Evening star., 1940-10-27

attack or defend itself from any
vessel on the high seas The battle
ship today does need protection
against submarine and air attack,
but the mere fact that such pro-
lection is required has not reduced
the usefulness of the capital ship,
the Navy's big bruiser.'
1t is noteworthy that all first rank
nations are building large ships. And
that goes for Germany too. arch
apostle of air power though she is.
AS a purely defensive measure
against submarine attack, special
bulges or blisters have been used
with success on many British capital
ships. Obviously, however, no vessel
can be made completely invulner-
able to severe and accurately placed
torpedo attack, as evidenced by the
loss of the Royal Oak, which was
protected by the special anti-sub-
marine armor
The aircraft menace can be met
in several ways. All surface craft
now carry larger and much more
effective anti-aircraft batteries.
Also, it is understood that in new
ships every effort is to be made to
reduce the amount of what seamen
call "topside furniture" This is to
be done not so much to make the
vessel less of a target as to de-
crease the number of casualties re-
sulting from splintering
About year ago, designs of So
called "streamlined" battleships
were published. In the form pre-
Sented, with all upper works con-
cealed, such ships are not consid-
cred by authoritative naval opinion
to be practicable, at least at this
time.
At present the United States Navy
has Is battleships organized in four
divisions, each commanded by a rear
admiral. These ships can do more
than 80 knots.
Under construction as this Navy
Day is celebrated are four new As
000-ton battleships. These ships,
so far as is known, will be the
largest af1oat. They are the Iowa,
New Jersey, Missouri and Wiscon-
sin. Some consideration has been
given to mounting 18-inch guns on
these vessels, but final plans call
for 16-inch weapons, which can de-
liver devastating blows.
Rival Craft.
Only ship in service which will
compare with these American craft
now building is the H. M. S. Hood,
AZ, ,1OO-ton pride of the British navy.
There have been rumors that Japan
is building ships as large as ours, but
these reports are unconflrmed.
In addition to these battleships,
the Navy has six craft OF 35,OOO-
tons under construction, and con-
tracts have been let for seven more
vessels of battleship class. Tonnage
details of the last seven are not
known at this writing.
Immediately following the battle
ships in size, power and cruising
radius come the cruisers. The Navy
has dropped the terms Eight" and
heavy" with respect to cruisers,
and all ships of this class are
similarly designated. United States
cruisers now are formed in seven
divisions, each commanded by a
rear admiral.
Of about 10000 tons displacement,
cruisers mount to inch guns.
Their light weight does not permit
much defense armor. For that rea-
son they depend upon speed, ma
neuverabiEty, agility to elude more
powerful enemy forces. They are
designed to be especially effective
against cruisers and small craft, IN
locating the enemy at sea, in raid
ing and destroying commerce and
in protecting shipping. Cruisers are
the largest vessels carrying tor
pedoes.
The cruiser is the ideal raider.
Germany's pocket battleships are
really cruisers, corresponding to
them in size, speed and armament.
The only reason Germany built
them as she did was because OF the
Versailles Treaty limitations.
The United States now has in
commission 81 cruisers, 81 are In
process Of construction, n more