The sun., 1894-02-26
rn. onlrr oN srlnrLrrY.
TIE cree, sS,sRsns.r Rspiies shsrp,y -
Critieis-s 81 she New Crsisera


ticlss have recently appeared In TIE suS as
correspondence from Washington calculated
10 impress the reading public with the idea
that many n not all the vessels OF the new
navy are deficient In stability. The statements
embodied In these articles would be Of the
highest Importance II they were true But
they are not true.
Even II certain OF ths smaller ships had .
small margin Of stability II does not follow
that they were unsafe. and the alleged defect
as reported might have been remedied 1T
small expense Of time and money. and without
scandal or even discredit.
All the articles 10 which I refer have been.
like everything that appears In TIE SuS. well
written.
They bear evidence OF having been written
or dictated by person familiar with the tech
niaus OF the subject But they also indicate
to any one equally eonversant with the facts
that the person inspiring or preparing them
has definite purpose to accom- plish. that he
knows how to 20 about his task. and also that
his object has no reference to the welfare OF
the navy nor to the public good at large.
His familiarity with the technique OF the
subject enables him TO assume an air Of truth
which to the average reader serves only to
make the effect Of his false deductions more
vicious
Taking up his letter to THE SuN dated wash
inRton Feb IL. l note that he says: The
disclosure OF the want Of stability IN the De
troIt has been followed by similar discoveries
In vessels OF other classes &C.. which has led
TO the appointment OF a Stability Board" &c.
/ had nothing to do with the Detroit. She
was designed BY the Navy Department and
built By the Columbian Iron Works OF Balti-
more. Of which Mr.. Malster is the head. I
have therefore no personal bias In her favor
do know what tlta q at nj IA to hal
lack OF stability is based on. but do know
she has made q voyage to the South Atlantic.
where she 10 now cruising. and whore she had
the honor to n o the fret gun heard for many
years In protection Of American interests: and
also know that no ship so deficient in sta
bility Ms to require the services OF q Board
could do those things
Proceeding from the smaller vessels. the
author Of the communication OF Feb IL says
that the Bureau OF Construction has become
anxious about the stability OF the battle ships
and has recommended that It should be aidod
by reducing the batteries for which they we're
designed" He also refers to the inclining OF
the Indiana as a special function OF the stabil-
fly Board.
The 1rst OF these statements is fatty false.
hood. and the latter 10 a perversion OF the
truth somewhat remarkable for the ingenuity
OF its malice.
The Board OF Construction has never recon-
mendsd any modification OF the original bat
tory Of the battle ships with reference to ip-
creased stability. This fact mas been stated to
me personally by the Chief Constructor.
feplyinR to q question by tho Secretary as
to how the draught OF these ships might be
lessened. the Chief Constructor suggested that
about seventy tons OF weight might os elimi-
mated by the mounting OF one instead OF two
S-inch guns in each Of the upper turrets. But
the question Of stability was not involved,
In fact no one. except your correspondent
has ever raised Q question as to the stability
OF tho Indiana and her class That ship was
inclined on the l1tb inst. at our works 10 the
presence OF members OF the Stability Board.
and tho results verified the calculations.
Moreover the AFFAIR OF inclining the ship 10
not at all 4 special function Of any Board, OF
stability or otherwise. as your correspondent
insinuates. but is simply part and parcel OF
the contract and has always been done here
tofore under SUPERVISION OF the Superintend-
ing Naval Constructor at the yard where the
ship may be building.
1t 10 probably futile to correct the misstate-
ments OF your correspondent In such a case
The plain truth cuts no figure with him when
1t happens to interfere with his purpose.
Facts do not even seem to embarrass hila.
It Is not necessary to discuss In detail the
VI Auoueeiku duu COubtfuctlOu OF tno
Indiana class The ship has been Inclined.
pursuant to the terms OF the contract. and the
supsrfuous presence Of members Of tho Sta
bility Board could not affect the su1lciency Of
her metacontric heichS
Her stability and her righting movement re-
main the same. Board or no Board: but to peo-
pie not conversant with the facts the presence
OF the Board was sufficient to raise doubt in
the public mind. provided your correspond
ents deductions remained unchallenRsi.
now come to consider the concluding alls-
cation OF your correspondent. which naturally
interests mo more than the others. because
the ship to which he refers was built on plans
submitted by me. and is the only important
cruiser in the navy OF wholly civilian design.
Your correspondent in his letter OF the 18th
repeats. or emphasizes. misstatements put
forth in another letter dated the 9Th inst
To any one familiar with the ruling spirit OF
our navy IL goes without saying that my ap-
pearance as q competitive designer OF naval
vessels was bitterly resented. and strenuous
effort was put forth to force the Department
to reject my plans.
From the day the bids and plans were
opened and the award made by Secretary
Whitney till now. the watchword has been to
down the Philadelphia" To damn our only
cruiser designed by a civilian!
No matter at what expense OF falsehood or
at what risk OF general discredit to the new
navy. . CLIQUE OF persons have bounded that
ship from the day OF her commission wherever
they could find columns open to their maliee.
This 10 by no means new matter. More than two
years ago the following correspondence. which
explains itself. took place on this subject;
PHILADELrHIA. Pa, Feb. IL. 1881
6eassnsH 81 As a. = Nasdi Iasfhes:
lhAv. received paper under the following ds.sriD
tiOn and title;
Copy for Discussion
U, 4 Naval Instituts PTOeesd.ngs 1892.
Note-rhs ~ritrTs only are responsible for the
tents OF their respective ATtielsE
sik; The hoard o. Control has not yet decided to
publish this article but has caused few copies Of 10
TO os pInlsd for the eonyenis1es OF thoss msmoers
who may desire 10 discuss IL II 10 proposed TO hold
March 1872, for q discussion.
should u be possible for TO attend this Getting.
shall Be pleased 10 have IoG send uphlGns
ana criticisms In writing before March I. lsS2.
1his copy Is sent you Nth the express understanding
that it ls not TO be published circulated diree
usA Of the Board OF Control Very TsIDscIfuliy
Ensign, Z. s. NAVY, Secretary and Treasurer.
On the AstAesntTio Height Aad Behavior = SsAEAy
or The Y : PhiladslphA. and