The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-08-23
BRITISH, FEARING us.
1S-MGUN
Four New Warships Will
Be Most Heavily Armed
in World.
| 10 OR IL GUNS ON EACH
Projectiles Heavier Than
Those to Be Fired by
American Navy.
THICK ARMOR ON VESSELS
Latest Fighters to Emb0dy
Best Features Of Battleship
and Battle Cruiser.
ARMOR ON VESSELS

Special Correspondence TO THE New Yoax
HERALD.
New York Herald BuYeau.l
London. Aug. 10.
Official particulars OF the four bat
tie cruisers that are to be built for
the British navy this year have now
been made public by the Admiralty.
The details confirm those published
In THE New York HERALD on July IL.
when 1t was stated that the new ships
would carry 16-inch guns. all other
reports having credited them with a
15-inch battery.
The decision to adopt the 16-inch
guns was taken last year. 1t was
originally proposed to mount an ar
mament OF six or eight 18-inch guns,
and the Naval Staff, headed by Earl
Beatty and Admiral Chatfield, fought
hard to get the bigger weapons. They
were overruled by the Cabinet, who
feared that the introduction Of ls-
inch guns might be construed as a
challenge by other Powers, especially
the United States, and would lead to
outspoken competition In naval arma-
ments.
That Is the real reason why the 1e-
inch gun--a calIbre hitherto unknown
in the British navy. except the old
lio-ton weapons mounted In three
ships built thirty years ago-was
chosen for the new battle cruisers.
The new gun. Il is understood, 10 vir-
tually identical with the American
I6-inch piece In range and power. except
| that It will fire heavier shell. Expert
mental guns OF this calibre were built
| last year. and three, mounted In triple
turret temporarily installed on the mon
itor Lord Give. were tried out against
the former German dreadnought Baden
They proved extraordinarily powerful,
their projectiles, weighing over one
ton each. punching great holes In the
l5-inch armor of the Baden and ex-
ploding inside the ship with terrific
| force
A further test. both Of the 16-inch gun
and the triple turret projected for the
new battle cruisers. Is to be made this
month against the Agamemnon. q l6,ooo
ton battieship. This vessel. In whose
cabin the Turkish armistice was signed
three years ago, has been equipped Tor
control by long range wireless IN man
ner similar to that of the U. 8. 8. Iowa.
She is to be taken out into the Eng
lish Channel, her crew removed. and
there made to steam at varying speeds
on a zigzag course while under the fire
Of the Atlantic fleet. Some of the firms
will be at long range to test the erect
on a well armored ship OF shells de-
/ acepdfnr at a stpeD angle.
As the new battle cruisers are 70 carry
either ten or twelve 16-inch guns apiece
they will be the most heavily armed
ships of their type in the world, all pre-
ceding battle cruisers having an anna
ment limited to eight big guns. On the
other hand, their speed is not expected
to be more than twenty-eight to thirty
knots. They will, however, havo very
thick armor plating on sides and decks
together with torpedoprosf bulses and a
great amount of internal subdivision
making them more or less unsuitable BY
underwater explosion.
They are a compromise between bat
| tleship and battle cruiser. embodylng all
the good qualities OF both In a modified
| form. One Of the hitherto secret feat
| ures of the design Is the large oil ca
pacity, which will enable the ships "a
steam at high speed from England to
| Singapore without refuelling. The con-
tracts will stipulate for delivery before
! the end of 1924.