Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-09
Admiral Goodrich's Opinion on
Naval Construction.
SUGGESTIONS ARE IGNORED
Secretary Metcalf Praises American
War Vessels.
REMEY GIVES HIS TESTIMONY
AGREES With Goodrich That Belt
Should BE Placed With Reference
to Load Water Line.

The witnesses today were Lieut.. Rich
ard d. White. assistant inspector OF tar
get practice, and Rear Admirals George
G Remey and &C. F. Goodrich. Lieut.
White was the first to take the stand. In
reference to the location OF the armor
belt. he said that If 1t were posslole LOT
, chin tn get into action at the designed
load draft the present location would be
about right. but it was MS oDserea'ioh
that the ships had greater drafts thah
those designed. He thought the oraits
would be still greater under war coliui-
lions. His opinion was the same as lhat
of Commander Sims, who is the inspector
of target practice.
Position of Turrets.
Concerning the construction OF tur-
refs he said that safety demands that
the turret proper shall be structuraIS
sonar.te from the handling
| room. The two-stage hoist is one way
to effect this, but he thought it might
he possible to construct direct MOIST
| so that the handling room could DC $50.
lated. He preferred the .W '1,tar now Yin IN
nse in the direct hoist is most mem :
cient :" Describing the shutter, he salo
| II is so constructed that grains Of pow
| der could easily get through .he SUI
for the lift rope In the event VI Gil az
cident overhead.
CHAIRMAN Hale read a letter from Sec
retary Metcalf stating that AFTER the
mans for the battleships Delaware ana
North Dakota had been approved, an OF
| ticer UIieut. Commander Hlli, ilau
ommended that the armor belt should be
raised thirty inches The department re-
ferred this criticism to the board on con-
struction. and the original designs We're
declared to be right. The officer mace
reioinder and the matter was then re-
ferred to Rear Admirals Brownson and
Evans, who also declared that the belt
was correctly located Secretary Metcai1
called attention to the fact that the Vel
aware and North Dakota are 10 De
enuipped with the two-stage holsts. and
there is no ground for further conten.
tion as to the location of the armor Deit
Answering general criticisms. secretary
Metcalf said: "Our ships are not INTERIOR
type for type. in their own PERIOD OF con-
struction to vessels of other naVleS. On
the contrary, l concur in opinions eX-
pressed abroad that our ships are Su-
perior.'
Admiral Remey's Testimony.
Rear Admiral George C. Remey. retired.
told the committee he would locate the
armor belt with reference to the proper
| load water line when the ship is equipped
| to go into battle. He thought it the duty
of commander of a battleship to have
full stores on board, Impossible, in going
into battle He excepted coal, but
thought the bunkers should be at least
| two-thirds full. He said he never had be-
| lieved in the open turret. and thought the
guns should be completely isolated from
| the ammunition handling rooms. Though
70, Iiar Ex-tfl, nSpd
said he had no hesitancy in indorsing the
interrupted hoist He opposed sacrificing
safety for rapidity of fire.
Rear Admiral c. F. Goodrich. COM
mandant of the New York navy yard;
to his testimony. for after the publication
| of the Reuterdahl article he said. in an
interview. that he had called attention
years before to such defects as were al
legged by Reuterdahl. He asserted that he
believed the American ships to be good,
and that they could be made better. He
| was asked by Mr.. Hale if he would sub
scribe to Reuterdahls statement that If
our ships went into action they would be
no better off than the Russian ships when
they met the Japanese.
"Oh. no, SIR he replied, his positive
manner indicating that he thought there
could be no comparison.
Goodrich Endorses Remey.
belt, he said he concurred absolutely in
the testimony of Admiral Remey. Later,
the witness said Admiral Remey ex-
pressed his flew also in regard to the
question of ammunition hoists. He
thought the interrupted hoist better than
the direct type. 1t was evident that Ad-
miral Goodrich was seeking to precipitate
a controversy. He was asked about the
German navy in sticking" to the H.
inch gun. The admiral said the T.
| inch gun was better than the n-inch and
the 13-inch better than the Pinch. He
was about to leave the stand when Sena-
tor Tillman cal ed attention to the fact
| that Commander Sims a few days ago
gave the name of Admiral Goodrich as
one of the men who would corroborate
him in the declaration that the depart
ment would not accept officers criticisms.
| The admiral looked annoyed.
Have you made reports to the depart
ment criticising any matter of construc-
tion?" asked Mr. Tillman.
Il have replied the admiral. and
| answering other questions said he had
criticised the location of the armor belt.
What do you think about it," asked
Mr. Tillman.
II think just as Admiral Remey does.
I have adopted his expression said the
witness cautiously. Pressed for more dot
mite replies. the witness said he thought
| the armOr belt too low. He thought the
| water line should approximately divide
| the armor belt, with half above and half
below the water line. 1t was suggested
| by Chairman Hale that a chance would
have to be taken as to the condition of
the sea at the time the ship went into
action. 1.-The whole naval life. Mr.. Sena-
tor. is chance" the witness remarked.
Suggestions Ignored.
| Mr.. TiIlman returned to the charge that
officers had been discouraged from MAX
ing suggestions or criticisms, and de-
manded Admiral Goodrich's experience.
II have made several suggestions which
have not borne fruit. Do you want spe-
| cific instance?"
IT want something tangible" replied Mr.
| Tillman.
Admiral Goodrich said that in 1902 he
had recommended the abolition of the mil
itary masts with their fighting tops He
said these masts were heavy. and he knew
of no instance where they were of value
The ships now being designed, the ad-
tops.
"Then the suggestion did not fall on
barren ground" said Mr.. Tillman.
IT cannot fiatter myself that my letter
had anything to do with the decision to
do away with this feature" said the adj
miral.
AT least you can say I told you so.' -
persisted Mr. Tillman.
Like the chairman. have New Eng
land conscience" responded the admiral
II cannot take the credit
The hearing will be resumed tomorrow
at 1870 am.
WI TING-FANG