New-York tribune., 1921-05-05
Navy Demands
Aircraft to
Protect Fleets

might be placed on 1t. The vesael is a
converted collier, the Jupiter. IT will
carry twenty planes, but its speed At the
maximum will be twelvc knots. and
may only reach ten. The Navy De-
partnient asked the last Congress for
authorizations for two first class air
plane carriers, making the recommen-
|datiom on the advice Of the navy gen
eral board. but the recommendation
was ignored, as being in addition to
the 1916 building program.
AS contrasted with the Langley, the
.Jauanese are building, and will com
+ nletc next year. the Hosho. This yes
ssel will carry from twenty to thirty
planes. depending upon their sizc. The
tremendously important advantage she
will possess. however, is her speed,
which will be that Of battle-cruiser.
The Langley could not keep up with
any conceivable squadron of ships in
the American navy. Tho Hosho could
keep up with the fastest American or
Japanese ship above the destroyer size.
England Has Modern Craft
OF the seven up-to-date airplane
carriers of the British navy, the latest
is the Eagle, built last year. It is 661
feet long, with displacement Of 26,200
tons and has n speed of twenty four
knots twice the most that can be
hoped from the Langleyand is ca
pable of carrying twenty-six planes.
This ship, for her own defense, cafries
twelve 6-inch guns, and is equipped
with torpedo tubes, though her main
functicn Is to carry the fighting and
scouting force Of airplanes along with
the fleet, and to be able to run out
ahead of the feet so as to send aloft
fighting and scouting fringe of air
craft between the English ships and
the enemy
The Hermes, another British air
plane carrier is little faster than the
Eagle, being able to make 25 knots.
She is 54S feet long and can carry
twenty planes.
The Furious, however. is the air.
plane carrier in which naval officers
here are most interested, inasmuch
as she was not designed as an airplane
carrier at all when she was laid down,
but as a battleship. Concern here is
officers that this country should change
over one of the battle cruisers under
construction to an airplane carrier in
stead of completing her on present
plans. The Furious is capable of
speed of 311A knots and can carry
twenty planes. She is 735 feet long
and has displacement of 19,100 tons.
Rival Can Make High Speed
Other British airplane carriers are
the Pegasus, the Argus, the Ark Royal
and the Vindictive. This last ship can
make 261a knots continuously for
eighty hours.
It is pointed out that in the event
of the seizure, of the Philippines and
Guam by an enemy during war the
American navy might be helpless to
make counter attack because Of it's
absolute inferiority in the air. Ex-
perts are of the opinion that it would
be possible to defend the Philippines
if there were strong American air.
plane force, reinforced by proper sub
marine and mine defenses. But if some
enemy should seize the islands, they
are equally agreed, the American navy,
as at present constituted, would be
itself to almost certain de-
struction if it proceeded toward the
islands, providing, of course, the enemy
were one of the several nations better
equipped with aircraft and carriers
than this country.