Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-06-16
Iorpedp|ng lie Florida Called 4
Great Success.
THE MONITOR STILL SENIORITY
"No Ship Ever Dealt Such A Forcible
Blow" Says Admiral Capps-
Big Hole In Her Side, But
Floats.

FORT MONROE. VA, June ID
Army and navy officers were all en-
thusiantic today over what they term
the brilliant success of Saturdays SEN
sa,ional torpcdoing of the monitor
Florida in Hampton Roads.
Some of the most important points
demonstrated were grasped at lirst
only by the ordinance and construct
ion experts of the navy. but today
the r. al story has gone the ROUNDS
of the military clubs, the navy yard
and Fort Monroe. There are yet
some varied differences Of opinion as
70 IN, success of the recent attack
mon the turrct of the Florida by
Finch gun, for the reason that the
shell did not explode. but all agree
with the officials in charge that Uni"
proved the strength OF the lhterhai
construction of the new American
battleships.
Officials who refused 70 be inter
viewed yesterday were not reticeh'
and insistent upon rigid censor
shin of the dispatches Of the accredit-
cd correspondents because they feared
that unfavorable information might
get out. it developed today. but Tor
the reason that they do not hold II
compatibia with public policy to al
low any possible enemy to grasp the
strength feature of the American
Navy,
Credit for the pronounced success
of the test is due to two departments
and their chiefs-Ordinnnce Rcar-Ad-
miral Newton Z. Mason. who was re-
,opsible for the remarkable destruc-
tive work of the most powerful LOT
pedo ever launched. and CONSTRUCTOR
Capps chief of the Bureau OF Con
struction and Repair, who is respo"-
sible. as he admits in his annual re-
mort for the present method OF con-
structjon. whether 1t be bad, as Aftlst
Reuterdabl recently charged. OF
wether it Is good. as Yesterday ust
clearly demonstrated. Yesterday $
fest was not conducted to determln"
whether such construction should DC
adopted. for 1t was adopted IN the
Michigan and South Carolina and Will
he Incorporated in the Delaware ana
the two new 20,000-ton ships which
were recently authorized by Congress.
Rear-AdmiraI Capps. who remained
over today to visit friends, returned
to washington tonight. On departing
he consented to be quoted briefly as
follows:
81 have only to say that the test
from every point OF view was emf
nently successful would prefer I"
stop at that rather than he continued
as praising the method OF consruc-
ton that has been developed during
NV administration of that branch OF
the navy. That the Florida was not
sunk was no fault OF the ordinance
work. No ship to my knowledge mas
ever been dealt such forcefui blow.
as the charge was unusually heavy
and the explosion developed al 'h'
calculated point. Some Of the Am"ri-
can battlcships. I prefer not to sly
how many or what types, could not
have withstood the test. Doubtless
there are many modern types OF toc-
eiyn ships which also would have sue
cumbcd.
Far from being sunk. the Florida s
usefulness was in no wise impairei
nv the result OF the blow. Furthe::-
moro. the shin could have sUstamel
a like blow exactly opposite. and e'"'
another in 4 third buIkhead compa--
ment. and still would have f'oatFd
The impression is wrong that pumps
prevented the ships sinking They
were of some avail, but the opening
was 50 large that all the pumps tha;
could POSSIBLY BE- operated on big
ship would have maticred little.
A British Whitehead torpedo.
charged with more than 229 pounds
o. gun~o,ton-more than ever before
was rammea i.to any rrojcctiie-tore
n zrea; cash in the Fiorida's star
board side large enough for the ships
Iaunch 20 enter. Though lowered
somewha; in the water, she stubborn
" refused 10 sink on the shoal pro
vidcd
The torpedo exploded successfully
as u struck. and hoie now exists
ius, forward Of the boiler room The
cash Is four 10 six feet high and six
IN eight feet long. graduating into a
long rsSurc extending forward as far
as the poxdcr magazine. Such an IN
Jury suuId AZ once sink any ship
afIoai In the world to-day. and the
Florida would have settled before the
two score officsrs and men Who dog
gcdIy remained sboard could have
taken to the boats which vcrc ready
alongside port. That the Ffcrida sur.