Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-17


 ant at the Norfolk navy yard, who knows more about her than any one else, ex- cept her captain. Some statements from Admiral Brown, which it appears from an interview with him were misunder- stood by reporters. has. called forth the following letter from MT. Charles H. Cramp, by whose permission I give it to the public:
 Philadelphia, Pa, Dec. 6, 1896. B" TO the Honorable, the Secretary of K the Navy, Washington, D. c. Dear Sir: The New York and Wash ington papers have recently printed some extraordinary statements concerning the Texas, attributed to Admiral Brown.
 At first 1 gave them little attention, but they were iterated and reiterated and elaborated from day to day with out disclaimer from the admiral until they assumed a status of cumulative evil dence to the effect that if the admiral was not responsible for them, his failure to disavow them became tantamount to responsibility.
 ""The substance of these statements is that the troubles of the Texas are not due to any defect in the ship, but to a conspiracy among private ship builders to discredit and defame her because she was built in a navy yard.
 "While the rank absurdity of such a statement might at first glance seem sufficient for its own refutation, yet the high rank of Its alleged and, thus far, not disputed source, compelS attention.
 Now, on my own part, know that instead of "conspiring" to defame the Texas, 1 have always defended her to an extent that has made me obnoxious to many officers in the navy who were bit terly opposed to the adoption of MT. Johns scheme
 "'When the plans were under consid- eration, Secretary Whitney. independ- ently of the board, invited the judgment of others, including myself, and l ex- amined the drawings and specifications carefully. My verdict was that the plans were good, symmetrical and practica- ble. They might not be absolutely the best possible, but they were by odds the best submitted in that competition.
 "The scantlings were light, but their lightness was symmetrical, and as a whole, her hull construction involved the best mechanical distribution of minimum weight that I had ever seen. The prac- tice abroad at the time was to reduce scantlings to the lowest limit of weight. The steel era was new and many de- signers thought that because steel had more tensile strength than iron, thick ness could be proportionately reduced and equivalent rigidity and strength still maintained. This led to extraordinary demands of armour and armament on small displacements, and the Texas and other ships designed at that time reach
 
 had been approved and adopted by our naval authorities in certain ships of that date.
 ".Such was my opinion of the plans of the Texas then, and have never seem any reason to alter it.
 "'Returning now to the alleged "con- spiracy'' against navy yards, l state em- phatically that l have never handled the subject of navy yard methods except in public hearings before committees, and once in the Washington Post, making no secret of my responsibility for the publication.
 Tn this did not attack the quality of work done in navy yards, but pro- dtced a report whiehN had been made bv the navy department for the house committee on appropriations, showing that on the basis of my bids to build the Raleigh and Cincinnati, I would have built three such ships for what those two cost in the navy yards, and I did this to meet and overthrow a combination will not say spiracy"-between the New York, Norfolk and Mare Island na- wy yards against the contract system.
 "At the same time, admitted this high cost was due to the necessary red tape and military methods inseperable from any and all attempts of the gov ernment to operate as a manufacturer.
 "Apart from and beyond the forego- ing considerations, l have always and most strenuously depreciated public criti- cism and discussion of such matters, for the reason that they are used abroad to handicap our industries in competition for foreign work.
 "'For example, Li Hung Chang asked me: "Why do the South American re- publics go to England for their ships?' and I learned that he was prompted to this inquiry by the Chinese government in consequence of the fact that both the British and German ministers to 1x~ lI-I 4. |. and had told the Chinese authorities that it was because good ships could not be built here.
 "'The armor plate investigation, the allegations of defective stability and many other published criticisms on our ships, have been paraded by the English and Germans in Japan, China and Russia and their substance translated and print ed in newspapers there to our preju- dice.
 "'Far more serious faults prevail in other navies, but they are never known to the public because 1t is policy to pre- vent ill-judged or misconceived criti- cisms of such affairs. This policy is sound because whatever may be the faults or defects, they certainly cannot be made good by printing ink, convic- l ton which am sure you share with me- "In conclusion, I remark that while | I have long deprecated this tendency | without saying much about 1t, I have l been provoked to this somewhat emphatic | protest by the fact that Admiral Brown, as quoted, seems to have reached the cli- max of mistake and mischief. "'Yours respectfully, CHARLES H. CRAMP.'" T call particular attention to what | MT. Cramp says about the plans of the l Texas The very remarkable qualities as sea going vessel she has demonstrat- | ed certainly vindicate his judgment I do | not mean to assert that the Texas is a | model ship She was laid down ten years ago. Many improvements have been | made since that time in turret and water | tight bulkhead systems and also in the | distribution of batteries. What I do | mean to say is that the Texas will prove | herself to be valuable naval vessel. AS to any controversy between Ad- l miral Brown and the ship yards, have 1 directed him not to talk for publication | hereafter in relating to the Texas, and it | is my earnest desire that all naval off, l cers shall pursue similar course. T especially desire to call attention to | what MT. Cramp says in his letter about
 the effect in foreign countries of the very | frequent criticisms upon American ships | by a portion of the American press. l l have direct information, from sources 1 other than MT. Cramps letter, which |