LATEST AMERICAN BATTLESHIPS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2381, 23 December 1908, Page 3

LATEST AMERICAN BATTLESHIPS.

ADMIRAL EVANS’ DECLARATION

SUPERIOR TO THE DREADNOUGHT.

United Press Association. Copyright

LONDON, Dec. 21

Admiral Evans declares that the latest ships being constructed by the United States are vastly" superior to the Dreadnought.

FORMIDABLE VESSELS.

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

[Special to “Times.”]

WELLINGTON, Dec. 22. The neAv American battleships referred to by Admiral Evans as being superior to- the British Dreadnoughts are the DelaAvare and the North Dakota, which to all intents and purposes are sister ships. Their construction Avas authorised about tAvo and .a half years ago, but was not put in hand till a later date, and Avi.ll not be finished till Avell on in 1910.

While I was in Auckland during the visit- of Admiral Sperry’s fleet, I had the honor of becoming intimate with several of the principal executive and staff officers, and we had various conversations about the American battleships old and new. Without disclosing any confidences I may state that it Avas then apparent that, in some respects, the Americans had gone one better than the British. The tAvo ships referred to, I gathered, Avcrc to be built by private firms, and a sum of six million dollars had been alloAved for their cost, exclusive of armour, guns, and torpedo tubes, but the NaA-y Department had struck the market at a faAxirable time, and the tenders, receh'ed were a good deal loAver than the sum authorised in the first instance. Americans generally get the credit of “drawing the long boAV,” and consequently there may be a tendency in certain quarters to discount the statement made by Admiral Evans and my friends in Admiral Sperry’s battleships. The experience of all Avbo had the good fortune to meet the American naval officers, hoAyever, Avas that they are just as modest, as o\ir own officers. As slioaving that there is something in the statement, I note that the London “Times,” which arrived by to-day’s mail, says : “There can be no question that in the Dakota and DelaAvare the United States navy possess tAvo battleships of the first class, Avhich need not fear comparison Avith any battleships of the present day.” These sister ships will be armed with ten 12-inch guns, mounted two in a turret. Apparently the superimposed turrets, Avith the appearance of which we w r ero made familiar in Auckland, have been abandoned in favor of the British method. To a layman the superimposed turret seemed a handicap rather than otherwise to the American battleships, and theywere condemned b3 r some competent experts. The principle Avas a base turret containing the tAvo big guns mounted in pairs and a slightly smaller turret aboA r e carrying guns of smaller calibre ,the Avliole four guns and the double turret re\'olving together.

In addition to the ten big guns, the North Dakota and the DelaAvare will carry fourteen 5-inch quickfirers in a central armoured battery. These will be able to launch a A r ery heavy broadside at an enemy. There Avill also bo a dozen quickfiring guns of smaller calibre. The armour belting is to be a great improvement on that of the battleships Ave saAv at Auckland. In several of the latter it was clear that there Avas room for impro\ r e_ ment, and the adverse criticism of naval experts has apparently had good effect, indeed in the neAv ships tfiere will be a greater weight of armour than in any British battleship afloat or building, unless, indeed, the British authorities have not disclosed the true figures in connection Avith their recently designed ships. It would also appear that the secondary guns of the lieiv American ships are not only of greater calibre than the British, but that they are. at the same time much better protected. The Americans have made an innovation in the planning of their turrets, certain turrets being put. at a higher level so they fire over the intervening turrets, and thus command a greater arc ot fire. I have discussed the pros and cons of the two systems Avith both American and British naval officers, and it Avould appear that Avhile there are certain advantages in the neAv American method there are also undoubted disadvantages. In this matter the tAvo nations have agreed to differ, and we shall only be able to learn the true imvardness of the change after a fcAV years of actual experience. The new American ships are to have a speed of 21 knots. One is to have turbines and the other reciprocating engines. In the articles I telegraphed from Auckland about the American battleships I mentioned the fact that some of them Avere minus torpedoes. Others "had the tubes and the .necessary air compressors fitted, but did not carry torxiedoes. This was a point that the American officers did not apparently care to discuss at any great length. Originally in some of their ships there Avas no provision at all lor torpedoes, and I Avas 1 gh r en to understand on undoubted authority that in some cases torpedoes Avere put in as an afterthought at great expense, Avhile in other ships that Avere building provision was made at the last moment. American opinion, or'at all events the opinion, of the American naval experts, was against torpedoes in battleships. Some of the American critics, however, declared that the absence of torpedoes was a weakness. I notice that in the new ships there is provision for tAvo submerged tubes. ; As, hoAvever., there are five tubes in British battleships, the American experts, Avhile yielding to some extent to criticism are apparently still of opinion that the British are over-doing the torpedo business in their battleships.