Evening journal., 1921-02-12

The type thus conceived was anti
cipated in the Italian ship Vittorio
Emanuele, built in 1904. which.
though intended as a battleship. had
all the characteristics OF a battle
cruiser, as compared with battle
ships Of that date. II was OF a.
600 tons, had a speed OF 22 knots
and combining high speed with
good protection and effective arma-
ment, might be considered a fore
runner Of the battle crusier class.
The qualities that characterize bat
tie cruisers, Professor Hovgaard
points out, can OF course be stated
only in terms OF those OF contem-
poraneous battleships, which vary
from year 90 year The vessels
which at any given time fulfil the
requirements OF battle cruisers may
a few years hence fall short OF them.
About the same time the British
navy adopted the principle OF the
battle cruiser, and the first units OF
the new type were the Indomitable,
the Invincible, and the Inhexible.
laid down in 1906 and 1907. Each
had a displacement OF 1880 tons
and a speed OF 26.5 knots. Success
lsive increases in displacement and
speed brought this type TO its flow
ering in the Hood. which has a dis
placement OF 1880 tons, a length
OF $50 feet. and a speed OF 31.25
knots. This monster carries a bat
terry OF eight 15-inch guns and six
teen 5.5-inch guns and develops
144, 900 horsepower. Germany fell
in line in 1903 with the Won der
Tam. 1890 tons, 20 knots. Japan.
in the war with Russia, had learned
the necessity for speed and her first
vessels OF this type were the Kura-
ma and Ibuki. a modification OF the
Vittorio Emanuele. built in 1907
with a displacement of 1860 tons
and a speed OF % knots Russia's
battle cruisers. OF the Navarin class,
were OF $4,000 tons displacement.
and have a speed OF u knots.
II was not until 1916 that the
United States decided on battle
cruisers as a desirable addition to
the navy. At that time the naval
program authorized by Congress in
cluded SIX OF this type. the Constitu-
|. ton, Constellation. Saratoga. Lex
ington and Ranger. and another not
yet named These are the vessels
| which VIII put the United States
: Navy ahead OF any other in this res
! pect. There arc Of $4,000 tons dis
placement have a speed of s5
/ knots, length OF $50 feet and a
> beam Of 90 feet The armament
consists OF ten 14-fnch guns in -four
turrets, eighteen 5-fnch guns IN four
. 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and eight
j 21-fnch torpedo tubes. four above
= and four below tho watcrfine. Equip
ment II provided for carrying and
launching hydro-aeroplanes- TIL
I machinery Is 10 develop fSo. oo'
horsepower distributed on four unit,
: on the electric drive system
Professor Howard in the con
u illusions he draws from the develop
I. ment OF fighting craft up to tn,
present comments on the fact tina
the evolution OF battleships has ex
3 hibited a persistent and universe
: tendency towards an increase il
size, caused by the ever growing
demands for improvements IN tn
nautical and military qualities, ans
n he believes that larger ships posses
a advantages. nautical. technical. mill
= tary and economic, which rende'
u them distfnctively superior to small
err vessels. That these conclusion
are sound ts evidenced by the pro
= gram on which the United States 4
u engaged. or that part OF II which
contemplates the completing OF tn
: six battleships now under construc
ton which are to be bigger and nor
powerful than any others OF thei
y class.
IL The program authorized by Con
gross in 1916 provided for ten battle
:, ships besides the six battle cruiser
n already described OF these ten
= four have been completed-th
a Colorado. Maryland, Washington
n and West Virginia These have
= displacement OF $4,000 tons and
"a speed OF q knots. Their primar
- battery consists OF eight 16-incl
- guns. The remaining six have bee
IN named-the South Dakota, lows
Indiana, North Carolina, Montan
70 and Massachusetts,. They viii hav
p displacement OF 1890 tons,
pa length OF $50 feet, a speed OF 2
70 knots and will develop 60. 900 horse
u power. Their battery win consis
= OF twelve 1e-inch and sixteen 6-inc
D guns and each will have two 21-inc
submerged torpedo tubes. Thes
p ships are to be completed in 1898.
VI The ten scout cruisers are remark
VI able for their size and speed, con
AZ sidering the class. They will have
9 displacement OF 100 tons, a lengt
81 Of $50 feet a speed OF 35 knots an
er a battery OF eight 6-inch guns, an
IN two 21-inch submerged torped
ne tubes. They will develop 100
70 horsepower.
el The world war. contrary to e,
rd pectations, developed little in IN
ne way OF new forms OF construction
ne The use OF aircraft rendered neces
a sary an airplane carrier and the co
Al lier Jupiter. famous as being IN
n first electrically driven naval We,
IN sci, is now being transformed I
r answer this purpose. The paravar
is a mine sweeping device fitted (
40 the bows OF a ship. When the shi
ct goes ahead the paravanes will steat
ns lily follow its motion. placing then
selves at certain distance froI
and abaft the stem. Wire hawsei
catch the mooring rope OF any mir
OF that lies in the path OF the ship an
this rope is severed by sharp ecu
IT, ting jaws"
r. Il was due to the advice given
er fha buraau ~ copcfr,rffc,, - a