Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-22
BOARDS AT VARIANCE
Were Summoned to Advise
the Secretary of the Navy.
CLASH OF OPINION
CONSTRUCTORS RETORT UPON
THE STRATEGISTS.
The Latter Had Claimed That the Duty
of Others Was Simply to Fol-
low Instructions.

Naval circles are considerably StlTreu up
over the wide difference of opinion existing
between the general board of the navy and
the board on construction regarding the
types of ships for which Congress should
be asked to appropriate this year. In view
of the far-reaching Importance to the
American navy and to the country gener-
ally of the present controversy brief out
line of its several phases has been obtained
In his annual report Secretary Moody
contented himself with general recon-
rnendation regarding the increase in the
navy with the intention of taking the mat
ter up in detail when he appeared before
Congress. That he might be equipped with
the facts in the case the Secretary called
joint meeting of several members of the
general and construction boards and the
matter taken up. BY direction OF the
Secretary a subcommittee from the two
boards was appointed to continue the con-
sideration of the best types OF shlpS LOT
recommendation to Congress. the final re-
port on the subject to be made to the Sec
rotary.
Views of the General Board.
The members of the general board con-
tend that the sole mission of the board on
construction is Ito do what it is told to DO.
AS a naval officer friendly to the general
board said today: THE construction branch
of the navy is not supposed to know or ~
pass upon the types of vessels. rms Is
peculiarly the work OF the strateslsts % %
the navy 1t is for the general board 10
plan the type of the vessel, to NIX It's torf
mage. to say what its speed shall be ana
what guns it shall carry. IL is LOT the
working out of these details that the board
of construction exists, and 1t is usurplhS
authority for members OF the board on con
struction to attempt to recommend 10 1iie
Secretary what ships the navy needs. Inc
nStr
the matter. AS l said before, It's WORK Is "
do what it is told, and its members must
not expect to receive the same cons sN era
ton for their views regarding types OF yes
sells as do the members of the general
board, who are expert stratesisls' Wno
make business of the study or war: OF eie
preparat tons of war plans, the working out
of elaborate schemes of national de1enSe'
of planning great trans-oceanlc campaigns,
and in general of thoroughly studying naVai
tactical and strategical problems.
So much for the opinions OF the members
of the general boaro.
Attitude of Board on CONSTRUCTING.
The board on construction is composed of
these officers: Rear Admiral Charles o. Neil,
chief of ordnance, president; Rear Admiral
George RAY engineer-in-chief of the navy;
Rear Admiral George A. Converse, chief OF
the bureau of equipment, and Rear Admit
raj Washington Lee Caps, chief construc-
tor of the navy. This board emphaucally
states that it is quite correctly Versed IN
its duties. and members of the board, Whlie
not in the slightest inclined to battle with
the general board, feel that they do not
need to be instructed as to what are their
duties save by the Secretary himself, at
whose instance the board of construction
was created. Members of the board are
quite ready to work up plans OF ships that
will float. but they feel that it is waste
of time and expense to prepare elaborate
plans of proposed vessels which the board
is able to prove on paper at the outset by
facts and figures are certain not to float
1t seems that Secretary Moody asked the
general board for suggestions regarding de-
srable types of battle ships and cruisers.
The board prepared an elaborate building
program. extending over long period of
years. and calling for the construction of
large number of cruisers, and also of some
battle ships and armored cruisers. Empha-
sis was placed, however, upon the import
ance of these protected cruisers. The pro-
gram was submitted to the board con-
structiOn. which pointed out to the general
board that this program was going back
ward and in the face of the policy of other
navies. the most of which had abandoned
construction of protected cruisers, the
ground that they were useless.
Wouldn't Float.
The sensation of the general board build
ing program, however. was the ideal bat
tie ship" This ship. according to the ideas
Of the general board, was to be of 5000
tons full load displacement have a speed
OF eighteen knots and carry a large battery
of heavy guns. After investigation of this
plan the board of construction replied that
the only trouble with the proposed ideal
ship that, although undoubtedly
formidable looking man-of-war on paper
It wouldn't float. The construction board
backed up its verdict with facts and figures
Agreement on one point has been reached
and that is that whatever battle ships shall
be asked for this year shall be of the Min
nesota type. The question of protected
cruisers is still pending. 1t is probable that
In the last instance the Secretary of the
Navy will be compelled to make his own
r, commentator, which will probably be in
the nature of a compromise between the