The Washington times., 1902-05-21
Prominent Naval Officers
Highly Laud Its Ia.
Efficiency.
CAPTAIN WAINWRIGHT A WITNESS
Declares That Admiral Dewey Could Not
Have Taken Manila Had Torpedo Boats
Been Manned by Others Than Span
iards-Delay Might Lose Invention.

Before the House Committee on Nava
Affairs yesterday hearing was given tc
representatives Of the Holland Submarin,
| Torpedo Boat Company and their wit
nesses. and a number of naval officers
who. through special study, are consid-
! cred experts on the subject Of submarine
| boats and their value in warfare and as
harbor defenses.
The officers testifying were Captain
Richard Wainwright, Superintendent OF
the Naval Academy; Capt. II. H. Caldwell,
now in command of the submarine boat
Holland. and who stood on the bridge of
the Olympia at Manila with Admiral
Dewey at the battle of Manila Bay: Lieut.
Arthur Macarthur. in charge of the Hol-
land boat Fulton. and Naval Constructor
Lawrence Spear, who has Just resigned
from the navy to take a position as SUI
perintendent of construetisn with the Hol-
land people.
All of these officers declared strongly in
favor of the Holland type of submarine
boats. asserting that they were far supe-
rior to any other boats projected or COM
d
nesses were subjected to most searching
examination BY Representatives Loudea-
slayer of New Jersey. Dayton of West
Virginia, Lessler of New York. and Foss
of Illinois, chairman Of the Naval Com
mittee.
Adverse Opinions Cited.
During the hearing Representative Day.
ton continually pitted against the testi-
mony of the witnesses statements made
adverse to the Holland boat by Admirals
Melville and O'Neil and Lieutenant Com
mander Edwards. Captain Wainwright re-
piled very positively that while he would
bow to the opinion of Admiral Melville in
engineering matters. he would not yield
point to him regarding tactical methods
which applied to such vessels as sub
marine boats.
All through Representative Dayton'a
questioning ran series of queries based
on the relative merit of the Lake subma-
patent. Captain Wainwright asserted that
the Lake boat was not practical, and in
speaking of the danger menacing crews
on surface and submarine torpedo boats
he said that his preference would be to
insure for the latter.
He made the statement that Admiral
Dewey would never have been able to hold
Manila Bay as he did had the enemy's
torpedo boats been manned by others
than Spaniards. and he said the presence
Of such engines of war at Santiago great
ly increased the chances OF the Spanish |
ieet's escape. He said they were especial |
y adapted to our island possessions, Of |
'ering not only a sufficient defense, but |
always an additional one.
In reply to a question from Representa- |
i've Lessler he said that submarine boats |
we're most valuable weapon of naval |
warfare.
Representative Dayton probed Captain |
1T vigorously regarding the need
If additional appropriations for submarine
boats. with a view to ascertain whether
L was not possible. should war be de-
Jared. for the United States to construct
n short time all the submarine boats
Necessary. The witness sharply resented
his idea, saying emphatically:
"If you get In a war with flrst-class
laval power you won't have time to build
CONTINUED on Fifth Page.)