THE WARSHIP OF 1950.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1923, Page 4

THE WARSHIP OF 1950.

In the next twenty-live years, says Mr Grasc-r SehorUstheimor, an American naval expert and writer, the world will witness sonic remarkable changes in the methods of naval warfare. During the Great War there wore two great forces of destruction brought out.—the big gun shell and the torpedo. But since the war two entirely new weapons have been developed to a very important and dangerous degree—ga.- and airerali bombs. Secondary only to the offensive characteristics will In- the defensive features of the new -hip-. They will be literally loaded down with armour and other protective material. The main armour will be against tin- heavy shell fire of both extreme ami short range varieties. The hulls will he heavily hli-iered and internally cushioned against torpedoes and mines. Ihe top decks uf the ships will he coat-.-d with armor strong enough to resist the most powerful bombs which can he dcvelopei.t. Hut the most important tiling will he the ventilating systems.

A warship breathes through R‘vontilators and through those ventilators may come the most poisonous ol gases. But in the tiuure ships must be ail-tight in so far as tin - is possible. The ventilating system•• nm-t lie enlarged and instead of one or two sets of ventilating systems there mu-t he (bi.-'cns. The ventilators must all ho We here have the mandate cha.rae-liii-u -- ill the new ve-scl-. Now I' - ll- -ee I:i>' large a vessel it is going to stritelor does not read, "build a ship of so many thou.-and Lons,’' but. "design a hull which will carry much

I machinery, so much fuel am! supplies j much ef|Uipmcpit and he habitsibl | hr -o many men.” The Orihiiaime ex pert-' have -tiidi al the if- -i--na cl <■?: i■ t im: v. ’bp- end. del erinined I v,i iplit of • - 'in- io he cart:, d I>.v tln new ship and In.w much armour tin same ships must carry to l,e sale Iron the guns of exi-ting warships. ’! im pa defoin i- division works out :k" -h.p----j ventilalion and vn-ious other bureau: i and divisions Wie k Pul lln of her lea I lures. i It ha- been d-eid-d that ill- shi| j must t brow a broadside <>t I Lftftt | pounds „f explosive shell and that tin j guns must have a range exceeding llu ! maximum scope of visibility, lo the ! end a hriliry of twelve I'-ioi-li, -d e" Ii lire guns are speeil'ed. Th-v are I' ho mounted in four turu-is with tore' guns to each iurn-!. 'I lie -lru is to 1, saturated will) a.nmmr and weigh must lie saved a.I eveiy pu- ill,- spot The imnls are rarofulli designed Tl:- loos revive a moderate amount o j armour as they will lune to resis! hoi! | big gun shell - and bombs j rum air I craft. The -ide- am) rear , f the lur ' rets are nut armere I I -avily, inI enough to i<• a- t the small shell o j cruise,> and de-l ro.’.ei ■ . But tii" frouiiol lie iii reel from which tie gun :lo out ai i lie cm-uiy. and u he-h ale tliei-i-for'". always facing I lie enemy j ai, \ er\ i>. .-\ i!■- anui r.-.L 1 n I l:e I'll I title, a- I’ll'ali a- 20 im-11-'s el tin , Io11a! ie - 1 a! me: may I"' II - - j for lurre j "ii b•• r'>a: i,■ s w ext'-u.l l o ,!:, j !.•:«,•!- 11l lb- -flip ami I ! ,im. Ii (Kan | rii'i anui'UiiMinn Imi'->- Id'-li < onj These big a',::- (!: ■ battle- ; a ai'M.o :'g stop., iii:i a war-hip nni-i ;ha to '’aland ll:i ,1.-1 against !-i -•'iii - all-':" lit,) in -l da.-i rover I| ' ’ i oaltiiy ai a- 1 u, , i gun- i- moiili'.ao ,r, 'h- >i,ip . Ti e, v phs'ii yen higb p,ad tions vh.-m'v.-r possible. In tin ships o' Ila I mure. I lie-0 -n-iimlnr.v j sii.a 11 - - - u i;li s.-vi-r:, iaa a - in :: | tin ret. i|ag tie ventilating problem i ! I'M l ho w, d , ,1! I p, a I Mar alf'l- ! aianay. Tl; ■.a guns will not o:d\ lie ' 111 a high si’a-d bill al-o ag:.:i|si sllh- ; marine- wlm ii slie.’K • ,i• • i!c in ( ■ j j a -hip lo deliver tln-ir blow Thau. II i’.v w iiiah ha \ a the aha rest out look Ii the sk.v will lie muiiiite,! , :i high angle munni - l hat I,V y may I-. n-., -! ~• •.i j,,-1 Next lo important me the anu-uiri-1 a I'l I a 111 arm -. In I lie ii it ore I l,u-a P -''-I- p ait ion - I i fn-- musi ha >••• ' ! ' 1 '• >'•'• • I' ' no. ' ! •" Da \ w :|| I, a lie,U!!t, d i'll I 1 1y ■’■ ' ' (ha uia-i«>> ihe i ntore ship.-. I hei will ha automatic weapons and wiil lie dircctor-miif I'ullcd so that a harrage ol hursfing -in !| may !.. laid ill the ho,'idling, area above Ihe shin, "'deb may he rais:,l ,a I .iv- rad at liewill ai Ihe ollio'i- anmiaaiiiling Ihe g;uu-. Say that eight I .sim-li automai a- guns. ;i, |,, , pu a ini,j• ■(, lav a harrage over the -hin. Xothim"ill ha a'lla [I, get I hrolloll ill If plana- at tel-,,., lo I,mill, tlm -Idp Irani lewd upon wide!, the barrage ,- - 1, '.I lid. I I.e \* wiil I-a -hoi da-Wli as lim‘■''n 1 1 its clue. Ami tin* barrage me ''' * • I •*'* lower,-.I Ve|-V ipll’akl v In i oil-el a ali.iiige ol nltil ode mi the pari \ "I I be ai: cral l. But when dealing with j bombing plane- of i he future, we’mttst ! "at Hunk of a few dozen plain- operat- : "'g i" one si ra 1 1: in of air. hut uf ; ,in 'd> Ol planes operating on vaiim'i': i s ! !: ‘-1 ol air. Tile i.-1.-n i- ,t.. 1( ,’f - j single Set ol pintles is |o-i mi ~:ie - Ha- I ! oi :ih '- "t bar i-piadron- opertain- I ahi'u,!:'' o : f"i'wr‘iT . ) " i:, Y; i 7 i i

