New-York tribune., 1917-04-02

II we are going TO wage war with Germany
independently Of the Allies and on a purely
defensive basis. it is quite conceivable that
before We get through with the thing, we may
find ourselves facing single handed the whole
strength of the German navy. In that event
which God forbid.) how should we line up,
ship for ship and feet for fleet?
A we'll found. modern feet, capable Of keep
ing the seas and finding and fighting the
enemy. is made up of capital ships battle
ships and battle-cruisers) destroyers in the
ratio of four 10 every capital ship; fast
scouts. and supply ships. These elements are
absolutely essential, and the feet that is
lacking in any one OF them would be so
seriously handicapped as to be incapable Of
carrying through a successful campaign.
Battleships.-The first line fighting ship
must be Of the dreadnought type. Pre-dread-
roughts cannot fight dreadnoughts; for in
gun power, speed and protective qualities
they would be hopelessly oUtcassed. or
dreadnoughts We possess, in commission,
twelve; Germany has in commission twenty
FIVE, five Of which are battle-cruisers. Taking
the average, our battleships are superior to
those Of Germany; they are larger more
heavily gunned. and better protected. But. in
the total. the German dreadnought fleet pos
sesses a crushing superiority 1t mounts 254
armor piercing guns against 1913, and their
total energy is 100000 foot-tons, against
10000 foot-tons.
Battle Crusers-Ger possesses five
battle cruisers Of 81 to 90 knots speed,
mounting II and - inch guns Of the latest
Lo,., hot+l 10
True, we have authorized the construction of
six of these great ships, heavily gunned and
Of high speed. but they will not be available
for service before 1921.
Destroyers.-W have about fifty destroy
ers in commission. which gives Tour dread
nought feet the full ratio Of four to each
capital ship. They are large, well armed and
seaworthy Their sEeed of 2S TO 80 knots
does not measure up to modern standards. for
the British and German navies have several
hotillas that can do 80 knots and over. We
have over fifty destroyers under construction
and authorized. the latest of which will be
Of 81 knots speed hut unless the war is
greatly protracted. they will not be availa-
bic. II is not known how many destroyers
Germany has in commission. She has al
ways paid special attention TO her destroyer
service. Her boats are fast and most ably
handled She started the war with a fleet
Of $50. and her new construction is be-
lieved to have greatly exceeded her losses
Probably to-day she has over 200 destroyers
in commission.
Scouts.-The scouts are the tentacles of
the main feet. Without them a battleship
would be like giant with his eyes put out,
and battleship feet out on the high seas
would rove aim!esSly around. its every move
ment observed BY an enemy of whose strength
and movements it would be in profound igno-
rance. The modern scout is an able, sea
worthy vessel Of from $500 to 5000 IONS,
with sustained sea speed Of from IS to 81
knots capable OF keeping the sea in any
weather ard remaining away from its base
for long periods Of time or these Germany
possesses. in spite Of her heavy losses, prob
ably not less than dozen. We have not
single one The navy list contains the names
Of three so-caled scouts-the Chester, the
Salem and the Birmingham-but their low
speed Of q knots puts them out OF the scout
class. We should have to depend upon them
and upon our twelve armored cruisers. whose
sustained sea speed is about q knots. AS an
alternative. we might do in war what we have