The New York herald., 1921-04-03
WEAK POINTS SEEN
BY SEA EXPERT IN
U.S.BATTLECRAFT
Briton Doubts Advantage
of Sacrificing Speed for /
Higher Gun Power.
SEES JUTLAND IGNORED
England Sure Her Latest Will
Hold Supremacy for at
Least Two Years.

sseotai cosre to THE NEW YORK IIzLLD.
Copyright, 1891, by THE NEW YORK Hzz.lns
New York Herald Bureau
London, April q.
Rear Admiral Sir Walter Cowan,
who has taken over command Of the
battle cruiser squadron OF the Atlantic
feet OF the British navy. replacing
Rear Admiral Sir Roger Keyes. VIII
have the distinction OF flying his flag
aboard what the British cali the worlds
most powerful warship, the Hood.
British naval experts think that the
Hood will hold her position for at least
two years before she is outclassed py
America or by Japan. BY then, how.
ever, Great Brtain's four new capital
SHIPS VIII be we'll advanced In building.
Rear Admiral Sir Walter Cowan ig
one or the youngest flag officers In the
British navy being still under fifty
years ole. lie was last employed Il,
command OF the Baltic forces.
The British thinh that America dts
regarded the lessons OF the battle OF
Jutland In planning and building the
nattleship Colorado. but this criticism,
is. perhaps due to the fact that they
have no information about tha C,o'.
ora'lo's protective qualities.
Too Slow, Say. Russell.
Attention was called to the fact tlass
While the United States Naval Con-
structon Board declined 10 adopt tic
so-called bulge principle, applied 70
the sides Of warships. which proved so
successiul In the british navy, Il has
NOT yet disclosed its alternative prin-
cipie OF defence against submarine at
tack.
Sir Herbert Russell, naval corresponds
ent for tho Western Morning Ee,os ard
Ae7c1Irp OF Plymouth. thinks T. Is rather.
z remarkable fact that the ships OF tho
Soloraao group arc only designed 10
MAKE twenty-one nautical miles an hour.
Ihey were not planned until after
the battle OF Jutiand and SO there has
certainly been an opportunity 70 enbo1,,
az tho more obvious lessons OF tfnc
tight n their specifications" Sir Her
bert says. And surely one or the MOST
self-cvident os these lessons was tns
high value Of mobility. Admiral VI.
count Jellicoe told IN his history ol tic
Grand Fleet Of the disadvantages which
he found himself placed In By the ua-
suspected speed OF the nevs German cap
ital ships. Yet for some lne2pilcabie
reason the American naval designers sp-
pear wholly unlrnpressed By this tacti-
cal demonstration"
Sir Herbcrs admits that what =
gained in speed II lost in power and
In other directions. tho principle OF
which T. illustrated in the distinction
between battleShips and battle cruiser.
lie says that she saving in space and
IN weight effected IA the Colorado 80
against British battleship Of the near.
est corresponding design would permit
tho Development OF other essential fc1-
turss IN 2 greater degree.
Victory 10 Fastest, His Theory.
1T may be taken as definite future
tactical doctrine that hencefortG I'll
naval bdttlea VIII be rlnn.ng fights,
both sides ceaselcssly manmuv-ing fo-
the better position" lie continues. "Su-
perior power OF gunnre might > ,ss!bly
be regarded. at any rate, ~ negtraiiz.EG
the benefit OF higher speed. but within
such limits as are very rarely 70 apply
IN fleet action this is very questionAb bic.
The sixteen inch guns OF the Colorado
mag deliver heavier more smasninr.
blows than the fifteen inch guns or the
Queen Elizabeth. but seeing that both
weapons have an effective range Deyoli
the limits OF visibility IN an ocean bat
.le. Il Is more than doubtful whether ths
small advantage had b. the harder lit
ting gun is au adequate compensation
for tho sscrifcc Of four knots N speed.
Lord Fisher In the early days or tao
var dsclarei t'iat thc batticship was AZ
such -cla.ive Disadvantage as c55,.
pared with the battle cruiser that 10 re-.
rised prear-sngcd programme for new
construction. rubstitGt..g the latter eos
tho former Tho consequence vas t,iaa
this gave US the Re7uilo and che Re-
noHn and t1c cs.Fa ordinarily fast liuah-
hush ships GLORIOUS and Furious 7.ltl
Is inch guns ana light arm0r), aal hsI
the war lasted a few months longer -
would now po7sess tour Isoois instead
OF one"