New-York tribune., 1908-02-17


tfnuing the repors says:
FINALLY 1t may be added that 10 officers who
.aye commanded battleships there seems
nnaniraity of opinion that they can. with inc
rossihie excent'on of the Indiana ana Kearsarge
Classes fight their batteries in any sea L; "iiich
naval actions are at all nkeiy 70 t.lhe .,I r"
srhese opinions Of officers who have actuaiis
.rcrr,aandeG our ships are, IL would seem, Ell
yitle6 to greater weight than the critics, aihous
rroron,enied n ship and therefore can have little.
AZ any practical knowledge upon which to base
their erroneous Criticisms
+. &c noted that one of the lessons learned
l..rorn the Russo-Japanese War was that the
ishree and six pounder guns were not heavy
,.aouef to repei q torpedo boat As a result all
a,oer;can batfleships now carry heavier pat
xeries FOR such service
In answering the criticism of the position OF
the srrnor belt intended to protect ihe Nl'ais oA
. baftleship the admiral again refers TO the
Iss,sso-Jaranese contest. The critclsnIs' he eA-
rains. are based on the assumption that YES
sels VIII always strive 10 go into action at their
xieep load draft To show that such is not 'ie
correct assumption. he says:
One OF the principal causes OF the oe1eiit OF
The Russian feet Sn the battle of Tsu-Shlna
Strait in Nav 1905 is attributed to the face
that the vessels Of the feet were overloaoeo Wea
coal and stores of all kinds; and it is asserted
Yhst his subordinates were unable to understand
the great desire which Admiral Ro,estvensky
Rlways seemed to have 10 carry iiiiiiieiis.
a-nounts Of coal his vessels having on board at
,h;s battle enough 10 steam distance OF more
shan three thousand miles whie the ac.uai % ,;r un
sa71ce required TO be travelled was only nine
.tundred. His ships were similarly overioaoeo
with stores and supplies rms oSerioaaeo ta som
6ftion Of the Russian fleet, let IL be understood
was while passing through the waters ano I'M
snediate proximity 10 tie naval bases OF a nos,
-fle feet of relatively their own strength sho
with the probability OF meeting the enemy nee'
IN battle so great that ii might nave peell re
fsarded as almost , oerth,n's; M LII that the
.Iapa,ese feet in anticipation OF meeting .ie
Russian feet had been completely stripped py
removing everything possible IN lhe way VI
Sreirht feon7,ert sur1erfiuous stores, etc) from
she vessels and that they had on BOARD at 'le
tina OF the battle provisions sufficient TO last
s.,rl1, ton days II may be reasonably assumed
because of their ightness these Nessels VIZ e
,rear what we would call their normal dra1t
fToeos feet was in fighting trim; Rojestvensky ;
<eet was not The result could easily have
heen forecast Still the critics of our navy would
have us believe that ships should always. as q
iprepara;ion for battle, put themselves IN 'iie
scondition OF those that met defeat
UPPER EDGE OF BELT LRMoR NEAR
WATER.
Describing the loaded condition of the Amer1-
tan fleet in its voyage to the West Indies last
winter the admiral says the ships were SO
loaded down that the upper edge OF their belt
r4rnor was near the water: and, similarly
when the feet sailed but a short time ago Tor
she Pacific their draft was even greater than
or The other occasion. Both these cases, how
ever were exceptional. in that the feet was
making a strategic move, and carried with 1t
everything necessary for its own consumption
on the cruise and everything possible in the
way of supplies and ammunition for use at It's
future base, conditions which would not obtain
sn case Of anticipated or imminent feet action.
Devices to prevent the twofo!d danger of
bareback and ignition Of grains of powder in
rurrets. the report says, have been installed In
chit, i,, Spcic
they are like the British French and japanese
navies American ammunition hoists, it is main
rained are not inferior TO those OF other navies,
although no hois1s have yet been designed ca
pahle of supplying the guns in the recently de-
Teloped rapidity Of gunfire IN target practice.
The increased capacity of the guns due TO the
development of smokeless powder. AS to
whether the propelling screws shall turn in or
out. the report details the investigations which
have been made. These led TO change in the
snturn and later to the outturn
After defending the construction Of the Kear-
sarge and Kentucky against criticism which has
been directed at the exposed openings of the
gun ports as the best designs available at the
time these ships were built, the admiral has
this TO say regarding the efficiency Of these ships
sn general:
No would claim that these shins couIs on
gage in battle terms of equality with the most
DaIIlesflTs. as they inferior In size
erInor and armament 10 the latest vessels of our
own and foreign navies and TO assert otherwise
would be tantamount 20 saying that there had
oeen no progress made In the art OF baItieship
Dnlldins Tor twelve years. No commander would
hesitate TO take these vessels into a fleet ac-
tion ana IL cannot for a moment be believed
but that with their heavy battery of lS-inch
ana sS-lnch guns and good armor protection.
they would give an excellent account of them
selves not only against ships of about their own
GATE OF design. but also against any other vessel
1aliihg within the range OF their guns They
are good and effective ships. but we do NOT
claim they are efficient as more recent
vessels.
\ present lack in the supply Of torpedoes is
admitted. due TO the inability Of manufacturers
TO meet the demand. This is 10 be remeded by
the completion Of g torpedo factory at the New
port {R- ID naval station. 1t is asserted that
The American navy is abreast of the times ia the
matter Of sight range finders and coming tow
ers- We have never hestated to adopt an idea
that promised increased efficiency" 1t is stated
fn this connection.
All criticisms made from time 10 time the re-
port says, have been considered by the board of
construction. When the conditions and circrm-
stances seemed TO merit action by the board
such has been invariably taken"