THE AMERICAN NAVY.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13659, 30 August 1916, Page 4

THE AMERICAN NAVY.

THE CABINET'S INTENTION. I'RUGRAMMKTO'R'K RUSHJiI) THROUGH. (l'er Gable—l'ress .'.ssodation—Copyrijhl,) (Australian and >'. Z. Cable Association). WASHINCTON, August 27. \lr Daniels, of tlic Navy, in xn interview, stated that lie proposes to rush the naval programme through.. Ho liopos that within six' months lllti vessels will be ■under construction, and this ma)' bring the total outlay to ti3O,I)UU,OuV ■lollars. He is ronh'dent that America will have the second naw in the world.

SIXTEEN-INCH GUNS, AMERICA'S NEW WARSHIPS. LKWSpXS 01 1 ' THK WAR. Aftera discussion lasting mure than a year, and closely watching tin 1 work ol' the Rritish si ml German battleships, the General Hoard of the Xavy lias reeoinmended. and the Secretary of the Navy has approved, tlie aniiiug of the new battleships California and Tennessee willi Hi-inch guns in plate of the M-inch jiuns carried by the "I'eniisylvania" class. These vessels varry twelve 11-inch "tins. The new ships will have eight Hi-inch guns, ami naval | experts who advocate the larger [calibres say the additional range of !>oriii vards will make them more efficient and give them advantage over ships with smaller guns,

The opponents of big giuis-' say that \{>n few actions will be fought aj Hie extreme range of 17.000 yards; that, at U.OUU yards, whu-h is the extreme rauge of the li-iivh gun,' its penetrative power is ei)ual to that of the Hr-inch gun, and that at that range and closer thf I'Miirh and 11-ineh guns can concentrate n heavier volume of tire than eight gnus of larger calibre. The fear, however, o.f the American Navv being outranged was Oie divisive faetor. and n* the British Xnvy lias livhieli guns it has decided to arm the new vessels willi Hie still larger weapon. The Naval Bureau of Ordnance has already built ;i;ii| tested h IM-ijieli Jim at tlif naval proving growuls.