The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-12-30
a Trenchant Naval Criticism.


Navy circles have been excited by
a vigorous and serious article crit
/ icisinE the architecture of our new
| ships. written by Henry Rcuterdahl
and published In McClurcs Maga.
| zine. Mr.. Rcutcrdahl Is by profcs.
sion an artist and must expect
certain amount of ridiculo for daring
To express his own carefully Thought
out and scientifically formed opln-
ions of "A special service or which
he Is not part. Hut he Is more than
an artist. lie has always been
naval artist and expert lie has ed
tied the American edition of James
Worlds Fighting ships" lis study
has been the navy, and not being
part Of its personnel he can say
and write what he thinks. His ar.
ticlc furthermore shows that he has
had the assistance. the counsel and
the countcnancc Of some of the fore.
most officers Of the line.
No summary OF the article can
do It Justice Americans who do not
wish 10 live in FOOLS paradise
should read It in full When we
remember that such is the gcncros-
ity of the American taxpayer that
he has not halkcd AT an cxpcndi-
turc for the navy In tho year Of
peace. 1907, " nearly sli5.000. .0O0.
Il seems worth while that II there
Is weakness In either the organza.
tion Of the department OF the struc.
turc of the ships. the facts should
be- made known. II any officer gives
them publicity he Is guilty of insuh-
ordination. So an unofficial critic like
Mr.. Reutcrdahl may do much good.
particularly as he has obviously had
professional advice in the prcpara.
tiou ot the article.
Summarized his char-cs are:
I. The low free board of our ships
prevent the use of heavy guns in
rough weather. The Virginia with
ports closed shipped 100 tons OF
water into her forward turrct during
her trip from Cuba tn Hampton
Roads"
> The main armor belt " an
American hattlcship loaded extends
only few inches above the water
line such wounds rs would be
mad, in the secondary armor Just
above this would in rough weather
sink the ship In an hour The French
belt reaches from five to eight feet
above the water line, and in the
latest british ships II reaches eight
feet below and five above
3 The direct and open ammunition
hoist SIS used only in American ships
Accidents ou the Missouri and on the
Ncarsaer and on the Georgia within
this system the danger " complete
destruction VI the ships 10y explosion
; M the ma zines was present in time
~ peaceful drtl What II might be
in time ~ actual battle and the cN.
ci,cmcnt then prevailing can only
be guessed
The critics further remarks on the
, NuN'au system, the age AZ which ON.
GERS attain command the cNtrcmr
NousorNatism which has ~ dus almost
,o ignore submarines and to build
iorp',S hoa,s and dcs,royCrs ~ bare.
,y hall ,hc speed ~ foreign nation S
are tNo technical FOR attention here
Proud as she nation is " its navy,
and eoNi AS she account .hat navy
has given ~ .;scN iu all past wars,
it IS worth Nailv listening 10 intel
/, Hscu; ana tispAssiouAic criticism ~
'is U.auasCwCut Coucrvss will We
asked tor 81 ,eS>; Two hA,,lcshipS
,a,s W!u,c- !, Nj, Nc mp ~ the pres
, .te-t Mo vi. make she request and
4. ;se bureau y, uava, construction
~a'ca 49, draw the plans, 10 prove
'aa; NJ are 10; merely Keeping
: ag0oSS, q: tAv world IN spending
! money 90 Cay navy, Nu; tAa; Ne ary
ke~T.0s ;so7,-sA'y u9 wi;A ;hc mos,
S77-cyct 3evioes 'or building the
I. 7~r.cc; goSuue to-;-