The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-07

inR ana the water TuBneu III.
 Destroyers Handled With Dash.
 Torpedo boat destroyers did excel lent work and were handled with dash and skill, but they were useful only when the secondary battery fire of the Russians was either smothered of killed. The navy should have both bat tleships and destroyers, but in prop CT proportions Rojestvensky was beaten also because his tactics were had been He passed through the straits in double columrfs~ which blan- keted fire of all his ships, practically, except those ahead, while Togo was able to bring all his guns to bear upon the leading vessels of his enemy.
 T think when all the facts come out 1t will be found the Japanese used mines, for one account describes the vessel as being lifted~up and the water spouting just as 1t does when mine explodes underneath ship. sincere ly hope the country will not run away with the idea that we should devote ourselves to torpedo boat construction alone. Destroyers and torpedo boats useful in their sphere. but that sphere Is limited. We must have bAttleships and we should continue battleship con- struction"
 Rear Admiral Robiey D. Evans. com mander in chief of the North Atlantic fleet. and other officers of the navy without exception, say that the battle ship must continue in the first line of naval operations ReaT Admiral Evans is especially keen on the subject of target practice. While there is no in- tention to make an invidious compari- son. the belief prevails in the Ameri- can service that our gun pointers are l able to beat the Japanese at the guns, but this Is q matter of opinion only and is not being received with that degree of satisfaction by high author tiles which the statement would war rant.
 Wants High Marlxmanship. It is accepted that our men are able to shoot we'll. but the president be- lIeves they should shoot better. Some of the men make excellent scores, but there are many others who do not do so. It is the presidents Idea that there should be a high average generally, and this Is what he is aiming to achieve.
 The battleship Kentucky. Capt. Bar nett commanding. recently won the prize record for the North Atlantic fleet. but it's record is considerably in- ferior to that of some of the battle ships, which exceeded 1t by fifty points.
 There will be gruding ammunition cn the part of the navy department. Congress already makes liberal appro- prfatlons and there is considerable practice. The men are always using the Morris tube--a device to improve aiming-and have considerable sub caliber work. the latter being with the great guns which are fitted to dis charge small projectiles. By means of the Morris tube and subcaliber prac- tice, the great guns are not worn out as they would be if full charges were used.
 Beneficial as the system is. naval officers appreciate that the men shoot best who practice with the ammuni- ton they would fire in battle. and as much as possible the fleets employ full charges. The navy department pro- poses, however. to obtain a large ap- propriation from congress during the next season for renewing guns which are worn out, and in view of the great lesson of the far eastern conflict it IS not believed parsimony will be shown. The navy Is recognized to be an expensive institution. but its value as an effective means of defense and of humbling an enemy has been shown, the administration believes, in the na- val battle of the sea of Japan.
 One Lesson fin Defeat.
 Naval constructors also have learned a lesson from the defeat of Rojestven- sky's fleet. The quickness with which the Russian battleships of the Boro- dino type sank they attribute to the inrushing of the water following the penetration of the bottoms of the ships by Japanese projectlles. Had the wa ter tight doots of the Russian ships been effectually sealed. they believe the damage done wound not have been so serious but that the Russian ships would have been able to Keep afioAt and continue the action. Between the outer and inner skin of the Russian ships were water tight compartments. dtted with doors. Patent arrange