The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-07-11


space sufficient for a coal and oil supply OF
1900 tons. Her armament consists primarily
Of eight so calibre' SO inch guns She has
besides some lighter pieces and is equipped
with two under water tubes for the launch
ing of 20 inch torpedoes AS a scouting craft
the frankfurt showed her value during the
Jutland battle.
The only scout cruisers we have in COM
mission are not to be compared with the
Frankfurt, and her coming may reasonably
be looked upon as very desirable accession
to our fighting feet Our scout cruisers are
incapable Of boring their way into head seas
at any considerable speed, while the Frank
furt is structurally Of such strength and so
highly powered that she can battle with
heavy weather so common In the North Sea.
This cruiser will probably reveal to our ex-
perts much that will be Of assistance The
Frankfurt was among the vessels sur
rendered at Scapa Flow. and was there sunk
by her crew. Her propelling machinery was
ruined but even so 1t will be to our advan-
tage to rehabilitate her motive equipment.
Data of Three Destroyers.
Long before the world war the Germans
had made an enviable record through the
sturdiness and the high sea speeds of their
destroyers. The boats we're put through ex-
haustive manRuvres year after year when
the North Sea was In its ugliest moods, and
they lived up to their work in an amazing
fashion. The Kaiser's Admiralty insisted
upon these little craft operating in perilous
circumstances not only that their officers
and men might become hardened but that
they should be able to handle their vessels
skilfully night or day In tempestuous seas.
To meet these requirements the craft were
built sufficiently rugged to hold their own
against battering pillows, and because of
this we shall probably discover that they
have been put together in manner worthy
of imitation.
To quote from the Scientific American of
the 18th of May: "The destroyers allotted
to us are the G-102, S-132 and the V-4S
The G-102'is the largest and most important
OF the trio. She was built at the Krupp
Germania Works in 1911-1914 for the Argen-
tinian Government, as the Santa Fe; but
was taken over for the German navy on
the commencement of hostilities, Her length
is S14% feet her beam about 80 feet and
her normal draft about feet The displace-
ment being 1880 tons" The boat was de-
signed for an armament of four 41-inch
rifles, two machine guns and a single anti
aircraft weapon Her torpedo equipment
consists Of six tubes large enough to take
care Of 20 inch torpedoes. She is driven by
turbines rated at $4,000 shaft horse e-power,
and her full speed is thrty-two knots an
hour She is an oil burner and has tank
capacity for S45 tons of liquid fuel. This
insures rather wide radius Of action.
The S-132 is Schchau product and was
turned out at Danzig some time between
1917 and 1918. She has a displacement Of
800 tons. with length Of 27O feet, beam
Of 27 feet and normal draft of feet. Her
armament is composed Of three Al inch
rapid flrers, two machine guns and one anti
lircraft piece. She has four torpedo tubes i.
Her oil fired boilers furnish steam to tur-
Dimes and she is capable of making thirty
i've knots an hour so it is said The boats
II this class stood apart in the torpedo
iotilla Of the German navy, and this par
ocular destroyer will no doubt well repay
lose study on the part Of our naval con-
'tructors. She will also answer we'll for
certain sorts of duty.
Destroyers of the v Glass.
In 1914 the Imperial Admiralty authorized
he building Of six destroyers of the V class
i. e., V-43 to V-4S. The V-43 was nut
'verboard from the Vulkan Works during
he succeeding year. Her length is 262 feet,
he has a beam OF rs feet and draws feet
u water at normal draft. She has four tor
edo tubes, two Of which are twin arrange
hents and capable Of launching 20-inch tor
edoes. She is armed with three 3.4 inch
uns and few smaller pieces. The boat is
ropelled by turbines, uses liquid fuel under
er boilers and develops sufficient power to
ttain maximum speed of "a knots an
our.
The authorities in Washington have de-
reed that the dreadnought, the scout cruiser
nd the three destroyers shall be scrapped
$ soon as they have been exhaustively in
pected and have served an inspirational
urpose for while. Indeed, II is said that
ne Ostfriesland will be utilized as a target
'r our capital ships on the battle range.
AS matter Of fact the taxpayers of the
ountry might we'll insist that these Ave
essels be kept intact as long as possible.
nthtted with guns Of our own make and
etailed to active duty wherever their class
nd capabilities make them acceptable. The
stfrtesland, with IL inch rifles Of our own
attern, would answer admirably as a unit
coast defence, while the Frankfurt would
Id measurably to the navy's present scout
% strength. There are many ways in
hich we could employ the ex-German de-
rogers prohtably. The recruiting value of
lese additions to our sea force should be
ifficient compensation for whatever we
light have to spend in preparing them for