New-York tribune., 1908-03-05
NO SAFETY IN BATTLE.
ca Corles Tells Senate Committee
Lessons of Missouri Disaster.

-. :, battle" declared Rear Admiral William
g coules chief Of the bureau Of equipment.
.,x-;exfne to-day before the Senate Committee
= naval Affairs in the investigation OF criti-
. ,f American bstfleship construction he
= :, command of the Missouri al the time OF
-, ,-o-sr explosion in the history Of the navy.
g. re,ounting graphically the story of that
..ssnt the admiral replied TO questions as to
- cause. the lessons learned from the acci-
s,,, and the precautions taken TO prevent such
occurrences in the future
-, cant handle powder and handle it fast
u.,t,ort having accidents he said. You have
handle il fast because you must reach
your gun first
..o- rho principle that a must get his
- - his pistol pocket before the other fell
~, 80 suggested Senator Ti1lrnan-
", have got to hit the other fellow quick.
= a. many times as YOU can before he gets
G. vor" said the admiral
hs an advocate Of the open turret and the
-. boisr Admiral Cowles enthusiastic
y. asserted that they had decreased the time
-, rounds Of fire from 300 seconds 10 10
seconds.
7,o.--ibinr the Missouri accident Admiral
-on1as said that If the flaps on the doors % the
,u,5e- magazines had been closed the ship
,,,la have been in no danger whatever. The
--ossD, designs. he said. made it impossible for
a-e 70 get into the magazines under any cir
curnstances-
-. witness said that shipmates Of the men
,,r.d on the Missouri had no hesitancy in go
t. t-,-o -be in fated 1urret and continuing the
target practice
,-+si---7sn Hale referred to what he called the
-. for rapid firing which has developed
=. =. American navy and Admiral CoWles gave
=, oor,-,srtee 10 understand that he approved
--s- mania in some degree He thought,
,,uave-. that with the shutters in the am
--rrftior hoist the men still could fire fast
enough. and the Navy Department was right in
declining 70 permit the officers TO have them
fastened back.
During battle the guns viii not he fired as
-sui6iy as in target practice said the admiral,
ahat 7ve want 10 be ready
He said the open hoist was less dangerous TO
ne shin than the tzyo-stage hoist. though il
sometimes had for the men.
Taking up the question whether naval off
rers have been discouraged from submitting
suggestions 10 the board construction, Of
which he Is member. the admiral denied the
charg- omphatically- He said that criticisms
wsre frequently investigated without consider
trg the officers making them. and the expert
rnents were always going on in technical parts
zftn which fault Vas found
"N-thiug ever comes from naval officers
without the board treating il with the utmost
cousideration.'' he declared.
* regards the charge that the armor belt on
the American ba1tl=Ships was too low, Admiral
Co~!es safd 1paJ he concurred in the views
exr-ezzeG ny Admirais Converse and Capps He
5zelz-ed -f.az h. would feel safer in going into
tz-rle with cniy eight inches Of arulor above the
vster lire than with three feet, for that would
mean an insufficient amount under the water
covering the ships vitals
Then ycu DO not think II advisable to raise
Il, belt above tha water line at the expense
G me width Of the belt beneath?" asked Chair
man Hale.
-No, sir. think il all right as it is" was
;he repl:-
Lieutenant Commander Cleland Davis. assist
an chef q the bureau OF equipment, known
d ne af The aavy's authorities on armor plate,
also expressed the opinion that the armor belt
On American baJtleships was properly located
and thar the open turret and direct ammunition
hoist were OF the best design in use.
Commander Sims today made this explana-
ton regarding mis- testimony before the Senate
Hgyal Committee:
7he Impression intended 10 convey was that
- nav was In state OF inef7ciency and not
7-enz7ed for Ear. and that owing TO this state
q lner7clenCT there was no proper system of
'.el-iHE 10Y IHe EulDerS- IliS was nOi the faul-
q tre personnel. who are the best in the world,
~ simply because the training established by
ne department was incomplete and did noC de-
rs - " -
cur men are the srperfors OF anv others in the
s-ste1 - guu-=rv training has been established
that rler can equal or beat any other navy il