The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
NO. / SHOWS .<6e POSITION

e HALF. Of tie BOILERS
Dove He. PROTECTIVE DECK
S OUR BATTLE CRUISERS WERE
FIRST pESiSNED~>
70. z lLLOsIRNIES tie INCREASED
ECuRlTY OBTAINED ~ PLACING
L. tie, BOILERS below tie
ROTECTlvE DECK %
REPRODUCED ~ COURTESY
6 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 900
cruiser into existence, only typifyins
thig demand on a smaller scale.
Moving along to another stage of
evolution. We come to the scout cruiser.
Here in tho United states we have ac-
tually built three vessels of this de-
nomination. the birmingham. Chester
and Salem, craft that have never salts
fed because OF their lack Of structural
ruggedness and their inability to main
! tain anything like their designed
speeds In a rough sea. They are OF
$3.50 tons displacement, and are ac-
credited with trial speeds ranging from
24.33 knots TO $3.50 knots. Our later
scout cruisers are OF 1900 tons and
ire expected 70 make S5 knots al
| hour.
| Tho newest British scout cruisers
those Of the Frobisher class, have dis
| place ments Of $500 tons and are rated
81. knot boats. Just how We lnS In
scout cruiser design is made plain BY
Admiral Mayo, who says:
THE difference between the Fro
| bisheF type OF cruiser and our type
which We are building now, IL, to
my mind, the difference between IL
| keel yacht and n Swimming dish.
One will have full complete deep
| draft or between 20 and 80 feet,
while think our present scout
cruisers which we have authorized
are only about IA feet draft They
are very light. very long, and I do
/ not think they will have the same
| speed keeping qualities that a ship
| a very little larger and with a
deeper draft would have. They
were made that way. az l under
stand. 20 be able to get the extreme
| speed. In order TO do scout work
| efficiently they must do heavy
cruising, rapid cruising, and they
| must he seaworthy."
| Continuing. this highly responsible
authority declares:
THE divergence OF opinion be-
| tween Admiral Sims and myself is
I that / have in mind the fact that
| these ships would not only be q
larger ship and have better sea-
| keeping qualities and be able to
maintain a higher speed at sea, but
that they would also carry heav-
Ter battery and take the place. 10 a
| certain extent. of the battle cruiser
| in Its ability 10 break through n
| screen line of destroyers or any OF
the enen:y's scouts or cruisers that
! they might meet during opera
! tons"
| What Admiral Mayo recommends Ia
q type Of scout cruiser Of 10000 tons
and OF fully 80 knots an hour, armed
with guns OF S-inch calibre.
| Tho Trend Is Plain.
1t does not call for the vision OF q
seer to visualize tho inevitable trend
~ tho scout cruiser which is now
evolving so rnpidly nbrosd In TIC
!
cruiser. for sooner or later the present
characteristics OF the battle cruiser
would be called for In order TO make
the scout cruiser n TO do tho ampii-
ned work which would be cut out for
IL. Therefore VIC can readily under
stand Just why such men as AdiniraIA
Badger, Fletcher and Winterhaltsr arc
strongly opposed 20 modifying the
battle cruisers already authorized
Mr.. Daniels In his formal statement
made Just before his departure for
Europe informed the public;
Admiral Mayo the Commander
| in Chief % thu United States At
lant!c fleet, when before the Com
mittee on Naval Affairs of the
House stated that in his opinion
the most effective capital chip Of
to-day Is a high speed battleship
which carries the great gun power
| ana armor protection of battle
! nip and as much al possible Of tho
high speed of "A battle cruiser.
such naval experts as Admiral
Benson and Admiral Sims. as re-
suit OF their observations and
studies abroad. concur in the
opinion OF Admiral Mayo. Many
OF the high ranking officers Of the
Navy Department likewise concur
In this opinion. while many OF tho
experts OF the General Board are Of
! the opinion that the battle cruiser
rs planned should he proceeded
with and battleships OF slower
speed, greater gun power and
greater protection be likewise con-
structed-"