New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-28
RaTTLESHTP POLICY.

-,., os Senator Hale in presenting
tho conference report on the Naval APPA -
.ic, hill This week raise some llpoi t''Ht -
lions The chairman Of the Sehatc -
on Naval Affairs spoke for hlmseh ~, ~, 80
,o+ FOR tbe other conferrees he poi"'e -
that # was then too late TO oHI 'no P5r,,t+od
,4on, RI which he referred. lie also "uiii'''
60 - ..-irior now made for the construc-
- s. = now, and extensive battleship was per
,.,..i,-o orIr and did not impose any ophgalloH
- 81, president TO build the Yessel. NeNeL
+,,oIoss his suggestion that this type Oh cI1A'
.bould NOW he abandoned because dig VI 80,
rreeion battleships turned turtle wren IL
v.y+b y torpedo is n serious matter 1roul s9N
,o,r+s of view. and it deserves the more conSlu-
aration ON account of Mr.. Haze 8 Ions SCI
ar the head Of the naval commlttee'
- sbouId be asked at the outset whetneT any
filing has vet happened in the East winch c"iI'
ms 5,,aI change in the policy recently pur
- Nv tho United States in naval CONSTRUCTION
-r,,,s ,,oiicv- Is 10 make the battleShip line as
,.to,o and the units composing IL pracuCal9
eoual 10 those features Of any forelgh nav! VIZ
which this country may be oDnseu " - ~
OpIv the most powerful reasons would JustiIy
a., abandonment of that programme, anu II
docs not look as If they had yet been IuIhiSi,'u
r,1,a behavior OF the Russian batueshlp wien
10 ~ a +ornado might have been due to de-
Tpi
doubted whether the vessel would have turneu
INSIDE down had the invading water been con
4inad N few commandments. The chlet uouOle
,,,ov after all have been in the management,
not the design. of the craft. The japanese II
will he observed, maintain control OF lhe seas
today bv reason of a strong fleet or nghuhs
sbips They certainly have not abanooned uot'l-
iuc, fortresses Dramatic as have been tDe per
formances of the japanese torpedo boats' tney
were possible only because of the support lent
by bigger vessels.
Another question which is suggested Dy MI
Hole's utterances relates 10 the responsibility
for sbnning nnal policy. Ought the type OF
vessels with which the United States Is 10 do
her nching TO BE- chosen by Congress or by the
head of that department which IS charged Win
their construction and use? The Secretary has
al his service advisers who have been familiar
tied by practical experience with the essentials
Of both ships and guns. He enjoys better faciIl-
ties for reaching sound conclusions than inc
most careful student of such matters at the
Capitol.
One Of Mr.. Hale's objections to batleships is
that some Of them have two story turrets. He
also thinks that there is more or less danger
from explosions in all turrets. So far as the
wisdom OF the superposed turret is concerned
that IS q point which may well be considered
further 1t is by no means clear that Mr.. Hale
is in error here though there Is something TO ne
said on both sides OF the question. It may be
conceded, too, that, though he may have eXag-
gerated the peril from explosions, It Is real
one. Nevertheless. II is no secret that the gov
eminent has given much attention TO the trouble
! already and that means have been found to
/ minimize IT materially in the future. Modiflca-
tons in certain details Of design may be desir-
able, but there are apparently more reasons to-
day than ever before for retaining the turret
itself.