1908 AND 1925

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 188, 11 August 1925, Page 12

1908 AND 1925

THE TWO FLEETS COMPARED

SEVENTEEN YEARS' ADVANCE IN WARSHIP

DESIGN.

People who remember the 1908 visit of American men-of-war under Admiral Bperry will naturally want to compare : that fleet with the one that is now in New Zealand waters. In 1908 we called the' "Great White Fleet;'; but the ■ American Navy has in the "meantime ■ adopted the same colour as the British 'Navy', and in 1925 we welcome, the "Great Grey Fleet."' Individually ships "have developed out of all knowledge. For instance, the Cor.inectic.ut, the largest', vessel in the ileet of Admiral SperryV was of 17,006 tons r . while thp boats of the Maryland. and Colorado ~ type have displacement of no less than • 32JG00 tons. Then, again, the Connecticut fired about. ofJOGlb of metal in a single broadside. The Maryland can discharge IT.ISSIb, and owing to. the inarch of science in the meantime, the modern warship is a much more effective fighting machine, and her fire is much more 'accurate and more deadly to the enemy.

those of the British battleships. This is accounted for to some extent by the elimination of r-oal furnaces in the United S.tates warships, although the latest vessels of "the British Navy,' which are oil-burners, ■ still' retain- the -large funnel. The appearance , ' amidships"of lattice derricks- on the United States ship«. usually kept'at" ail angle of about 45 degrees, catches the eye. • These are' employed in the . shipment of- heavy ihateriald, including- munitions, and, although solid steel derricks are also fitted about amidships' on British battleships, n regard fiir orderly (lesion-, in the British Navy ordains that !rUL'ty_ derricks shall be lowered when not in : use, and' thus do'not attract attention. : Disposition of 'the Guns. The placiifg .of armaments, particularly the heavier guns on the battleships California, Tennessee, Idaho, New Mexico and Mississippi, differs from that of the British' ]Navy, and. in fact, has not been continued on the latest ships, the Golorado, Maryland and West Virginia. Uμ the lirst five vessels the twelve Hin.guus are placed in four turrets, each, carrying •' three guns. " The