TESTING A WARSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 20053, 19 December 1928, Page 17

TESTING A WARSHIP

WHERE BRITAIN LEADS ANXIOUS MOMENTS AT GUNS The largest foreign shipbuilding contract of recent years will have been completed by Messrs J. 1. Thornycroft and Co,, Ltd., when they turn over the last of six destroyers, now under construction, to naval officers representing the Chilean Government, writes Commander H. M. Daniel, in tho ‘ Daily Mail.’ Two of the vessels have left the slipways. Orollo, the second, has completed her gun trials satisfactorily. 1 was the guest of Messrs Thornycroft bn the trip from Southampton to Weymouth, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. For.the first time in my life i witnessed gun trials without any anxiety as to whether, the guns behaved themselves correctly or not Blr Chapman, who headed the party from Messrs Vickers, gave the order to “fire,”and then, in dulcet tones full of convincing persuasion, explained why the gun failed to go off. He undertook to carry out further tests until all should be to tho satisfaction of Commander Gomi, the Chilean captain, for nothing likely to hold our workmanship up to reproach must be allowed to leave the country. A chart door was shattered by the blast of No. 2 gun. This will be replaced by the shipbuilders, and so made that it will be strong enough to withstand all future shocks. Blessrs Thornycroft are pecjalists in destroyer Building, and Orello, apart from the fact that it has only three guns, is almost a replica of our latest units. The days before the official trials are always rather a nightmare to the contractors So many details have to be checked up to the last minute. Designers and managers cannot help feeling that their reputation is at stake, and -eat'is the gnashing of teeth it !in\ ig goes wrong at the trial, however trivial. But failures are rare occurrences. The ship must do her contract speed 0 fthirty-five knots—Orello exceeded this with ample margin. The fuel consumption must be economical so that she has a- radius of action of 4,500 miles. Her hull , must be strong enough to withstand heavy weather, hut _yet submit to the propulsion of 30,000 h.p. Guns must fire either by the trigger or from the firing key of the director with the aid'of ,a gyroscope; and they must be accurately “ laid ” in accordance with the mysterious red pointers for elevation and training. Then there is the high-angle gun for repelling aircraft or firing star shells for betraying the enemy at night. The Thornycroft -bomb' thrower, for hurling a depth charge at-a submarine some hundreds of, yards' away, must also bo tested. .. .I have not said a word about searchlights, telephones, pnenmatie message transmitters, wireless telegraphy,; anchors, and cables, mine-sweeping paravanes, . and : other .innumerable- devices which must All he tested under actual conditions at sea. Yes, it ,is gratifying to think ' thgt in all these, matters Britain holds .thq lead. -