WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, Friday, March 9, 1894. SIR FREDERICK BRAMWELL, Bart. D.C.L. LL.D. F.R.S. Honorary Secretary and Vice-President, in the Chair. WILLIAM H. WHITE, ESQ. C.B. LL.D. F.R.S. M.R.I. The Making of a Modern Fleet. THE special programme of war shipbuilding embodied in the Naval Defence Act of 1889 is now approaching its completion. Of the seventy ships therein provided for, all except eight or nine will be completed and ready for service at the end of this month, when the five years' period contemplated in the Act will terminate. The few remaining ships will then be far advanced, and in the Navy Estimates for 1894-5 less than 300,000l. will have to be provided for their completion. What has been done constitutes an unprecedented feat, whether it be considered on the basis of expenditure, or in the addition made in a comparatively short time to the naval strength of the empire. No other country in the world could rival this performance, which furnishes an object lesson, on a large scale, of what has to be done whenever the making of a modern fleet is undertaken. Regarding the transaction from this point of view, the principal steps may be summarised as follows: 1. The selection of types, and the numbers of ships of each type to be built. 2. The preparation of designs for each type, fulfilling the conditions laid down for offensive and defensive powers, speed and coal endurance. 3. The making of estimates of cost; these estimates including the unit costs for each type; the aggregate cost of the whole scheme; and the incidence of expenditure on each year of the period of construction. 4. The allocation of orders, so that the actual construction of ships, machinery, and armaments may be completed within the stipulated period. For ships of the Royal Navy, the Board of Admiralty is the responsible authority in the selection of types, and determination of the numbers to be built of each type. Since actual experience in modern naval warfare is almost entirely wanting, differences of opinion necessarily arise respecting the relative values of different types, the best methods of protection, the most suitable armaments, and other features of construction. In the ancient fleet of unarmoured sailing vessels, long-continued experience in actual war, associated with practical stagnation in the construction, armament and propulsion of war-ships, made the selection of types an easy matter. Now the progress of invention is rapid, and change follows fast upon change; so that the decision of fighting and sea-keeping qualities is a difficult undertaking. Whatever is done is certain to be challenged or criticised. The Admiralty has many advantages in its action as a "Committee on Designs." On the Board are a number of experienced and distinguished naval officers. The largest war-fleet in the world is under its orders, and from the service afloat come many reports, suggestions, and records of experiment. What is being done at home and abroad in the construction and armament of ships; the improvement of ordnance, ammunition, armour, torpedoes and other matters of importance, is well known and carefully considered. Use is made of the best engineering talent of the country in devising improved types of propelling machinery, auxiliary mechanical appliances, gunmountings and other portions of the equipment. When considered desirable, distinguished naval and professional men are called into council. But the final decision as to the characteristics and qualities of each of Her Majesty's ships necessarily rests with the Admiralty. Universal experience in all navies and at all periods shows that there must be a considerable variety of types in any fleet. No single type can be trusted to perform all the services required at a given moment. Progress in invention and consequent change in type necessarily introduces further variety. Iron and steel-hulled ships have great durability. On the "Effective List" of the Royal Navy still remain specimens of the earliest sea-going ironclads, now over thirty years old; and examples of successive types which during that long period have made their appearance as first-class ships, only to pass gradually into lower classes and finally into the Reserve. Obsolete as many of these vessels are in engines, guns and armour, they are practically as strong as they ever were. Should a war take place, and serious engagements happen between the more modern ships on each side, it is quite conceivable that the so-called "obsolete" ships of the Reserve may play an important part in the final stages of the conflict. Apart from the variety of type produced by lapse of time, there is the variety arising from the necessities of service. By common consent a modern fleet, like the ancient fleet, must have a squadron of battle-ships