New-York tribune., 1917-04-02
Our Fighting Fleet
Combarison OF the United States and the German NdUieS
By Nauticus
"a Well Known Naval Expert

had 20 do in peace maneuvres utilize our
destroyers as scouts But for this work they
are i'll suited They have not the fuel ca
pacty, and in heavy weather their speed IS
greatly reduced Moreover. the place Of the
destroyer is with the battleship feet to
screen it against destroyer and submarine
attack.
Supply Ships-We have an excellent auxIl-
ary fleet Of fuel and supply ships, probably
the best in the world. Other navies depend
for their auxiliary service upon the ships OF
their merchant service, which in time Of war
are taken over and converted to naval uses.
The United States Navy has very wisely built
large number of auxliaries that are espe-
cialy designed to accompany the feet. They
are large vessels, equipped with the necessary
plant for the rapid replenishment Of the coal
bunkers, oil tanks and magazines Of the feet
when it is distant from the feet bases.
Our Second Line of Defence
Pre-dreadnoughts.-O second line of de-
fence, consisting Of twenty-five pre-dread-
noughts. is incomparably superior 20 that OF
Germany, which includes nineteen such ships.
Our vessels are characterized by the posses
sion of heavy batteries and excellent armor
protection. They mount the 12-inch gun in
their main batteries, whereas the German
ships carry nothing heavier than the ll-incn,
and two divisions, or ten ships in all, of her
earlier classes carry nothing heavier than
94-inch gun. Consequently in a comparison
of gun power are greatly superior, for
our pre-dreadnought feet mounts in the ag-
gregatc ninety-six armor-pierclng guns. whose
total energy is about 100000 foot-tons, as
compared with a total Of seventy-siX guns OF
100000 fOot-tons energy in the German sec
ond line.
Armored Cruisers.-We are stronger than
Germany in armored cruisers, possessing
twelve ships of the Tennessee and Colorado
classes, armed with 10, and 6-inch guns, and
capable of about twenty-five knots sea speed
The German armored cruiser feet has been
practically wiped out during the war.
Unarmored Cruisers and Gunboats. OF un-
armored cruisers the United States Navy pos
sesses thirteen and of gunboats about TWEEN
ty-two. They are miscellaneous lot, but
probably superior in numbers and strength to
those OF the German feet. whose losses in the
unarmored cruiser class have been very Sc
we're during the war.
Submarines Our position in the matter Of
submarines has improved during the course
of the war We have about forty in COM
mission and seventy under construction. Con-
gress has also authorized the construction Of
thirty-eight boats of the S00-ton type. The
submarines available for instant service, how
ever. are too small for deep sea work and
must operate within easy reach of our coasts
The strength of Germany in submarines IS
probematical. 1t would be conservative to
estimate the total number in service at 25O
and these are mainly of the S00-ton seagoing
type Undoubtedly she has a larger number
than this under construction possibly 500
or more-and her fleet will increase rapidly
as the months pass BY. There is reason to
believe that her losses have been greatly eX-
aggerated
Personnel.-It is in the all-important mat
ter OF personnel that we fall immeasurably
below the German standard We are short
about 10000 men and 500 officers. The Navy
Department is engaged in strenuous efforts
TO make good the deficiency, but even if the
full strength be realized on paper we shall
OF necessity be at a great disadvantage as
compared with the personnel OF the German
feet which is not only at full strength but
has been rendered highly efficient by strenu-
Gus training and the experience OF nearly
three wears OF actual war.