United States Naval Institute Proceedings Volume 40, No. 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 edition. Excerpt: ...It is probable that the great bulk of naval opinion will welcome the decision of the Admiralty not to proceed further with the mounting of the 15-inch gun, although the question will naturally arise as to the position that will be occupied in our naval economy by the Queen Elizabeths, with their three unique qualities of "all oil" furnaces, a speed intermediate between that of battleships and of battle-cruisers, and 15-inch guns. It is worthy of remark that although the 12-inch gun held its position in our battleship armaments for twelve or fourteen years--from the Majestics to the H ercules--n0 fewer than four types of primary guns were included in the four programs of 1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12, and 1912-13. The 12-inch weapons of the Hercules and Colossus were succeeded by the 13.5-inch of the Orion class; then came the improved 13.5-inch as mounted in the King George V and Iron Duke classes, and finally the 15-inch of the Queen Elizabeths. For many reasons it is to be hoped that a settled policy will be followed in this matter, at any rate for a few years.----Naval and Military Record. PUNISHING POWER or THE "WARsP1T12."--The new battleship Warspite will, when completed, have a punishing power unequalled by any other ship afloat. The warships coming nearest to the great British ship will be the United States battleship New York and the Rio de Janeiro, while the German battleships of the 1912 program will be much inferior in weight of broadside, estimated by experts to reach as far down as 80 per cent. The 25-knot speed of ships of the Warspite group will make them of the greatest strategical as well as tactical use to naval commanders during a war, for a fast squadron of such formidable fighters will give the...