Evening star., 1946-09-08
have conventional design


power plants.
However, lessons learned from
the atomic bombs exploded against
the feet at Bikini undoubtedly will
influence superstructure design. The
results may be emphatically stream
lined topside structures designed to
reduce the effect Of the enormous
wide-area pressures produced by
atomic bomb blast.
Kentucky 70G Complete.
The Kentucky, an Iowa class hull
started in 1914, is 10 per cent COM
plete. Photographs show work has
progressed up to her main deck, with
propulsion machinery installed De-
sign changes from that point on
will present no difficulties. She
is being built at the Norfolk Naval
Shipyard.
The Hawaii, laid down in 1943
as sister ship of the battlecruisers
Alaska and Guam, Is IS per cent
complete. Stacks and some light
superstructure are in place. but 1t
was explained this could be removed
or modified with ease. The New
York Shipbuilding Corp. is building
the Hawaii at Camden, N. j.
Neither ship has deck armor In
place. In view of the blast effect
on decks of some of the Bikini atom
bomb target ships, it is assumed
changes may be made in deck pro-
lection.
Explaining that the weapons
themselves still are in development
Navy men refused to predict any
specific guided missile types for
the main batteries. They pointed
however, to recent Navy summary
of research in this field. This sum-
mary reported that heavy missiles
will be launched from ships and
at another point discussed the cur
rent experiments with the W. type
rockets. 1t was recalled that even
during World War II naval men
believed it entirely feasible to
launch the smaller vi type
weapons from the deck of a sub
marine, craft tiny in comparison
with ships of the Kentucky or
Hawaii class.
Use of guided missiles will give
warships undreamed-of firing range
and striking power but at the same
time will present new problems
Navy men who recall the nice cal
culations necessary TO strike targets
at present main battery ranges up
to 35, 900 yards are startled at the
thought of aiming over range
measured in scores, hundreds or
thousands of miles. What forms the
rocket launching mounts and fire
control system will take is a matter
of top secrecy.
Order Not a Cancellation.
Whether the underwater atomic
bomb test ever will be held was left
indefinite, though President Tru-
mans announcement laid stress ON
the idea that only considerations
of the near future" were involved
in the decision. The White House
pointed out that the order was not
an actual cancellation.
Offcers connected with Opera
tons Crossroads" which conducted
two bomb tests at Bikini lagoon in
the Pacific this summer, however,
have indicated that a major factor
was cost.
Generally, some of those officers
told reporter last week, they would
have preferred to 60 ahead with the
flnal experiment and see how re-
suits checked with their calculations
They said they had a great deal Of
data from the earlier trials from
which they could roughly gauge the
effects Of an explosion under differ
ent conditions, but they added that
the actual trial would be useful" I"
Most of those officers already
were resigned to the idea that the
deep-water explosion would not be
set of on schedule.
Besides Mr.. Truman's order for
$3.50, 100000 cut in this years
naval budget, they mentioned q
scarcity of technically trained per-
sonnel as a big difficulty. Many
technicians eligible for discharge
from the Navy stayed in the service
for test Able" the overhead explo-
sion set off June 80, and Baker" I"
the shallow-water trial run of July
"a. Many of those men are ex-
pected to be back in civilian clothes
by the time heretofore planned for
test Charley" in deep water.
A civilian evaluation board headed
by Senator Hatch, Democrat, OF New
Mexico together with the Joint
Chiefs of Staff and the Secretaries
of War and Navy recommended
postponing the third Bikini expert
ment.
The question of postponing the
third test at Bikini was one of sew
eral subjects taken up at yesterdays
cabinet meeting. White House Sec
retary Charles G. Ross said the
Navy estimated the postponement