as its back-bone. With these must be associated cruisers of various kinds-the " eyes of the fleet"—and vessels of the torpedo flotilla. Opinions differ as to the most suitable proportion of cruisers to battle-ships. Some advocate three cruisers to each pair of batt!eships; others would have two cruisers of different types to each battle-ship; and others consider that, to complete a group, there should be a battle-ship, two cruisers and a torpedo vessel. The Naval Defence Programme provided for seventy vessels: ten battle-ships, forty-two cruisers and eighteen torpedo gunboats. Most of the designs were novel in character. Eight of the battle-ships are 380 feet long and 14,150 tons in displacement. They are the largest completed ships in the Royal Navy, and the most powerfully armed. Each vessel carries four 67-ton guns, ten 6-inch quick-firing guns and twenty-eight small quick-firers for use against torpedo boats, as well as in action with other ships. The maximum smooth-water speeds are 17 to 18 knots. In protection, armament, speed and coal-supply they surpass all their predecessors. The ships are of high freeboard, carry their guns at a great height above water, and are specially adapted for service in the Atlantic. Two of the battle-ships are of less dimensions: 360 feet in length and of 10,500 tons displacement. In speed and coal-supply they compare well with the larger vessels. They are inferior in armament and protection. The heaviest guns are 29 tons each in weight, and the largest quick-firers are 4.7-inch. These vessels were designed especially for service on distant stations, and can pass through the Suez Canal. There are four distinct types of cruisers. Nine are of the first class, 360 feet long and from 7350 to 7700 tons in displacement. They have maximum speeds in smooth water of 20 to 21 knots, and large coal supplies; powerful armaments and good protection to guns, gun crews and vitals. The heaviest guns weigh 22 tons each, and the main armament consists of ten 6-inch quick-firers, with seventeen smaller guns. Twenty-nine vessels are second class cruisers, eight being of one type and twenty-one of another type. They are 300 to 320 feet in length and 3400 to 4400 tons in displacement. Their maximum smooth water speeds are about 20 knots, and they have good coal supplies. The armaments include 6-inch and 4.7-inch quick-firers, besides smaller guns, and they have fair protection. Four cruisers of the third class are 265 feet long and of 2600 tons displacement. They are about a knot slower than the smaller secondclass cruisers, and not quite so well armed, but they are equal in protection. In Torpedo gunboats are of comparatively recent introduction, and are the smallest sea-going vessels built to accompany fleets. length they vary from 230 to 250 feet, in displacement from 750 to 1100 tons. They have a light gun armament and a powerful torpedo armament, the maximum smooth water speeds range from 19 to 20 knots. Experience has proved them to be excellent sea-boats in the heaviest weather. It will be noted that all these vessels are of high speed, and capable of acting together as a fleet. Further, that the Naval Defence Programme provided not merely for the largest proportionate number of cruisers to battle-ships above mentioned, but gave a considerable margin over and above those requirements available for service in the protection of commerce or in other ways. If a fully constituted fleet were formed from the Naval Defence ships, including all the battle-ships and the equivalent number of cruisers, it would surpass in speed and fighting power any equal number of completed ships of similar classes that could possibly be brought against it from existing navies. Having been created rapidly and simultaneously, it is more homogeneous in character and better equipped for manoeuvring at high speed. Its armament, also, is of the most modern description, being distinguished by the preponderance of quick-firing guns. These guns can be fired about thrice as fast as guns of equal calibre but earlier patterns, and the supplies of ammunition have been proportionately increased. In the fleet 1342 guns are mounted. Of these 776 are 6-pounders or under, and over 500 are 6-inch and 4·7-inch quick-firers, while 56 are from 9.2 inch in the cruisers up to 13.5 inch in the large battle-ships. Torpedo armaments, including submerged and above-water discharges, are carried in all the ships, but are subordinated to the gun armaments, except in the torpedo gunboats. There are 322 torpedoejecting tubes in the seventy ships. All the larger ships have their bows strengthened for ramming. That method of attack, however, involves special risks, particularly since torpedo armaments have been so considerably developed. Electric search-lights and internal lighting, net defences