The Raymer enterprise., 1917-02-01
American nabal experts
beleve they can build a
sea fighter that zuiu aston
ish the 1borld; It Is a semi
submerged torpedo cruiser

E / : !" :: !: ! !. : : ! !: : :; ;
e HAT is the next surprise that naval
architects have In store for the
AI world?
~ Is 1t possible to modify radically
mv " \ existing types of battle craft?
\CA' Has the naval strategist any
! thing In Jnind that will be totally
unlike present warships-some-
thing that will upset the prevailing
order Of battle tactics upon the sea? These ques-
tions are asked by Robert G. skewett in the New
York Sun. and he goes to say that experts an
swer yes TO questions two and three. One of the
foremost of American naval officers said not long
ngo.
81 believe we can build a ship here that will
make the whole world sit up and take notice II
We want TO do So"
This assertion was brought out by a debate on
the subject Of naval increase when the genesis
Of the modern dreadnaught was discussed. An
interesting light was thrown upon the origin and
reason for being Of that ern-making type Of heavy
shin Of the line. The disclosure illustrates how
kindred forces may be nj work in calling into
helng another and no less startling departure In
naval architecture. According to the officer in
question::
England has been criticized for inventing the
dreadnaught type on the ground that If she had
not done so she would have maintained greater
prepondernnce every other navy In her pre-
dreadnaueht types, and as the dreadnaught type
IL far efficient she therefore had to start
even with other nations again. The reply to that
Is that she did not invent the type. but 1t was
absolutely forced upon her.
"In the DAYS when We were firing at each other
at 1000 or 5000 yards dreadnaught was not a
Logical thing at all. because at those ranges you
could use an eght-nch gun with great effect or a
six-Inch gun. But as Admiral Sir Percy
Scott showed us how to train gun pointers with
his new device II changed the situation material
ly. His whole Invention was a method Of train
ing gun pointers.
1--WE applied II on our side and we talked to
people on this side and to people on the other
side Of the Atlantic about II. went over to Eng
land and talked to the gun people there and we
finally tentatively going from one range to an
other. found out that could hit a target at
5000 or 1000 yards which were considered
enormous ranges In those days.
"Yon cannot hit anything with six-lnch gun
q, those distances. II was therefore perfectly
r logical for them to build any more battleships
lcept with all big guns. Accordingly. the all-bg-
gun ship had to be built.
ave would have built the first one on this side
II the authorities here had listened to us. Eng
land did not invent the all-bg-gun ship. It was
Admiral Sir Percy Scott who thought out how to
shoot at long range. and the other fellows fol.
lowed az a natural consequence. Big guns are the
only ones that viii do any particular damage at
long range.
"The present conflict has made 1t plain that In
actual watfare the nntlon with initiative will have
great advantage, and Germany has undoubtedly
kept her foes guessing No one knows what she
f. likely to spring next upon her antagonists, but
past performances hint at certain possibilities"
Capt william s. Sims thus describes thor
t.Io nr1a Huf rraff vta
theoretical advantages are evident to the ex-
perts that the likelihood Of Its appearing before
long is more thnn possibility
"If yon build n ship of 10000 tons that has
nothing but a protective deck. and SO fiat that
nothing could get under II. that only has two
towers. one forward and one aft to control the
ship and no guns at a, but armed with eight or
ten torpedo tubes on side. and capable Of max
ing 80 knots. I would like to know what fleet