I!l " 1 here are ..tin r sv-tem- M anti, r. •i-.ifl defense that „,|| „| . Tin. a capon in '7 Urge ant,-ain ratt Uo". Dos w.-apnn in the niiiav n ill proba h'y I ;■ a rapid bring Jhinrl, .short U' l " ''ooeli I liren s j t s shell ilirei-iiv ' IIK- '.hi| . And it- shell is out ll "’ "ur-'t mg type. "hi:-!, relies mi Os I ragmen ts to demolish its ehj, ; 1,111 Oiorely a very thin slmll carrying 1 11,11,1 1 hint a t honsaud ponmh. ~f " ex - plosive'. When this great rli.irI'iodes in the air ;l trenietidoits vacua: is created. This vacuum is sonu thing 0,1 Die order of an air pocl-.e!. Anvthiug which stumbles into it mao drop! I here no air there to sit-lain o. Tit • el|V> i n.ev !,■ iiice a j with a lu-iek w nil t !ij s r < Ili i.,i: with notliiagit; ss ! , UU aid the plane he aide to drop ~ few o[ the most j io\ye r! i; | luuin s tile •'hell' v. ill he arrmtrd he [!„. |je| ;l | armor on the top decks of the ship. Velocity is another wmal lor p mutation and aircraft bombs lack velocity. Only hy going as high a' tio.p.t feet could a velocity of 1 .i!!!0 h i t pci* < olid he produced; and planes will never go this high for military work, l ust because they cannot hit at this altitude because of the many and diverse air (111-rents below them. |Vr this and oilier reason- the li.'.iinj-ioot altitude will lie about the limit .it which hits can le -i mi: il. At lid' altitude the planes will lie lucky to obtai:l a velocity of 00() feet per second fir tlieir hoinhs. .Ncnie may argue that pliiiH-s will some dav carry heavy gluts. This -inn - iy seems probable, because planes lack stability, in that they ride on something vv it II a very low specific gravity—air. For an analogous reason ships will never he able to successfully honthard properly defended forts. They lack stability as compared ti the forts; the difference between the water ami laud is too great to he counteracted hy mechanical means. TSio propelling engines of to-day will have passed within "Jo years. The steam-driven engine.- for large amounts of fuel " ill h,- replaced by engine- of a semi-Diesel typo, which, coupled with the electric drive, will give great o< ■ - norny in fuel and ship-space, together with the advantage of being funnel-less. AVeight and space "ill he saved for other purposes. Strange a- it may seem, the capital ; 'hip of the future will not necessarily ] h.e oxtrem !y fast. The -lower w i, | possible to build the ship and have it j capable of meeting other ships, the ; lierter as "ic-ac engines mean space j and weight .V.hich touhl ho well u=ed j for offensive or defensive qualities. I lie I battleship of the future, from too pro- j sent outlook, is not liable to have a | speed in excess of -o knots, though its j speedy counterpart, the battle cruiser of the future may have a speed o; well on to Ho knots. Gas is tiio most important weapon of to-dnv. fur the very nmple reason that the ships now in existence can not he defended against it. The ships of the future will be air-tight, so to speak, and will be ventilated by several main and a number of independent venti-

fating systems. Because of the power of .modern gases, men ’.vili not be oil the decks or bridges of future warships in battle. ' They will be protected, in air-tight compartments. And the warships of the future will be able to deliver tremendous streams of the most powerful gases. While a warship breathes through its ventilators an airplane breathes through the nostrils of its pilot. And an airplane will he tillable to carry the most powerful gas. because the size and

weights of the containers will he too great, (ins will he a very efficient antiaircraft weapon of the future.

