The Washington herald., 1908-03-10

OF That kind
The Secretary OF the Navy declares that
there will be no change in the armor belt
line, which has been fixed without dis
sent. by department chiefs. after an ex-
haustive study OF all modern designs. and
approved by officers of the line. includ-
ing Rear Admiral Evans.
Refers to New Monsters.
In part, the Secretary says:
Il consider il advisable that the Naval
Committee should be clearly advised as to
the actual circumstances under which the
plans for the Delaware and North Dakota
were officially approved by the depart
ment.
Shortly after my assumption OF the
duties OF Secretary of the Navy" the let
ter continues. 1T was brought TO my at
tention by an officer attached to the
General Board. that, in his opinion. the
armor belt on the Delaware and North
Dakota should be raised thirty inches.
His communication was referred to the
board Of construction. and was given
most careful consideration. The board OF
construction promptly and unanimously
submitted fits report. recommending In
the most definite terms that no change
whatever be made In the designs as ap-
proved. since. in their judgment, the
armor belt was properly placed.
BrcwnsOn and Evans Approve.
1T was deemed advisable 10 obtain the
opinion Of the then chief OF the Bureau
OF Navigation. Rear Admiral Brownson
and the present commander-in-chief OF
the Atlantic feet. Rear Admiral Evans
Rear Admiral Brownson stated specif-
cally that the location OF the watering
belt armor Of the Delaware and North
Dakota as decided upon by the board
OF construction. was entirely correct
Rear Admiral Evans. who had previously
made a statement that in his judgmen,
the armor belt was too low. entirely
changed his mind after fully considering
the plans Of these vessels.
1T also seems proper in this connection
TO note that the officer who has taken
the most active interest in agitating This
subject OF alleged erroneous location az
water-line armor originally recommended
IN his letter Of June Is. 1907. that the
Water-line belt be raised thirty inches
II subsequent letter he recommended
that Il be raised twenty inches. In his
recent testimony before your committee
he recommended that II be raised ten
inches. The original proposition OF
thirty inches is within less than a wear
reduced TO ten inches
As the only point criticised in the de-
signs Of the Delaware class is that OF
water-line armor distribution. and since
1lis criticism has been disposed Of by
the unanimous opinion of the most COM
petent authorities. l am convinced that
there is no ground whatever for further
criticism
Commander W. s. Sims. L. s. N. one
OF the critics of naval construction. said
last night thar he was not the officer re-
ferred 20 in the statement OF the Secre-
tary OF the Navy, read TO the Commit
tee on Naval Affairs by Chairman Hale
He pointed out he had not testified as
70 the thickness of armOr. and. therefore.
could not have been the officer Score
tary Metcah had In mind when he wrote
the statement.
Officials Take Other View.
Three important witnesses testified be-
fore the Senate Naval Affairs Committee
yesterday that the armor belt of United
States battle ships at the water line Is
located too low.
The witnesses were: Rear Admiral
George c. Remey, retired; Rear Admiral
c. r. Goodrich, commandant OF the New
York Navy Yard. and Lieut.. r ID.
White, assistant inspector Of rifle practice
in the navy
Rear Admiral Goodrich not only con-
demned the location of the arnor belt
as being too low IN the water. but he
gave direct testimony tending to sustain
the charge made by Henry ReuterdahI.
that suggestions for improvements in the
navy were not given proper consideration.
Senator Tillman secured from the ad-
miral the statement that important rec
concentrations he made for the improve
ment of battle ships had been ignored
by the Navy Department. He gave
specific instances to support his state
ment
In the rest Of his testimony Admiral
Goodrich was more conservative He
asked the committee to credit him in the
record with approving and indorsing all
that had been said by Rear Admiral
George c. Remey. retired. the first witness
of the day.
Remey supports ReuterdahI.
Admiral Remey testified that Reuter-
dahl was correct in his charge that the
armOr belt was too low, and the direct
ammunition holsts were not so safe or
desirable as the interrupted hoists.
Asked TO say where, in their judgment.
the water line armor belt ought to be To-
Gated. both Admirals Remey and Good
rich declared that the water line ought
not to be higher than the middle of the
armor belt when the ship was carrying
full ammunition. full stores, and two
thirds coal.
do you agree with what Henry Reu-
terdahl says in his magazine article here.
that our ships in battle would be as help
less as the Russian ships?" Inquired SEN
ator Hale.
"Oh, no; do not" replied Admiral
Goodrich. shaking his head in emphatic
protest. Both adnirals agreed that the
ships in the United States navy COM
pared favorably with those Of other ma
vies.
The admirals declared that a Pinch
gun is to be preferred to the 1l-inch
gun, and that the l3-inch gun is better
than either. This created interest in view
Of the testimony of Rear Admiral Capps
that il is now our navy policy to use the
l2-inch gun instead OF the 1s-inch.
The admiral admitted 70 Mr.. Tillman
that new vessels ought to be submitted