New-York tribune., 1890-01-28
AGAINST BATTLE-SHIPS.
MR. CHANDELIERS MINORITY REPORT ON
THE HALE BILL PROVIDING FOR THEM
URGING THAT THEIR CONSTRUCTION is CON-
TRARY TO THE AMERICAN POLICY, AND
THAT THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE OBJ


THAT THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE OBJ
soLETE BEFORE COMPLETION
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TkIBUNE.i
Washington, Jan. 27.-rhe Naval bill introduced
by Senator Hale authorizing the construction OF eight
neOfbatto ships, OF from 1900 to 10000 tons dis
placement two armorcd defence vessels, three
gunboats, aad five frstclass torpedo boats, was re-
ported to-day from the senate Committee on Naval
Affairs without amendment and placed the calen-
dar The bill did not have the approval Df all tho
members Of the committee, however Messrs. Chandler
and Mcpherson dissenting from the adoption Of SC
radical and expensive Naval programme that i'm
plied in the acceptance of the plans Of the Policy
BOARD of the Navy Department, whose recommenda
tons have been largely followed in the preparation Of
the present measure. senator Chandler offered ar
elaborate report Of his own, in which the wisdom
of building sea going lne-of battle ships at present
instead OF harbor and coast defence vessels OF
cruisers was seriously questioned, and the plan out
lined by the Policy Board challenged on account Of its
vastncss and the radical change would make in tho
National character of this countryS Naval establish
ment. senator Mcpherson announced tfat he woid
present his views in writing at later date NC
written report was turned in by the malony OF the
committee They will give their reasons for sup
porting the bill when it comes mp Tor dlscussoh' as
IL probably will in week or two
Senator Chandlers minority report Is an able and
interesting presentation of the argument against the
Immediate construction of heavily armed ocean so'hs
ships. Under the present uncertain ano
changing conditions of naval science, comlhs as IL
does, from ex-secretary Of the Navy with large
practical knowledge OF naval affairs ana clear uucr'
standing Of the needs Of enlarged naval estao
lishment Mr.. Chambers statement Of his views VIII
be accepted highly important and valuable con-
trbution to the present discussion, both In ana out
Of Congress. What he has to say is clear, timely and
to the point, and Tie questions of naval policy no
raises serious ones. which cannot be answered
without and deliberatlon. His report is In
part follows:
The under gned dissents from the proposition 10
enter now upon the construction Of eight armored
bate-ships, to cost s564O,O00 each, or Si5,l20OoO
in all, and briefly states his reasons:
"First-The United states ought not to build
armored broadsldc battle ships. The time has not
vet arrived If indeed it will come, for the con
,truction by the United states Of the ponderous I'M
yieldy and costly brOadsde arm0red vessels which
with European nations, experiments of at least
doubtful value
Whether the majority of the committee approve
the wholc programme Of the Policy Board. involving
the construction Of American Navy to cost not less
than s3f0O0oOOO, or whether they dissent from
some of It's features, doe. not appear. one point
loycver the advocates of this comprehensive Plan
must frankly admt-that If this Nation is to build
and maintain the battle ships which 1t includes INC
res, Of the plan must be substantially adopted IN order
10 make the feet contain all the cla Of ships neces
sary for a vast and well-proportioncd Navy.
"secondly-It equally clear 70 the unders gned
that il the whole plan to be adopted. and yet con-
structon is to proceed by degrees and not b at once
authorizing the whole expenditure then tie very last
shps TO be built should be heavy armored IheoiDal
tie ships costing Sj.64O,0OO each; whereas, the ma
jorty Of the committee propose to 6ud thcse hrst au
to appropriate comparatively little money for the con-
,truction OF the harbor defence monitors rams eIu'
ers gunboats and torpedo boats recommended BY t'c
Policy Board necessary part OF 'ler sohehe io'
A complete and adequate Navy.
1T is the opinion Of the undersigned that IN tAc
progress of the construction Of the American Navy py
suitable steps and reasonable ANA moderate appiV-
priations which has been auspiciousY and success
fully begun the new constructions next 10 De autor'
lied should be a certain number Of proper haToor or
coa, defence vessels. and considerable number oi
moderate sized cruisers and gunboats. varying from
vessels of 800 and 700 tons. Ike tho Dolphin anu
Yorktown up ships like the Boston aud Atlanta oi
5000 tons We do not now need heavily arnored
broadsde batle-ships We probably never shall heed
them.
Thirdly-The proposed battle-shlp' may oe'o"c
obsolete before completion There j. much reason
o fear that such roncaAs as We may construct under
his hill will be obsolete before they are completed
The Advisory Board organized by secretary Hunt IN
their report Of November :, lo-l, while giving their
reasons for not recommending the construction oi Oh'
clad, say: 1t is the experience OF foreign nVleS' up
to the present time, that any type OF ironclM vessels
introduced becomes inferior as to be almost obso'
c,e for general purposes in a period Of about ten
years
This proposition is as true now as IT was eight
year, ago. II ls doubtful whether any naval power
Las a bgoad,.de armored vessel. even I'VE years o"'
such ~ il would build day when constructing more
ilonclads. our limited experience Is the same
Congress by the Act OF August ,, l7o2 directed the
Naval Advisory Board To report in detail concerning
the double turrcted monitors Puritan, Terror and
Nonadnock, whether IN any, changes IN the oHEhai
plan or plans should be made The Board maie
reports. dated December -. lo-2 January IL, l''"'
April ,, los3, May 81, lo-3. and october -, leo3
| Navy Department. 1--3. PAGE, II sd substituting
rocrbase for the original style o. monitor
urrers and settling the final pisn' for the completion
Of the vessels, The Board also say II /, easily pos
>ibe complete the vessels, hy taking advantage oi
The developments in armor guns and machinery
without making any radical changes IN me Designs
so that their speed. endurance, battery power pro-
lection AID going qualities shall be idily equal
TO those Of any foreign ironelad. OF similar dimeh'
,.ons. designed previous 20 l-1".o
~Congrcs, favorably regarded the reports and plans
Of the Naval Advisory Board and March D. i--3. ap
/ propratcd for the engines and machinery for the
doubIe turIet ironclads in acco dance with the
ucndations OF the Naval Advisory Board, SlooOOOO.'
Yet such has been the assumed progress Of invention
and improyement in ironcads that instead Of these
shvs bcing brought to completion IN accordance with
1 the Recommendations of the Advisory Board, radical
| changes arc being made. completely deprvinS them
of their special character low cchoard. revolvins
/ turret ships, Whatever may be the real value a. =
war,hip OF the once reconstructed Puritan she s
10 longer low frecboard, double tnrrccd monitor;
and 4, clear if what has been done has been done
wisely that an ironclad carefully designed in so
became obsolete before 1-19.
Take another astonishing fact. Congress re-
uctanty In 1856 ventuFcd 10 begin the construction
Of ironclads, the Maine ard the Texas. Tho
utmost pains taken in the preparation Of the
plans OF these two ironcads. No care. labor study
or research concerning recent inventions In naval
warfare spared, and the plans
adopted undoubtedly were intended TO
cmb0dy the best conclusion, Of the ablc,t