The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-26
Submerged Armor.

on this subject"
 The committee then took a recess un-
 til ? D. m.
 Submerged Armor.
 When Admiral Converse resumed his
 statement at ~the afternoon session, MT
 Hale directed his attention to that DOT
 ton of the Reuterdahl article which crit
 icised American vessels for having their
 armor belts submerged, while it was as-
 serted foreign vessels are constructed with
 the belts above the water line. After
 an extended discussion 1t appeared that comparison made by MT. Reuterdahl was between American vessels loaded down for long voyage and foreign vessels in fighting trim He made the assertion that American vessels would be in no better condition than the Russian bat tleships were when they went into bat tie with the Japanese. When a man goes into a fight he strips for it. replied the admiral. 'He does not go in with overcoat on and carrying unnecessary baggage Ships act the same way. They don't go into bat tie with their bunkers full of coal as Rojestvensky did. When our fleet sailed for the Pacific they were not in fighting trim. They were loaded down for long voyage"
 Figures were given by Admiral Con- verse showing that the greatest over draft of any battleship in the fAmeri- can navy is on the Virginia and amounts only to Il inches, while a sister ship, the Georgia, is nine inches overdraft In other types the overdraft was declared to average less than six inches. Certain vessels en route to the Pacific were said to carry 2000 tons of surplus supplies. which if discharged for battle trim, would raise the vessel about 30
 inches
 Plenty of Armor Belt. Rear Admiral Capps interrupted to say that with bunkers filled with coal for long voyage there is not bat l tleship in the United States navy that would have less than II inches of armor belt above water. Admiral' Converse | indorsed that statement. q think that
 entirely refutes MT. ReuterdahPs charge" remarked Senator Perkins T think so certainly" added Chair | man Hale. "One lesson we learn from all this is that a naval power which fights at home has a tremendous ad- vantage"
 We would never get into battle ir these days of wireless telegraphy with out getting three or four days notice.' replied Admiral Converse. Calling attention to the battleships of the South Carolina type, Mir Hale asked Admiral Converse if he would be willing to take his chance on such a ship in engaging any type of ship ahoat.
 "Yes." replied the admiral with pos itiveness. He added that he considered
 the South Carolina type the best class of fighting ship of any navy. Then why pay four or five million dollars more for vessels of the Della ware class?" asked MT. Perkins. 'eTo keep peace with other nations replied the admiral.
 "Exactly,'' said Chairman Hale. "Other countries are building bigger ships, so we want them." Proficiency In Drill. Taking up the Reuterdahl charge that regulations don't permit sufficient battle drill to procure proficiency in this regard, Admiral Converse asserted the contrary to be true. He gave vivid descriptions of several maneuveis and fights, such as coaling at sea and other different processes. Admiral Converse supported tine statement made recently by Chair
 man Hale that never. before in the world has there been so well an equipped fleet as that which the United States sent to the Pacific. In great detail the admiral explained the Amer ican system of battleshfp construction which he declared to. be the best in existence. Incidentally the statement amounted to a complete indorsemenf of the bureau system of construction. Senator Perkins said he was glad to hear a defense made of the bureau system and he thought the chairman and other members of the committee should agree with the admirals state- ment.
 Admiral Converse concluded his statement and Admiral Capps will be heard tomorrow. Just before adjourn ment Senator Perkins said to the naval officers: We ought to apologize to you for calling on you to refute such articles as this. That's true," said Chairman Hale. "But it's written in such vein that layman could not understand how absurd the charges are" Senators Martin. Perkins and Gal finger laughingly suggested that MT, Reuterdahl should be set off the fleet if a convenient barren island could be found in the Pacific ocean.