El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-10

YV FASHINGTON. D C., Feb. 1o-
M The kesls Of four of the scout
cruisers. newly authorized by
congress are to be laid Immediately
Six more. making ten in all. will be
built, or at least begun. within the
next two years. They are 10 be the
largest, the swiftest. and the most
formidably armed ships of their
kind in existence
Each of them viii be $50 feet long. OF
100 tons displacement. with a speed
Of 50 knots. They will have arrnor
thick enough TO afford protection
against all but heavy projectiles. and
the armament of each vessel, will con-
sist OF eight 6-inch quick fire rifles
and two S-inch guns Tor defense
against aeroplanes.
To Gather sea News
Ihese cruisers are meant for use as
particular Gin the event Of war; to get
information Of the enemy's movements
and plans. Their chief business Will
be TO locate the hostile fleet keep a
watch on 1t. ascertain its strength,
and find out if possible what il Is go
They viii have huge engines and
great coal capacity. enabling them TO
travel many thousands OF miles with
out needing to renew their fuel supply
For senuinS messages over long dis
Iances, they viii be provided with
powerful ~ ireleSs- And each OF them
viii be equipped with means for carry
ing. launching. and operating d flying
boat OF largest size.
This last is of extreme Importance,
Tor II IS FULLY recognized Today that ia
future naval warfare the most vslU-
able instrument for scouting pur-
poses viii be the flying machine. The
latter indeed is likely 10 gain rec
ignition as The news getter par eX-
celence. the scout vessel being MAIN
" useful as floating hanger to
house the aeroplaue. and TO transmit.
through its wireless. the information
the fiEing boat collects
Cruisers N1s Garry AirPi@Hes.
Doubtless later on several alrplSneS
Will be carried uy The scout cruiser, so
that it can release a flock OF them 20
search the ocean for hundreds Of miles
in all directions Already in military
operations Of land. the flying machine !
IS the principal news @atherer. 1t is (
own wireless or visible SiEualsD of in :
Simultaneous news sending In naval (
warfare il Is destined TO exercise the :
same function not less efficiently
The accepted rule in foreign navies :
demands two scout ships for each bat
leship Of the fleet II has been urged Z
that we ought to have much greater /
number. owing to the length of our
coast line that has to pe guarded. /
Perhaps this IS true; but as a means OF I
meeting the difficulties Of the problem.
at -~tion IS now being given 10 the de-
velopment OF special and peculiar
service for the newly organized
Coast Guard.
The Treasury department. before
the present war began. had a little (
navy Of its own, called the Revenue I
Cutter service. Under its direction
likewise was the Life Saving service,
for recruiting shipwrecked people. :
These were combined recently under
the title of Coast Guard. and the
whole establishment was organized
on q fighting basis The 'surfmen''
are now enlisted and drilled as SOL |
diers, armed with Krag rifles, and !
soon every life saving station VIII !
be provided with a machine gun.
But the most important business Of I
the Coast Guard in war time VIII be TO
gather news from the sea Immediate |
" upon a declaration Of hostilities il
becomes a part of the |
navy, and its principal work viii be
to keep watch for the enemy along