THE NEW "DREADNOUGHTS."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 30, 1 March 1909, Page 4

THE NEW "DREADNOUGHTS."

The new battleship Vanguard, which was launched last week at Jiarrow-in-l-'uriicss, will have a dis|)lui->>mcul of 10.200. tons, or 1300 ton-, mure than the Dreadnought, and her tiirliiucs will develop a horse-power of 27.412, or 0000 more than the pioneer of liev class. The speed is «ipec-led to lie 22 knots, ur one more than the Dreadnought. A jealously guarded secret of [he new battleships of the Vanguard tvpe will lie the mode of distributing the water-tight bulk-heads, both longitudinal and transverse, under the armored deck, so as to render the .ship practically torpedo-proof. The hull might be pierced bcloyv water twenty times in a length of 100 feet without reducing the buoyancy of the ship beyond the danger point. The distribution of the main armament of ten 12'/.-incli guns has been so arranged (hat the Vanguard will be able to bring all I'm of her weapons into action at one. around the whole circle, except, a very short are forward of the beam and abaft the quarter. This has been arranged bv superposing the turrets upon the I'sclielon plan, so that, when two pairs of guns are trained on the same object-" in line with one another tln* rear pair can deliver their lire over tin- front pair. Since the Dreadnought was designed" it has come to be recognised that the surprising- development of ihe destroyer units calls for a much more adequate response than was furnished bv the 12-pounder quickfirers, and the Vanguard will carry a big array of the new 4-inch guns mointed at each angle of the battery deck. The Vanguard will have a pair of elliptical funnels!, tapering at the fore ends so as to cut the wind. The Dreadnought has squareended funnels, which have been found lo appreciably impede her progress. t The estimated completed c(-t of the new battleship is CI. 027.000. i The licllcrophrm, Temeraire. and Superb, the 1000-7 models, are practically identical. They are of i.UiOO tons (lis-. placement, ami three of the five hvo"iin turrets are placed on the centre-, fine, one forward of Ihe superslruc-ture ami two aft. (he latter being on the same level and therefore unable to concentrate their fire astern. The rcmaiiiin" turrets are placed on the beams well forward. The result i* that the ships are able lo bring six guns to bear ahead or astern and eight <>n the broadside.