HITTING POWER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 594, 24 August 1909, Page 5

HITTING POWER.

NATIONS RACING FOR, ARMAMENTS. BIC ORDER FOR COVENTRY. THE UNITED: STATES PROGRAMME. lily Teleir'rapb.-l'reaa A»»uclallon.-G<,Djrlcbl.l " (Rec. August 23,'11.60 p.m.) ~ ■ London, August 23. * The Coventry Ordnance Company has re-' ceived orders from; tho British " andj other Governments for a million sterling, worth of gun s 'and gun-mountings. '; These orders will ensure work; for tho company throughout the whole'of 1910 with 1600. extra men. ..■■■. ;.'■ [ '■■ ■;y . ~■;.'' '/ BATTLESHIPS OF 30,000 TONS, WITH 14-INCH CUNB. OUT-pPvEADNOUGHTING IN AMERICA. . (Rec. ■ August; ;23,' 9.5| p.m.) > , '; ■■'-• ;'.-New York, August 23. ■•'•'■ ; The two Dreadnought-hattleßhips'; of this year's j United '; States, .programme—which originally provided for four battleships, but was reduced by half by the .'House, of -Re-presentatives—-are' about'"to,'bo; laid' do\yn.. .•''.They will be of; the Delaware/class, and will have a speed of 20 knots. Each will. carry "twelve 12-inch guns,' and ; will ' cost (including armament) two million sterling. ..'■_ '~ It -is.-reported.that the Secretary of the NavyV. Mr. , : George. Voni L. Meyer; proposes 'to, construct twelve T4-inch. guns for the' two 30,000-toh battleships:which 'are expected' to' figure' in'.the.next Naval Appropriation' 8i11... '■;:-■ GUN-POWER AND SIZE.,;•;. % '■> TREMENDOUS,EECENT GROWTHS. \-';., '- The first two battleships referred, to, which are to carry twelve 12-inch,guns, are.at seems,of the Delaware/class,...and for, the- sake oi convenience may be termed improved Delawares. .The original Delaware, which is nearing,completion, is, acoording to the text-books,, of 20,000 tons; length, 610 ft.; .beam, 85Jft.j draught, 27ft.;' indicated. horse-power, 26,000.In speed, the Delaware is expected. to make 21 knots',.or one knot better than, the .speed attributedtin the cablegram to-the improved 'ships. Taking the cablegram.in conjunction with recently-published forecasts, the improved Delawares will , have twelve 12-inch guns (against'the Delaware's ten) ,and; twenty-two 5-inch guns-(against, the' Delaware's fourteen). The cablegram'says nothing about the tonnage of. the improved ships, but according to Some papers'it is. 20,00(H-a big increase 'on the Delat ware's 20,000. '•' ■-''.. • ; ,; ;■■'."''.." -:■':■' -', ■.;': • •;,,\Vith the'3o,ooo-ton battleship forecasted for the' pext United' States ; .programine a new' class : seems to be entered oh again, and probably the cost'will rise proportionately.' ■ 'How far: are. naval 1 -architects' off the. three-million-sterhng. mark?' The 11-inch gun represents similar ''growth; "When the: armament, of the'.improved Delawares'was under consideration, it was_pro- : posed : to'pttt in eight li-inch guns instead Of. twelve lMhch, but the'idea was not then oar- - ried : out.: 'The latest-' English, Dreadnoughts aaoat have ten' 12-inoh. ; Germany seems so, far , to be sticking, to 1 the' 11-inch, '■ and Count Rc- . ventlo'w, German naval expert/ declares:: ' "The, German llin.'guiis are absolutely.equal ■ to/ the 'British 12in. That the.;length,.of : -the Nassau type's llin. .guns' has not been disclosed means' that they are-an,entirely ;new_model. ■ In'accuracy,and destructive-power the Nassau.s guns equal-those of the Dreadnought and the ißellerophon, and are, perhaps,;;.superior;'in-•rapid-firing ability; while the.German:guns are vastly superior,to the, Britis- in durability. ' The light batteries; of-the British, ships are • altogether impracticably-placed'and lack any effective -protection.' In , this respeot also-Gei-hiimv has a decisive-superiority.": I '. ■' - ,'■' ', ; ~ After-which-it .may be reassuring to, learn,' :from an English review of Mr/ P. T. Janes ' latest 'work,* that "the; .now '-■ 'British superDreadnought: will-be far more'powerful than any of-theGerman: ships,: as she will fire ten; ,- ,IS:S-iiich B's-ton guns on either broadside. The original Dreadnought only,''fires'-eight; 12-ineh , 68-ton .gnns.?'.i.i:';.\'„-;:: , j-;ir:-v-:^:>"-;>;''>.'\ ; : -y<-\-'

'■■\ 'BRAZIL DREADNOUGHTS. :^;'/yr'--: A V;::' 1 ;, '-';'' '■',' ;.':•'.'•':■. ' ;?■;.•■!,'". I,'pjiffbn,; August ; 22.,-;': V.MessrsJ. Vjqlsers; Sons, ; and 'Maxim are building for v ßio de Janeiro a floating dock of:.-,■ a ! capacity: 'sufficient/'to acc'oininodate Preadiipiigjits. :-\: , : /. '■'■ v '.'■.,';'.'■".'■ i" [Brazil, will, heed the, biggest docking accommodation,' former three Dreadnoughts now. Apr proaohing cpmpletion in Britain'are among the latest' and, greatest. According to pn'e paper,, itjjcjr will displace 22,0f]0-tons'.■'-. Oh.' t)ie authprity'.of ."The:Times,"'it-.,is stated, that thoy have a length- of 500 ft. 'and.a-.bepni of 83ft, and carry amain armament of: twelve. 12-inoh guns, ten of which can simultaneously, fire on either broadside, or eight can'fire In line ; of keel ahead; and eiight astern," /The building; of,,the. floating: dock, at.Hio de, ■'Jnncirq-is■'a' further' indication that vßrazil. really' intends to, take: delivery of these Dreadnoughts, i and is Hot building them or acting as cover for. another Bower/; And if Brazil is determined, 'the "Afgentinp Dreadnoughts order must,'presumably;! be completed' too.] .a!