The New York herald., 1921-07-18

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novelty for the British Navy, al
though introduced in the American
Navy in 1912.
A triple turret for three heavy
guns was built twelve months ago
and temporarily installed aboard an
old monitor and tested in February
against the former German battleship
Baden. 1t proved such an unquali-
fled success that the Admiralty de-
cided to adopt it for the new ships.
Accept 16 Inch GUNS.
Since both the United States and
Japan have gone in for sixteen inch
guns 1t was decided that the British
navy could not lag behind, and the
fifteen inch weapon which had been
the standard heavy gun for nine
years lately has been superseded by
the sixteen inch model of entirely
new design. No authentic particu-
lars of the weapon are available, but
THE New YORK HERALD correspond
ent is told that it fires shell weigh
ing almost exactly two tons.
Revised estimates based on the re-
cent slight reduction in the price of
labor and material give the cost of
each of the new battleships as H.
100000. This is nearly f1.500, 900 more
Hood and twice the cost of the battle
ship Queen Elizabeth. The new ships
will have an unusually large oil ca
pacity. enabling them to steam 10000
miles without refueling. They are to
be some 1000 tons heavier than the
latest japanese battleships Kaga and
Tosa and knots faster and more heav-
lily armed.
According to the present arrange
ments two will be laid down in Oc-
tober, the contract stipulating delivery
before the end of 1924. The COM
mencement of the third and fourth
ships may be delayed until next year.
America VIII stin Lead.
1t must be emphasized that these
ships do not represent an extension
OF the British, naval programme. They
are but four Of the ships designed to
repaace eight ships of the line re-
Gently scrapped. it is still said they
will leave America leading with the
most powerful navy in 1926 IL no fur
ther new construction is authorized.
Stories were current early in the
year that large orders for Japanese
warships were expected here, and then
were officially denied by Capt. Kaba-
yashi. japanese Naval Attache.
Officially, the report still remains
characterized as untrue, but THE New
York HERALD correspondent learns that
extensive inquiries have been made
the last few months through japanese
financial agents here as TO the cost OF
two or more light cruisers of about
1000 tons, with the twofold object OF
getting the ships quicker than they
could be built in Japan and Of getting
the advantage OF any new trick in
designs the British builders might have
developed from the lessons OF tho war.
The negotiations broke down, II was
understood, when the British firms
asked f170 ton. while the japanese
agents said they could build the ships
themselves for f15o ton. The British
/ builders say that as merchant ton
mage costs more in Japan than here,
war tonnage surely would also.
! An official Of one of the most i'm
portant Clyde shipyards assures the
correspondent that he can turn out a
| A. 900 ton battle cruiser of the latest
type complete for f7.5O0,OOo, while the
Japanese battle cruiser Amagi cost
more than fs,5Oo, 900. While there are
no further Japanese war tonnage or
ders, It is expected that orders for
armor. shells and submarine engines
are to come. Orders for fi 100000 al
ready have been placed, of which more
than half is for armor for the kage
and the Tosa- Y