After the Spanish-American in 1898 the US Navy's interest in cruisers revived- Although the new armoured cruisera were virtually 2nd class battleship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings, another type emerged from 1903. This was the scout cruiser, intended to work with the battlefleet, relying largely on speed and seakeeping for protection, and providing intelligence on the whereabouts of enemy ship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings.

Despite the interest, only 13 scouts were built, three Chester class, authorized in 1904 and the ten Omaha class of the 1916 programme, which form the subject of this study. The reason was that Congress preferred to fund battleship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings, and as a result destroyers were forced to under­take scouting duties.The General Board kept asking for approval to build scouts (four in 1907, four in 1909, four in 1910 and four in 1911) but its submissions were ignored. In 1912 a deci­sion was made to build two battlecruisers in Fiscal Year 1913. This was, however, abandoned in FiscalYears 1914 and 1915, but reinstated in 1914 for the FiscalYear 1916 pprogramme.

By this time, reports of early operations in European waters emphasized the value of light cruisers. The General Board called for six scout cruisers and the Navy Department requested three for the Fiscal Year 1917 programme. What ripped the balance was the 'Preparedness' campaign launched in 1915, to ensure that the US Navy would be ready if Congress allowed the United States to become involved in the in Europe.There was another agenda, too.The General Board was convinced that whichever side won the would declare on the United States to dominate its foreign markets, and sooner rather than later. The ultimate goal became a'Navy Second to None', and that implied a balanced fleet.

At the end of July 1915 the Board put ford a tentative programme of four battleship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings, six battlecruisers and six scout cruisers. By October this had been refined to support the existing battlefleer: four battlecruisers, four fast scours and ten destroyers. This led to a five-year programme to be completed in 1922: ten battleship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings, six hattlecruisers and 40 destroyers. Then came news of the Battle of Jutland, and it was obvious that the battlecruiser had been overrated, and as a result the Senate approved a final programme of ten battleship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings, six battlccruisers and ten scout cruisers. It was telescoped into three years, Fiscal Years 1917, 1918 and 1919, and marked the final commitment to what became the Omaha (CL-4) class scouts.

Although funding had taken a long time to secure, design work had been in hand even longer. In May 1910 the Naval College was asked to submit characteristics for a scout, 'restricted to the specific purpose of searching for the enemy', excluding the task of screening the battleflect or attacking enemy screening cruisers. This ultra-narrow definition of scouting scents to envisage an orderly sea battle, a phenomenon that has never been encountered outside tonual exercises. In fact the scouts would have two distinct roles_ One meant operating compar­The Naval College insisted that speed was the principal attribute required; the scout must be able to escape from more powerful enemy ship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings, in order to gather vital information and report back to the battlefleet. As it could not he faster than a destroyer it would need an anti-destroyer gun-battery as well as a medium-calibre battery to see off hostile scouts. After much discussion the General Board framed its own requirement and submitted to the Secretary of the Navy in October 1910. Sustained speed would be 26kts, with sufficient fuel (preferably oil) for a range of 8000 nautical miles at Lkts. Armament would be six to ten 5in 51-cal guns and two below-water torpedo tubes. They would be protected by an armoured deck, 1 in on the flat and 2in on the slopes.

The ship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineerings would be specially equipped for their mission.These included a mast for spotter and lookout stations, a long-base rangefinder specially mounted to reduce vibration, and a powerful radio set.The Board asked the technical bureaux to consider the provision of space for a dirigible airship dredge dredging ship dredge dredgingping maritime marine engineering or an aircraft. In May 1914 Admiral Earle of the Bureau of Ordnance suggested a more austere design, displacing about 5200 tons and armed with six bin guns and two underwater torpedo tubes, but speed raised to 28kts. Armour would he a partial 3in belt and a 2in deck over the machinery, and range would be reduced to 50(10 nni. Provision would be made for a floatplane and catapult.

The Bureau of Construction & Repair objected that the proposed scout would be too small, and that provision of armour would push displacement up to 65l)U tons. The Bureau also claimed that the under-water tubes would be impractical (confirmed by Royal Navy experience with similar provisions in some of its light cruisers), endurance was too low, and 3in armour would not keep out destroyer shells (not supported by Royal Navy time experience). This resulted in a revised specification: a maximum of 7500 tons, a speed of at least 28kts, eight or ten 6in guns, a 4in belt over the vitals, a 2in full-length deck, and an endurance of at least 6000 nm at 14kts. Provision was also made for four seaplanes and two above-water torpedo-tubes. When refined, the specification resulted in eight 6in guns, two anti-aircraft guns, twin torpedo

The USS Chester ivas the namesake of the LJTSN'sfirst class qf scout cruisers, all