Battlecruiser Lessons of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05
The Russian-Japanese War of 1904-05 fully confirmed the correctness of Cuniberti's ideas and gave new impetus to the plans for the creation of British armored (destroyer) cruisers, since it showed that they had no means of detriment to themselves and the ability to combat the enemy's battleships. The mediocrity of the command of the Russian navy and the terrifying tactical impotence of the 2nd Pacific Squadron, for one reason or another, was so convenient to watch out. But the very course of military operations in the Russo-Japanese War, the transition of the 2nd Pacific Squadron from the Baltic Sea to the Far East, was studied in the most thorough manner. And Fisher was not alone, putting forward the idea that speed is a sufficient protection against shells of large caliber.
This point of view also formed the basis for the task formulated in August 1904 and providing for the construction of a destroyer cruiser with a speed of 25 knots. And a battleship with a maximum speed of 20 knots. On December 22, 1904, a Committee was created to design a battleship armed with the principle of "All big gun" - this design committee, chaired by the first sea lord, Admiral Fisher, had the powers of an advisory body and was formed to help manage Military shipbuilding of the Admiralty. However, almost all the elements of the project were discussed at its meetings, including the placement of weapons, artillery fire control, the degree of reservation, the design of the power plant, the type of fuel, the drainage system, the control of the ship.
The Committee was composed of "the most lucid minds of the fleet": Chief of Naval Intelligence of the Admiralty prince of German origin in the English service Rear Admiral Lui Battenberg, chief mechanical engineer of the fleet, Rear Admiral John Darston, the commander of the submarine and mine fleet, Rear Admiral Alfred Winslow inspector Navy Captain Genri Dzhekson, artillery Head Captain Dzhon Dzhelliko, assistant inspector of the fleet captain Chalz Madden, assistant to the first Lord of the Admiralty Captain Redzhinald Bekon, head in a systematic way of military shipbuilding Filipp Uatts, professor at the University of Glasgow Dzh.G.Biles.lord Calvin, the owner of the shipyard Dzhon Tornikroft, Managing Director Ferfildskoy shipyard in Glasgow Aleksandr Greysi, Head towing tank Admiralty Froude and chief designer of the Portsmouth shipyard breech Uilyam Gard. Responsible for carrying out work projects of various types of ships is the main designer of the control of the military shipbuilding Narbet while performing duties of the secretary Head of naval shipbuilding.
As soon as the Committee finished its consideration of the Dreadnought project, it discussed the specification of the prospective type of armored (cruise) cruiser, which is a cruising variant and equivalent in combat power to the Dreadnought, which embodied Fisher's ideas with respect to the artillery of the main caliber and high speed. The following main characteristics of the armored (destroyer) cruiser were outlined: the speed of 25 knots which has been hitherto unheard of; In arsenal of artillery of two calibers, without intermediate - the main one in the form of 305mm guns, analogous to the ones installed on the Dreadnought, and mine; Booking as in armored cruisers of the "Minotaur" type, that is, the thickness of the main armored belt is not more than 152 mm. But due to the limited size of the existing docks in England, and consequently,
All the first draft designs of armored (destroyer) cruisers, submitted in 1905 for consideration to the Committee, provided for 25-knot ships with steam piston machines. The creation of such a ship was quite real (the German heavy cruiser Blucher with steam piston machines developed 25.86 knots during the tests on the measured mile). On the issue of the caliber of guns (305-mm or 234-mm), serious disagreements arose in the Committee. In the end, the upper hand was gained by the opinion of the installation of 305-mm guns. Considering the fact that the armored (destroyer) cruiser will have to participate in the battle squad as an auxiliary detachment of the line fleet, inflicting on the enemy ships "such damages that are capable of causing 30 miles at a distance of 7 miles." In this way, The arguments for choosing the caliber of the main artillery were the same as for the battleship. The adopted type of armored cruiser was considered quite capable of safely approaching the enemy's line fleet at the range of visual contact. Fuel on it served as oil and coal.
Members of the Committee noted that the functions of the battleship (squadron) cruiser are not yet clearly defined, but it is believed that, theoretically, they include: reconnaissance; Support of their light cruiser-scouts; A quick approach and cover for various fleet operations; The pursuit of the retreating enemy's linear fleet and the concentration of artillery fire on its stragglers; An independent service to protect their merchant ships and the destruction of enemy cruisers-raiders.
Such a cruiser had the opportunity to break through the veil of light enemy cruisers within the visibility of its linear fleet and obtain information about the number and location of the ships of this fleet. At the same time to fulfill his task, he could cope with the enemy cruiser of any type. Neither a large number, nor any combination of types of unarmored enemy cruisers, did not save them in battle, even against one such armored (destroyer) cruiser.
Another issue that constantly demanded the Committee's attention was foreign shipbuilding. By the end of 1904, the Admiralty learned that in Japan a project of more powerful armored cruisers Tsukuba and Ikoma had been proposed and approved for construction, which, with a normal displacement of 13,750 tons, had four 305 mm and 12 152 mm guns. Some time after the entry into service, both Japanese cruisers visited Portsmouth and made a very good impression, but since the British already had in the line cruisers of the Invincible type, they were already obsolete.
But since the Japanese cruisers laid at the same time as the British-type Minotaur, it was obvious that they completely outperformed the British armored cruisers. Japanese cruisers were a hybrid of a battleship and an armored cruiser - a type of ship with exceptional capabilities, which already appeared in the Italian fleet in the form of a series of four ships of the Regina Elena type, the talented engineer Cuniberti (1904, 12800 tons, 2,305 mm, 12 203MM, 22.5 knots). Before the commencement of their entry into service, approximately a year remained, the main ship Regina Elena was laid in 1904, and the last Roma in 1907. The design and construction of Italian ships also played a role in shaping the views of the ship of the future.
Pointing to the superiority in the armament of the armored cruisers on the part of Japan, which believed that they should take place in the line of battle, if necessary, as was shown by the practice of the Russo-Japanese War. The Committee expressed the following opinion: "In reality, the designed cruisers are disguised battleships!" Admiral Fisher was ready to abandon the construction of battleships in their favor, as was suggested earlier by Fourni and other French and Italian innovators. However, Fisher still believed that "at the present time, enough experience has not been accumulated at sea to completely abandon the construction of battleships, while other maritime powers continue to build them."
Bacon later, when he was already an admiral, noted that the line cruisers were not meant for one-on-one battles with enemy battleships, but in order to "form a high-speed squadron to support battleships during the battle" and also to "disturb the enemy ships located In the head or the end of the battle line ... They had to take part in the battle, distracting the attention of the enemy ships ... "
Thus, the linear cruisers, probably, as it was represented in England, were intended primarily for independent cruising operations, but, if necessary, they could act as a part of the formation of the fleet as a high-speed squadron of linear forces. The second task immediately received a preference over the others.