To-day. nearly every battleship carries a small plane for .scouting and spotting duties. Smile hattlesbij >■ van v as many as four of tlie.se small idem-.-. And the plane will become even more import ant- as an auxiliary to the battleship in the future. The trvmendoiv-.-trides of modern ordnanto. particularly of naval ordnance, is oiling future buttle ranges beyond man’s viunn. Toil tlic.-e ranges will n ■; to beyond the vision of the spotting plan■■ which v. ill lie in constant communion’, ion with tie battleship by wiredo.--'. .Mine- are of great imnorinnee. To the end of si piping an enemy’s |nlist- iL- of wounded craft, every sin i oi the future will carry a quantity of ■urn mines of the contact, type. V. him a ship is Hoeing they will I.; dropped overheard to forte the enemy to turn aside to avoid them and thus lose their fjiuu ry. The capita! ship of the future (■an-il.-t altogether denude liersell of modern armour protection, as she will m-rd it in eh so range enen.mt.Ts in foggy weather, etc. the belts will have light a,-moor v. ill have to remain to lviuioree t !io.-:c bell s. !)c. uni mid -iv-t iiiilbi' the vain - o r onaoc. v. hoii ihe I’ritisb said tlial armoured tlieir great battle cruisers, ■p! i',...nil was that lie e great lii'di-h bailie cruisers vent down in ten tjjllllle:- oi batil,.’. Under a I : 'j 111 la 11 ■ ! 1! 1 lit ~j || and 11?-im li shells, elide * bu'inan battle criii-ers were able to withstand nearly lift-, sb dls of from ITA inches. Tl:t i* :: p !'< * j r clfii'iifi* !<>r i»viTy jdi ifi uf powor, u-KEwnsa vxstsit :sff!UJGni&attaK2J4Cßrs

jJIiITISII .M I'SKI’M DISC ()V111!V. I.ONDOX. dan. !!. Visitors to the British Museum yesterday loan.l erected, under the high facade a! the I rout of the building, a eohmin about .’’.Oil high, comp.'eed ol give plaster. On the lace oi the column inn fashioned a figure many times greater I hall life size, while the sal, - w.-re I-o. civil v. nli a double column ci : on;;; e pictures, icprcxeutiiig men's herds and various r.inmiils. column i- e! i rcuMire • presented to ihe miti.-n ove- .”>0 cent’s ago which i ai e lain di-no.;itl s! and l(;i''.;iitU'li in , u,ie:,i ia iho Victoria and Ai’Ti Dim i . a'l' ill of lhe M a mislay ( idle ’ih.o. rod is the largest of a eiiur er of ,-!o-iei" cast r . taken !#v Mr Ah red Da., May from il.e reman", e! a a mi; nt .M, a I iidiau ei ciiisation T-exi-ting with 1 1 1 e Aztec) discovered !■•. him in (ouy eimda. (enirnl \im ri; a ill-. I . e ! - In Ih - ill's I real lll'y A. I), ti v. as olil" a l ,or ho had I'oreed ids w.-y ilirough miles ol vi gin puvsi that roles o'l *'l lie reli; . !■ • toiiol . • : : h . nod ’ Wild' biioauisr- i:; 1 oiai V•' M. ad-dry -•■carei! i a>t hi lain paper end pa •' seme of ihe lines; sp.-i unci:.-. Much of i bis pint ai' ti.o • lor;, 1 eoutained in Mr Muudslayh hook, published at ihe lime ol the So i’ll African i ir.l a'’-’ (.Men.vi. All. ■ 1 aI : .he Ol' 1!e' I '(' I‘. 11;a I ol.j"'t .. lli phi- e 1

but a short time later other objects arrived which wore considered by the directors to ho more beautiful, and as space was at that time very limited the Mandslay Collection was taken to pieces and relegated to the basement.

Since tlie war the liritisli Museum authorities have done much stocktaking and. in response to a request from Hr Mandslay, tin* long-forgotten pieces were collected and conveyed to the parent museum, where they will lie available once more for public inspection.