and all other means for protecting the ships against torpedo-boat attacks have been adopted in the larger cruisers and battle-ships. The smaller cruisers and torpedo vessels have no net defences. Mechanical appliances of all kinds have been freely employed to reduce or assist manual labour. In habitability and sanitary arrangements the ships surpass previous constructions. The aggregate total weight of the ships, fully equipped, exceeds 335,000 tons; the total power of the propelling engines, working under conditions of maximum development, is about 600,000 horsepower. This proportion of power to weight-averaging nearly two horse-power to each ton-is a clear proof of the relatively high speed of the Naval Defence fleet. Until ten or twelve years ago the maximum speeds of battle-ships in smooth water ranged from 14 to 15 knots, and of swift cruisers from 15 to 17 knots. Comparing these figures with those given above for the Naval Defence ships, it will be seen that a great stride has been made. Improvements in marine engines have greatly aided progress, but there has necessarily been a considerable increase in engine-power. As speeds increase, so does. the rate of growth in expenditure of power increase most rapidly. A first-class battle-ship, for example, can be driven 10 knots an hour by 2000 horse-power. At 14 knots 5500 horse-power is necessary; at 18 knots, 13,500 horse-power. To gain 4 knots from 10 knots means an increase of 3500 horse-power; an equal gain in speed from 14 knots involves an increase of 8000 horse-power. Modern ships depend solely upon steam propulsion, and are practically destitute of sail-power. Their range of action and power of keeping the sea depends, therefore, entirely upon their coal supplies and rate of coal consumption. By the use of higher steampressures and greater expansion the rate of coal consumption has been greatly reduced in the last thirty years. A first-class battleship of 1860 required to burn about 5 to 5 lbs. of coal per indicated horse-power per hour, whereas a ship of similar class in the Naval Defence fleet burns 2 to 24 lbs. only. On the other hand, in recent ships great demands are made on coal for various auxiliary purposes formerly non-existent. Large quantities of sea water have to be distilled for use in the boilers. Internal electric lighting makes considerable inroads on the coal. The multiplication of auxiliary machinery for all purposes does the same, whereas in earlier ships most of the operations now done by such machinery were performed by manual power. Taking a broad view of the situation, it may be said that modern ships have much larger coal endurance, and can steam over longer distances. When cruising at sea or making passages under ordinary conditions war-ships proceed at moderate speeds. Comparisons of coal-endurances are, therefore, commonly made at the speed of 10 knots. A battle-ship of the first class built in 1861 carried 750 tons of coal, and could keep the sea steaming continuously at 10 knots for six days. She had auxiliary sail-power also, and could economise coal under favourable circumstances of wind and weather. A first class battleship of the Naval Defence fleet leaves port with nearly twice as much coal on board, and can steam continuously at 10 knots for twenty to twenty-one days before her coal is exhausted. She has no sail power; her machinery and propellers are duplicated for the sake of greater safety against disablement and better utilisation of the engine-power at high speeds. The armaments of modern ships have been made proportionately heavier, not so much in the way of increasing the weight of the most powerful guns, as by developing the secondary armaments of quickfiring guns and increasing the supplies of ammunition. It will be remarked that the heaviest guns mounted in the Naval Defence fleet are 67 tons in weight, whereas preceding ships of less size carry 110 ton guns. Indeed, had there been a satisfactory 12-inch gun of about 50 tons available in 1889 it would probably have been adopted by preference. Since that date such a gun has been produced, and has been made the principal armament of the Majestic class. A distinctive feature in recent battle-ships is the great power and efficient protection of the secondary armament of quick-firing guns. It is within the truth to say that with this portion of the armament alone, a ship of the Royal Sovereign class could make a good fight, having regard to the rapidity of fire and the energy of the projectiles. A 6-inch quick-firing gun delivering five or six aimed projectiles per minute, with energies sufficient to perforate a foot of iron armour at close range, is clearly a formidable weapon. Armour protection in the Naval Defence ships has been most carefully considered. No other feature in war-ship construction has given |