New-York tribune., 1906-05-12
HEPBURN SCORES NAVY
Says There Is Too Much Reckless
ness iV Handling Ships.

Washington. May 11.-In the course Of the
consideration of the Naval Appropriation bill by
the House to-day Mr.. Hepburn. OF Iowa. who
has been relentless in his structures upon the
efficiency Of the navy. took occasion to reply to
a speech made by Mr.. Weeks Of Massachusetts,
last Saturday in which the latter stated that
there had been but thirty-seven courts martial
in forty-one years growing out Of accidents and
loss Of ships. Mr.. Weeks reviewed the acci-
dents in the last forty years to naval vessels.
which, he stated. was a complete record"
To this Mr.. Hepburn took decided exception
He said Mr. Weeks's total was wholly incor-
rect and that it did not include accidents to the
more expensive vessels Of modern date. He
cited the accident that happened to the battle
ship Rhode Island while going into York River.
Certainly if there is any position any port,
said Mr.. Hepburn, 'Of our navigable waters that
the navy and the officers of the navy ought to
be familiar with it should be that historic pOr-
ton. They ought TO be able to get in and out
there"
He recalled the attempt OF our squadron to
get out Of the Port Of New York, succeeding
partially in doing it. running two Of the vessels
in the mud and getting the other two into dam
gerous collisions. He recalled the incident in
which he said Admiral sigsbee ran his vessel
into dock in New York Harbor. and remarked:
"One would suppose that these gentlemen would
be familiar with such waters" Here he added:
These are but few instances Of inefieiency.
Of incapacity to handle these great vessels We
are spending millions Of dollars to build up
great navy. I think II Is the part Of patriotism
to do this. but there ought to be some gUaran-
tee. some assurance that when we secure such
vessels they viii not be reckessly destroyed by
incompetency and ineficiency."
He said he thought the gentleman from Mas
car in Of last
week in reply to a former speech OF his. had
criticised him with some acerbity because he
CAIr Hepburn had said that In his Judgment
there was not proper punishment meted out TO
those who he thought had reckessly, carelessly
and wantonly put in jeopardy great interests
Mr. Hepburn said he still believed that the sys-
TEN Of administering criminal justice In the
army and navy was Iamentably faulty. Tt is
almost impossible he said. Ito secure fairness
Of judgment on the part Of those who are TO
try criminal malefactOrs. Think Of it, The
courts are made up from the classmates. from
the companions in arms. from the friends and
associates. from the military family from which
they are alike members"
He then had read the rebuke administered by
Acting Secretary Newberry to the court Of in
quiry which recently tried Lieutenant John A
Schoheld, L. S. n. for the Iightness OF the
sentence imposed by his companions in arms.
and cited this instance as proof Of his position
that justice was not meted out to those who
failed in doing their simple duty.
Mr. Weeks. Of Massachusetts, replied by say
ing that if the gentleman from Iowa had made
as exhaustive an investigation OF the subject
as he (AIr. Weeks) had. he would find that there
have been just eight such cases in the last forty
years. and that there have been four times as
many cases in which the reviewing authority,
always civilian. thought the sentence was too
severe and reduced 1t, as those in which he
thought the court too lenient This. he said
lust happened to be one OF those cases.