Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-26
OF new WARSHips
CONSTRUCTOR cAPPs SAYS
THEY COMMAND ADMIRATION.
Immense Increase Of Naval Strength
OF the United States in the
Past Four Years.

From time 10 time during the past few
months there have appeared in various
publications comments concerning altered
defects in vessels OF the navy. ana par
ticularly in, battleships and armored
cruisers In answer to these Rear Ad-
miral Caps, chief OF the naval bureau OF
construction and repair. has devoted much
the larger part of his annual report to
the Secretary Of the Navy Just made pub
lie. The chief constructors reply u most
comprehensive, for .he begins with q re-
view Of the conditions under which the
ships were planned Just after the Spanish
war. and he shows the steps that were
taken at each stage OF naval designing.
pointing out thaf in every instance the
seagoing officers had as much or more to
DO with the preparation OF the plans a.
the stan ofncers who worked at home.
ADMIRAL Caps courts responsibility for
the designs such as they are. and pays
the highest tribute to his predecessors IA
the office of chief constructor. Hichborn
ana Bowles, and to Rear Admiral Con-
verse, all now either retired or out OF the
service, for the work they did In planning
the ships. OF the ships he says:
Fleet Commands Admiration,
1T is, therefore. a real satisfaction to
the present chief constructor to be able to
testify that despite the statements OF ir-
responsible and ill-informed critics; despite
the minor mistakes which have been ana
will continue to be made so long as men
are human and liable to error: despite
the unfortunate results accruing from
changes recommended by those whose
merely casual connection with warship
design and whose knowledge Of the un-
DERIVING principles relating thereto were
wholly insufficient to enable them to speak
with authority on the most important
questions OF design; despite all of the In
ship designs are developed. on account
OF the necessary compromises which must
always be made In adjusting radical diff
ferences OF opinion Of seagoing ana other
officers as to the proper value which
should be assigned to the various ele-
ments which. when properly combined
into one harmonious whole, result IN the
production of the most efiicient fighting
machine possible; despite all OF the fore.
going. the chief constructor repeats that
1t is real satisfaction to bear testimony
to the splendid achievements OF his pred.
ecessors in office and their colleagues on
the board on construction. which nave
resulted in the United States navy being
now possessed Of q battleehip feet which
commands the admiration Of the weil-fn-
formed naval critics Of all countries, and
which, ship for ship. taking each Ia its
vwn period Of design. IL believed to b.
unexcelled by any known 'heet in being.
Vast Increase in Naval Strength.
Tables accompanying the report indicate
that, since the last annual report. nine
battleships, two armored cruisers and
two prote cted cruisers, whose aSgregste
trial displacement Is 1ss,s92 tons. have
been assigned to the feet. This Increase
in armored tonnage ia greater than the
total displacement OF battle ships and ar
mored cruisers in commission with the
fleet at the time Of submitting the last
annual report. The battleship tonnage IN
commission has increased more than $50
per cent during the quadrennia1 period
ended November /. 1907. and the increase
cruiser. displacement fs more than 500
per cent. It is obvious, therefore says
the chief constructor. that, a. compared
with its condition November I. 1905, the
effective fighting strength Of the fYss4 Of
battleships and armofed cruisers has
been practically trebled' during the psst
four years.
There are in course of construction, sx.
elusive OF torpedo boat destroyers, sub
marines and sea going tugs, seven ha&t1s-
ships Of an aggregate trial disp!aceasent
OF $4,000 TONS two arlnored cruisers OF an
aggregate trial displacement Of $4,000
tons, three scout cruisers Of an aEgre6ats
trial displacement OF go tons. and TIVE
neet Golfers Of an aggregate trial dis
placement of Is, ITO tons; so that the total
tonnage in course Of construction for the
United States Navy. exclusive Of torpedo
boat destroyers, submarines and seo~
going tugs. is. at the resent time, ffA<0.