The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-13
DEFECTS IN SHIPS
Fate of Russian Given As an Illustra-
tion-Both Officers Agree as to
Arlnor Line Being Too Low-Wit-
nesses Only Allowed TO Testify
Along Certain Lines.


are serious defects in the construcc-
tion of American battleshlps Was
charged today by Captain &. III. McR-
WInslow, assistant chief OF the bureau
of navigation of the navy department,
and Commander A. l.. Key, former
naval aide to President Roosevelt
The former officer said the ships un-
der Admiral Evans were all over
draft when they left Hampton Roads.
He defended Admiral Rojesvensky for
taking the Russian fleet into battle
with the Japanese with full bunkers
of coal, saying that the Russian COM
nlander could not have done other
wise for he did not know how far
he would be compelled to steam. He
criticised the armor belt and the gun
decks as being too low and the am
tnunition hoists unsafe, He attempted
TO dispute the testimony of other Of
icers, especilly Chief Il Constructor
Capps, but was not permitted to do
So Finally the committee held an
executive session at which it was de-
eided that Key should be heard to-
morrow, but that his criticism should
be confined to ships.
Captain Winslow, who was the first
witness in defending the Russian ad-
miral, used the fate Of the Russian
feet as an illustration of the danger
OF going into action with the armol
belt too far under water.
At the same time he said that the
ships should carry at least two-thtrds
their capacity of coal and full ammu-
Dition and stores. He said that two
thirds supply of all stores would make
all American battleships too low,
and therefore the armor belt should
be raised. He could not state the ex-
act amornt, as he said it would vary
OF the different ships.
There was no need, said Captain
Winslow, for more than four feet OF
aImor below the water line. The wit
hess was asked toIi compare certain
types of American ships with con-
temporary class of British ships. He
took the Connecticut; and the Lord
Nelson, and in gunnery said the Bri-.
tish ship has made better records for
rapid shooting with her battery Of
20 inch guns than had been made
with the Connecticut S-inch guns. He
thought this achievement was due
probably to the hoists.
Theoretically, you would feel at a
disadvantage if you were compelled to
take the Connecticut into action
against the Lord Nelson, asked Mr..
Tillman 'i|
I would say that the Lord Nelson
is the more powerful ship said the
captain. He added that the Michigan
and the South Carolina were a great
improvement over the Lord Nelson
and possible superior to anything
in the British navy"
''On what Ships now under COM
mand Of Admiral Evans is the armor
belt misplaced?" asked Mr. Burrows
"All of them, because it is too
low"
Captain WinsloW said that the ar
mr. belt ertended five feet below
water on ali of the ships in Admiral
Evans fleet when it left Hampton
Roads and most of them showed less
than a foot of armor above the
water line.
He said with two-thirds supply of
coal and two-thirds of all other stores
on board, the armor belt of all the
American battleships would be too far
below the water line.
"This would be the condition in
tle," he said
In reply to question by Mr. Tillman
the witness said he had never writ
ten the department concerning the de-
fects he had found in battleship con-
structiOn but that he knew the faults
had been pointed out by other officers
AS to ammunition hoists, Captain
Winslow said that it was not
question of direct hoists as agains:
two-stagehoists, but entirely a ques-
ton of, safety. .
Well, have we got it?" asked aIr.
Tillman.
The witness replied that we had
not had safety in the past, but that
he was not familia., with the new
direct hoist with automatic shutters.
Captain Winslow gave his eApar-
ience as a member of the board which
inquired into the causes Cf the ex-
plosion due to the open turret and the
ineffectiveness of the direct hoist
Naval officers had preGirted that
just such accidents would occur and
the fault should have baen corrected
then" said Captain Winslow
What officer had pointe;. out the
danger?" asked Mr., Tillman,
I'm 1902 | received a personal let
ter from Commas ,crt Sims r,i'rrieing
the Kersarge arc ;ho Kentucky and
saying that ths e was great danger
in the turrets," replied Captain Wins
low. He added that this information |
had been given to the department. He
said he did not know where to fix
the responsibility for the failure to
correct tie fault, unless it was in the |
fact that there was constant change in
the department. through frequent |
shifting civilian secretaries.
Commander A. L. Key, formerly |
naval aide to the president, was the |
next witness. |
He had an experience similar to |
that of Commander Sims, the present |
naval aide, in that he was not permit |
ted to follow his own inclination as
to the form of presenting his views
He began by stating that he had j
duty to perform not entirely agreeable, |