The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-09
Attacks ReuterdahTs Ideas.

Editor The Washington Herald:
The United States Of America is a ma
ton of peace. Peace has a greater influ-
ence on the prosperity and growth of this
country than any other factor Peace is
the justification for the expenditure Of
hundreds OF millions Of dollars on navy.
The navy TO fulfill its mission and justify
its expense must force foreign respect and
gain naval prestige. This result is not TO
be obtained by the continual carping of
critics. The public criticism and exposure
Of so-caIled defects Of the navy is nothing
more or less than treason.
4 modern battle ship is the most com
plicated structure that the combined skill
Of trained minds has made possible. In
its design more problems must be solved
more difficulties overcome than l. the
highest building. the deepest TUNE or
tho longest bridge Many difficulties can
not be overcome without sacrificing some
vital point. In order 70 appreciate the
value of a design, the critic should have
given years OF study TO naval architecture
as embodied in the modern battle ship
and be thoroughly posted on foreign and
American practice and on the various
service requirements.
Before q fair comparison can be made
with a battle ship OF different design
every feature embodied IN the three fac
tors-speed. power 70 infict damage upon
an enemy and protection against an
eneny-must be credited with its share of
value. The best average ship will have
its weight so proportioned among these
three factors as 70 give the best possible
results under all conditions Of service.
Imagine such a ship. There will be
faster ships, other ships with more gun
and torpedo power, still others with more
complete protection. The one-sided critic
will point out these 'fundamental' mis-
takes and say our best average ship is a
crime on the heads of our best naval
architects
So Mr.. Reuterdahl says we have made
fundamental mistake in the protection
OF all our fighting ships, that one-third of
their guns are useless in a seaway, and
that three or four OF the best navies OF
the world have faster ships than ours.
Mr.. Reuterdahl does not betray his
grasp of the theories of naval architec-
ture. he simply states that "a modern
battle ship is 2 simple thing in its big
general principles, and lets 1t go at that
The charges that follow in his article are
most correctly characterized by Admiral
COnverse-some very unimportant," some
so stated as 10 give wrong Impressions. )"
some absolutely false"
For example. take his charge of "funda-
mental mistakes in the protection of all
our fighting ships-a feet with main
aTmor under water-Our investment In
ships with submerged arnor."
tie ship-embodying all the secret lessons
OF the Russian-Japanese war, represent
ing the principle upon which all British
ships are being built to-day, with her
main armor belt eight feet below the
water line and five feet above. seems to
be Mr. Reuterdahl's ideal But we find
him saying in the same breath that there
Is no excuse for the eight feet of armor
below the water line OF our American
battle ships in their most laden. condition
He asks, How can any human being or
set of human beings place the armor of a
battle ship under Water?" Then why
pray tell US. does this most heraIded
wonder of WOnders-the Dreadnought-
have eight feet Of her armor under water?
The fact is. this submerged" armor is
most necessary. The water line must be
protected In light condition. as we'll as
fully loaded. and especially in rough
weather. Moreover. neither a Pinch
projectile nor three in the same place
would sink or even disable our latest
ships. even If the thinner armor were
pierced. The protection is otherwise Sc
cured without unnecessary weight high
above the center Of gravity.
Under the heading "One-third OF Guns
Useless in Seaway." we find this state
ment: The broadside guns OF foreign
battle ships and cruisers are, generally