The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-12-24
Lack of TOrpedOeS
DeplOred by Former
Constructor.
Tells of Need of Strong
Fleet in Both
Oceans.

Capt. Richmond Pearson Hobson.
Representative in Congress from the
Sixth Alabama district, has prepared
the following article dealing with
the recent critisisms of the navy bv
Henry ReGterdahl and others. As a
former constructor in the navy,
who helped to design some Of the
ships that are now on the way to
the Pacific, the opinions of Captain
Hobson are Of especial value and
significance.
By RICHMOND PEARSON HOBSOE.
Il is important that the American
people should be kept acquainted with
the elements OF national defense. should
be Informed when any Of these eIe-
ments are inadequate or inefficient. The
element Of supreme Importance 10
America is her navy, and believe that
at this tuncture- and generally, the
most important criticism Of the navy
that snould be made public IS its in
sufficient size.
We are able to assemble only one
great feet. while we have three oceans
10 defend With our feet now In the
Atlantic we are defenseless in the Pa
ciiic; and when our feet is in the Pa
cihc we are defenseless In the Atlantic
ana unable 70 guarantee the enforce
n srt OF the Monroe Doctrine.
America is not a nation with inter
ests and dangers IN one part 2f the
world She has interests and dangers
In all parts OF the world. TIE only basis
for true and adequate national de-
tense is TO have a navy which VIII en-
able US 10 cope with any feet that
might be sent against US by any Euro
pean power, in the Atlantic, and at the
same time be able 10 cope with one sent
by an Asiatic power, in the Pacific.
II IS also important that the condi-
tons in the navy that we have should
De known. Mr.. ReuterdanI, and his
contemporaneous critics are Joing the
public a service in turning the search
light upon the elements OF efficiency,
and pointing out ali features that could
be improved or corrected
The question OF the main armor belt
is essentially q technical one. This ar
NOR protects a water line area upon
which depends a ships stability. It Is
designed to extend far enough above and
far enough below water, so that when
the ship rolls in a fighting sea way.
no breech could be made that w0G1s
let in water. II must be borne in mind
that the total weight available for
armOr is limited. for, as the belt on
given ship is made wider or higher, II
must be made thinner and for a belt to
stand high out OF water. il must also
extend under water. As the battleships
are now built. the armor decks extend
across the ship at both the upper and
the lower edge of the armor belt.
Must Pierce Both Armors.
A shot passing in above the armor belt
would have to pierce both armor decks
before 1t could reach the magazines.
steering gear, machinery or other vitals.
But a shot passing in below an armor
belt would explode in the midst OF the
vitals- one such shell could destroy
ship. bat one she'll above the water
line would not destroy any ship.
For this reason the heavy armor belt
is carried much farther below the
water line than above
I know that ships usually draw moro
water than they are designed to draw,
and this il expected and allowed for.
but sometimes a draft is even deeper
than allowed for, and this tends to
lower the upper edge of the armor
belt.
Displacement Varies.
Furthermore even seagoing ships vary
in displacement. according 10 the load
carried The difference in the normal
and the full coal capacity alone amounts
TO as much as L5OO tons or more, which
would make a difference Of from one to
two feet in draft for even the largest
vessel. When n ship is fully loaded. her
armor belt viii naturally be very deep
in the water, and in some cases almost
submerged. but ships are not supposed
20 be in deep laden condition when in
a fight If battle was approaching when
the vessels We're IN a deep laden condi-
tion-when the armor belt was too low
the captains would undoubtedly throw
part Of their coal overheard
/ do not mean to say that IL would not
be good practice 10 make the heavy
belts wider, and carry them a little
higher above the water. This is tho
trend Of our designs, but I believe that
many foreign ships have gone too far
in that direction, making their armOr
thinner only 20 be wider, and in some
cases IL will probably be found n bat
tie that the shells supposed to De kept
out viii pierce this armOr.
An intelligent criticism OF this tech
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