ships. Secretary Daniels has
recommended the authorization of
two dreadnoughts and two battle
cruisers. The navy general board
contended for three battleships and
four battecruisers.
Present indications are that the
subcommittee will recommend two
battieships ad four battlecruisers.
At the navy department work on
the designs of the new ships has
progressed rapidly. Plans for the
battleships, large and small sub
marines, destroyers, gunboats hospi-
tai ships and ammunition ships are
virtually completed and it will take
only few weeks after appropria-
ton for the vessels is made to Law
specifications before private builders.
Plans for the battlecruisers and scout
cruisers are also under way but will
take some time to complete. An
illustration of the problems involved
became known to-day in regard to
designs for the scout cruisers. The
general board fixed 80 knots as the
minimum speed for these eyes of the
feet. Since designers began plan
ming the ships, however, they have
hit upon way to produce 35 knot
craft Of enormous cruising radius.
As now planned the scouts will far
outclass anything ever contemplated
by any naval power.
Consume Less Coal.
The scouts will employ geared
steam turbines, the system at present
installed I'm the most successful de-
stroyers, which has been found best
adapted to craft smaller than battle
cruisers for which exceutional speed
is desired. AT cruising speed, how
ever. these engines will develop less
than per cent. OF their horse power
although their consumption of coal
is enormous.
To meet this problem ii is planned
to equip the scouts with light power
electric drive for cruising, the high
power turbine plants being idle until
they are needed for swift dash.
The 1917 destroyers also will be
OF 35 knot speed instead Of 30. the
present standard.
The whole question of speed has
undergone complete change in the
departmental engineering bureaus
in the last few months. The stan
dard long maintained by the engine
designers was that they could pro
vide horsepower in the ratio of 20
horsepower TO the ton engine weight.
This was far below the figure set bv
British and other foreign engine de-
signers and partly accounts for the
slower speed OF American battle
craft. The figure was raised to 80
horsepower ton some months ago.
and recently the possibility of As
horsepower per ton has been said to
be possible through new engine de.
signers. With the decision to in
stall electric propulsion on battle
ships soon to be laid down, half a
knot was added to their speed. They
will make 21 knots under normal
conditions. despite the fact that they
viii carry proportionately greater
armor and underwater protect 'on
than any previous ships
Offer Greater Defense.
After long deilberation and much
study and experimental maneuvring
at the naval war college, Il has
been determined that the additional
knot or so which foreign heavy ships
say have does not effect the battle
efficiency Of the squadron as com
pared TO American craft. The addi
tional cruising radius and armor of
the American ships has been shown
to more than Offset the speed diff
ference.
Engineering officers OF the navy
believe that delay In the construc.
Continued on Page 81