THE SPEED CONDITIONS OF WARSHIPS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 143, 16 December 1908, Page 7

THE SPEED CONDITIONS OF WARSHIPS.

The maintenance of a speed of 24.8 knots from Belleisle to Land's End, and of 25.13 knots for about three days on ike Atlantic, by the new British cruiser, the Indomitable, on. her return from Caaiada with the Prince of Wales on board, is an. event of great significance, as it is bound to have almost- an immediate and direct influence on the design of Avarships. It has hitherto been, accepted, on the part of naval Powers, that it was impossible to combine offensive and defensive qualities in a ship, and at the same time allow sufficient weight to 2> r *> v ide propelling machinery to develop continuously, and with reliability, a power sufficient to give a speed equal to that of our fastest mail liners. In the latter, the speed, even if not. the primary consideration, is never antagonistic to the main function of securing comfort for the passe/iigers, or convenient profitearning accommodation. Th© space in the lower part of the ship can I easily be given, up to machinery without in any degree affecting passenger accommodation on the upper decks. Nor has there been any limiting condition in respect to the .size of the hull, provided there is a large volume of traffic. In the case of "the warship the aim must ahyays be to reduce size, and consequently the target presented to the enemy's. fire, and to ensure the best measure of the qualities which constitute fighting efficiency. These embrace power of attack, adequate of protection, and speed. Opinions have differed and will differ throughout all time, as to. relative advantages of these three main qualities; and thus it is that all warships necessarily embody compromises in their design. These general considerations have justified acceptance of a speed in cruisers considerably less than in the fastest of our merchant ships. By continuing for three days at the unprecedented average speed of 25.13 knots, the Indomitable has changed all this, and we are certain to have in the future a demand for speed without lessening the efficiency of our warships. What is most certain is that it will involve a further augmentation of the of warships, great as this costalready is.