The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-04
May BUY ANY SUBMARINE
~ LQUAL IN VALUE ron NAVAL
WARFARE TO TINE OCTOPUS.


Board and Decides That Discretion
lies with the secretary Of the Navy.
WARRINGTON. Aug. s.--The Attorney
General to-day rendered his opinion in the
matter Of the purchase Of submarine boats.
tor which 5000 900 a appropriated by
congress at it's recent session. The opinion
was asked for by the Secretary Of the Navy
~ to whether, in view of the report OF the
submarine Board, which tested various
types OF boats, as authorized by the Naval
Appropriation bill, the Department could
purchase any type Of boat other than that
recommended by the board. The law stipu-
hates that no part Of the appropriation shall
10 expended in the purchase Of any boat
not the equal Of any submarine now In the
navy or under construction. The board
reported that the only boat submitted In
uss The Octopus type.
The Acknowledgement In his opinion
holds that notwithstanding the recommended
lions Of the board discretion lies with the
secretary Of the Navy to purchase any boat
provided he shall be satisfied that the boat
when completed in accordance with the
forms Of the contract shall be at least equal
10 value for the purpose OF naval warfare
W IL bNtOpurs W otitCt bbot hh0y
have been the best boat OF the submarine
class owned by or under contract for the
Government.
The opinion il construed as setting at
naught the recommendations OF the Sub
marine Board as required by the law, and
places the whole matter within the dis
erection of the Secretary of the Navy to
10 as he sees 1T i'm the matter Of purchasing
boats OF this class. In effect the opinion is
hat Notwithstanding the fact that one
,ype Of boat may be inferior to another.
rs determined by the tests required by law,
tho Secretary Of the Navy is empowered 10
buy any boat provided IL meets contract
requirements that IL shall be the equal Of
The best boat in the navy or under contract
for the Government.
The report Of the Submarine Board, of
which Capt, Mark was chairman and which
conducted the tests Of the boats at Newport,
was also made public to-day. The Secre-
taTy of the Navy In his Instructions to the
board asked that it express an opinion
based upon its findings Of the relative merits
IL the boats submitted in competition. and
accordingly the board submitted the fol-
lowing:
at Is the unanimous opinion Of this board
that the Octopus is the superior boat pre-
scented for these tests. and therefore that
she is equal to the best boat now owned
by the United States or under contract.
The board is also OF the opinion that a boat
generally similar TO the Octopus, but larger,
would be a superior naval weapon.
The subsurfaoe boat cannot be compared
With submarine boats, being of an entirely
diffrent type. but could be considered
in the class Of the torpedo boats or de-
stroyers il built Of sufficient size, yet in
the absence of the regular subsurface boat.
there being but a quarter size model, it
was impossible to make a satisfactory
comparison with any class OF vessel. From
what the board observes Of the speed n
-LG.s- - ~ -n~ll ..~ l. - $1,000
TO doubt hat guarantees made in this
respect can be carried out. 1t may also
he conceded thai a subsurface boat as COM
pared with a torpedo boat has less vul-
nerability. requires less men and has a
larger steaming radius. but she has less
speed and greater draught."
The board also added the following
opinion:
That the type Of submarine as repre-
ssnted by the Lake is, in the opinion of the
board, inferior to the type as represented
by the Octopus. The closed superstructure
OF the Lake, with the large fiat deck, which
10 fitted to carry water ballast and to con-
tain fuel tanks and air TASKS. which Is an
essential feature Of the Lake boat presented
TO US for trial. is inferior to the arrangement
on board the Octopus for the same purpose,
and also Is in the opinion of the board'detn-
mental to the proper control OF the boat.
The hy~droplanee, also an essential feature
~ the Lake boat presented to us for trial.
we're incapable OF submerging the boat on
an even keel. They are, therefore, regarded
as an Objectionable encumbrance.
The board ia of the opinion hat the tests
" the subsurfaoe boat model did not develop
that boats of this type. built Of a size suitable
TO render their qualities available. are equal
to the best torpedo boats now owned by
the Government
Capt. Mark filed the minority views re-
specting the matter Of the subsurface boat.
in which he said:
In my opinion the smallest size Of sub
surface boat proposed by the company in
heir additional bids, fitted with q regular
torpedo tube and able to make a speed of
fifteen knots. would be a weapon Of great
value, additional TO any now owned by the
Government; and this value would be en-
HANGED by the rapidity with which they
could be constructed and the ease with which
they could be transported