American Battleships

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 January 1916, Page 3

American Battleships

THE LAST WOKl> IN NAVAL ARCHITECTURE. The two new siiper-d.readnoughts authorised by the American Congress will, it is claimed' , represent the last word in naval architecture. Since the war has brought no vessels oi this class into conflict, no radical departure in construction is plannea, as no definite lessons have been learned. The greatest difference between the two new ships, numbers 43 and 44—until names for them are- chosen—and their immediate prodecessor.s now building will lie in additional hull protected against torpedo attack. The nature ol' these safeguards lias not been revealed, ,but they are generally understood to consist of greater subdivision an I strengthened bulkheads to keep the ships afloat even with holes torn in their bottom. in size tho new ships will oqual the California, now under construction at the Now York Yard. They will displace 32,000 tons, measure 621 feet in length over all with a 97 feet 8 inches berun and draw 30 feet of water. They will have a*speed of 20i knots an hour, and; will be driven by turbine engines, since the Navy Department probably will mot build more ships of combined steam and electric drive, as in the California, until that vessel has proved her worth. The.y will carry a dozen 14-inch guns each in their main battery, mounted three t.'i a turret, and with 30 degree elevation; 22 o-inoh guns tor defence agaijnst deatrjoyens., flour submerged tbrpedo (tubes, andi thiree anti-air-craft guns to repel aeroplanes and dirigibles. The steady increase in size of battleships is shown by a oompa; ,'oVJ of the new vessels with the Nevada, J he

laest addition to the Navy. They wi displace 2500 tons more than the Nevada, show an increase length ot nearly 50 feet, and a few feet add Mnal breadth, andi -will mount 12 big g-np, against the Nevada's 10. Ju appearance the new ships -will show j>. iiuirlred departure from the vessels ot their type now in commission, as they wi'l be eon etructed with long, overhang; lg lows known as clipper stems, pattjtned after nwift sailing ships of the days gone by. The result, in the opinion «>F '.ba Navy designers, will he to pin greater freedom from pitching in peas