FOUR-GUN TURRETS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1714, 3 April 1913, Page 7

FOUR-GUN TURRETS.

NEW FRENCH BATTLESHIP. A striking innovation has been decided on by the Superior Council of tho French navy in the" design of the four battleships which are to be laid down this year. , They will be armed with twelve 13.4-inch guns, as compared' with the ten of last year's ships, and they will have the weapons housed in only three turrets, each containing, four guns. A proposal for an armament of sixteen 12-inch in four turrets was negatived, but the principle of the quadruple turret has been definitely adopted. The three-gun turret has already come into considerable favour in the American, Italian, and other navies. It was at. first intended lo lay down two of the French vessels on May 1 this year, and the others on January 1. 1911." Before he left office, however, M. Delcasse decided to expedite the laying down of the second pair, and these will now bo placed on the stocks on October 1 next, representing an Acceleration of three months. The Langucdop .and the Normandie will be the first two lo be laid down, the former at the yard of the Forsrcs et Chantiers de la Mediterrance, at La Heyne, and the latter at Saint Nazairc. The two 'other ships will bo built in the national yards, the Flandre at Brest and tlie Gascogne at Lorionl. The princinal characteristics of the shins will bo as follow: They will 'be 57't feet, long and S7.fi feet in beam, with a draught of 23 feet 3 inclios and a displacement of 25,200 tons. ''In addition to their main nrmamenlt of twelve 13.1-inch guns, firing shells of 1100 pounds, they will have t.wenlyfour 5.5-ijich weapons for defence against torpedo..craft and six submerged torpedo tubes.