Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-16
55.0OO TON WARSH|P E PLAN FOR
 U. {. NAVY
Largest and Swiftest Fight
 ing Ship Ever Proposed to Make All Others Useless
No Nation Has Craft to Com pare With Vessel; Speed of
 2o Knots; l2 l6-Inch Guns
CBy Review Leased Wire)


 WASHINGTON, March 15.-ImpOrt- ant conclusions which probably will be reflected later at Paris in discussion of limitation of national ornaments are expected here to grow out Of the forth coming conference between Secretary Daniels and his aides and European admiralty officials. The secretary sail ed today accompanied by his three chief technical advisers.
 While the main object of the trip of the American officials is to gather information upon which the navy de- partment can base a report to con- gress relative to the proposal to sub- stitute gigantic composite cruiser battleships for present day capital war vessels, the fact that such a program would render all existing fleets obso- lete and that its cost would be eROrm- Ous, it is the iview of many officials here that the propect will be taken up at the peace conference.
 In the view here, even the Amer ican 8 knot battle crOuser project now held to await decision on the greater question of composite ships has in its elements that make it more than a purely national matter under present conditions.
 Greatest Ever Planned
 Officers say that if competitive naval building is to continue, other powers must provide similar ships, as not even Great Britain has built or is building craft of equal efficiency In their own particular sphere. It is un- derstood- that progress toward the con- struction of the gigantic battle cruisers, six of which already have been authorized has been watched with some concern by British naval authorities, since it has appeared like ly they would necessitate additions to the British naval budget There is little doubt among most officials here that the British would welcome an international understanding at Paris which would eliminate that source of expenditure.
 The standard fighting ship of Jo- day is the superdreadnaugh in the American and British nav1es, a vessel with speed of approximately g knots, an armament of 12 16-inch guns; an armor belt varying from 12 to fl inches in thickness and a dis placem4nt of about 35,00O tons. Such a ship 'costs about $20,00O,0 900. The United States has ten of them under construction or authorized and the naval appropriation bill, which. failed in the final hours of the last congress, authorized ten more for the next three years
 2e-Knot Ship Planned
 The proposed ship now urged by some American officers would have speed of 29 knots, carry F 16-inch guns. an armOr belt from F to 14 inches. displace about 55,000 tons and cost S4O.OOO, ,OOO. It would carry the same offensive and defensive power as the superdreadnaughts and would make six knots an hour greater speed The price of this increased speed, Of ficers declare, would be doubled cost of construction and almost double size. the latter carrying with it far reaching engineering changes in har- bors. navy yards and dry docks to ac- commodate such monster craft. No such vessels have been built or pro jected by any other power so far as known.
 "The composite" battleship. for which Admiral Mayo, commander in chief of the Atlantic fleet, Vice-Ad- miral Sims, commanding abroad, and many other high officers who have served overseas, have contended, is supposed to represent the maximum obtainable in speed without the sacri- flee of gunpower or armoT.
 Big Advantages
 Among naval men it generally IS conceded that there is no question as to the relative fighting value Of the existing and proposed types. Having six knots greater speed, the com posite craft would have tremendous advantage, but it is cOntended that even with all mechanical and econ omic questions answered in the aItlrm-
 Continued on Page Five)