The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-03-01
MONEY is WASTED
REPUBLICAN POLICY COSTING
TAXPAYERS MILLIONS.
Congressional Committees on Naval
Affairs Refuse to Take Advice Of
Experts-squander Public Cash
on Obsolete Armament.

The question OF building moro bat
tleships is again under discussion in
congress and President Roosevelt In
his letter 10 the chairman OF the house
committee on naval affairs urges the
construction "of battleships OF large
displacement with their primary bat
teries all of one type OF big guns" As
the battleships at present in commits
sion will all be comparatively worth
less in a few years. IL is most impor-
tant that such new ships as congress
may provide for shall be of the most
modern type and able TO more than
cope with anything afioat. The size
Of the battleship is not the only thing
10 be considered, for IL 10 acknowl-
edged that a battleship Of the Dread
naught type would be at the mercy %
a smaller ship with greater speed and
armed with guns of greater size and
power than the present Pinch guns
Four IA or l6-inch guns mounted on a
vessel OF much less displacement than
the Dreadnaught could stand OF OUT
OF the range OF her fire and destroy
her. or even a ship with two such
guns could batter the Dreadnaught on
the ancient plan OF the bow and stern
chasers with which the privateers OF
the war of 1912 were armed, which en-
abled them TO stand of and make easy
prey of ship of greater power and a
much greater broadside of lighter
guns.
II requires no argument 10 prove
that battleship OF 5000 tons. carry
ong four 16inch guns and having sn-
perior speed. would have the 20 600
ton Dreadnaught az her mercy. al
though the latter has ten Pinch guns
in her broadside. The faster ship will
always be able to select the distance
she will fight at and would naturally
choose TO be where her antagonist
could do her the least harm
The ship with 12-inch armor is now
comparatively safe outside OF the
range OF torpedoes, whose radius is
from 1900 TO 5000 yards, because the
present l2-inch naval gun is unable 70
pierce 12-inch armor at that distance.
but a smaller battleship with larger
guns and with the necessary speed
might infict such damage as 10 lead
TO her sinking.
IL would seem TO be waste of money
for Uncle Sam to continue TO build
battleships OF the same size and with
the same armament as the battleshps
that other nations have already con
structed. for. with the constant evolu-
ton in size and speed and greater ar
mament. such ships are comparatively
worthless before they have a chance
to ever go into action.
IL is demonstrated that guns Of IL
or 16inch will weigh but little more
than the present l2inch naval gun.
and IL is not necessary 10 use such
enormous powder charges. yet the
range Of these larger guns is superior
TO the 12-inch type. The construction
OF these larger guns is urged by the
chief OF ordnance OF the army. and his
recommendation is based upon long
series OF experiments. so his conclus-
ions must be accepted as correct As
IL is now, We are following In the wake
of England and are throwing away
millions OF dollars every year on ships
and armament that have already
proved to be OF an obsolete type and
yet our pottering Republican politi-
clans seem determined TO perpetuaie
a type OF ships and guns which will
soon be turned over to the junk heap
They persist in providing for shells
that experience proves will not pene-
trate the armor OF battleship al the
distance that the known range OF tor
pedoes compels the commander Of
battleship to place his vessel ct. not
withstanding that experiments have
proved that shells which explode on
contact are available and the present
shells in use are comparatively worth
less
The committee OF the house and
senate on naval affairs must wake up
and learn their lesson and not con
tinue in a rut that will bring disaster
II We shall be so unfortunate as 70 en-
gage in a war with a firstclass naval
power. Uncle Sam must have the best
and the most modern ships. guns and
projectiles that the ingenuity OF our
inventors is offering. and the expense
OF experimenting with the new ideas
offered is but a small matter COM
pared to the millions we are annually
expending that are wasted.