The Ordway new era., 1908-02-21
BE SANS
var VESSELS
r OF ADMIRAL CONVERSE
ANSWERS HOSTILE
CRITICISMS.
FLEET DEFENDED
kkNEl OF NAVY FIRST
lass AND ARMAMENT IS
UNSURPASSED.

binr,on.-By direction of the
mi. Secretary Metcalf has made
the report OF Admiral Converse
fighting ships of the American
called forth by many criticisms
hy published In magazines and
Use. This report was prepared
kilv TO satisfy the President as
exact state of our navy ships
red with those OF other navies.
publication Is authorized with
sign to reassurc the American
as to the quality OF weapons
shich they must go into battle.
hjraI Converse characteriZes the
sms as prepared by persons
knowledge OF tine subjects dis
was limited and incorrect" I"
was. he says. ample justification
IL adoption of the battleship de.
which have been followed.
Is not claimed that mistakes have
Zen made" he adds. ''or that our
are without faults. but in view
then state OF the art of battle
huilding this fact is not 10 he
bred at. 1t Is remarkable that
Mistakes were so few and that
were really serious. In this re-
our record will compare favor
with that Of foreign services"
the nincty-one pages which the
tal devotes to the defense of the
the subjects dealt with include
drills. freeboard of American
height OF gun positions. torpedo
Use guns. battleship armor. turret
ns. ammunition hoists. in and out
hg screws. the kearsarge and
hicky and general notes. His EN-
c conclusion is:
pr ships are not inferior to those
reign services"
3c have" he says. made com
Uses in our designs of battleships.
nse It Is impossible to construct
)rfect battleship: such comprom.
have. perhaps detracted from the
Sed perfect ships In some respects.
n the same time have made II pos
To improve upon some other cx-
b disadvantage. and. on the whole.
Compromises. each and all, have
|fd towards a nearer approach to
hesircd perfect finality. Other ma.
have laborcd and will. like our
p. continue to labor. under this
difficulty in endeavoring to ap-
lch rs near as possible to that i'm.
|ibility-a perfect battleship.
[he quality of the material Of our
Is Inferior to none: In quantity
esscls alone are we lacking. With
ncrcase in number of ships the Am.
an navy will have been supplied
only feature necessary to make il
md to none In all that tends to.
i fighting efficiency. And when
stress of actual combat. II such
I'D ever Unfortunately come. brings
only real practical test. our coun.
need have no misgivings or fears.
that our battleships will give an
'llent account OF themselves. and
'e themselves all that we have de-
ed them for and know them to be-"
ne admiral says in treating our
lie drills that It was not until the
ng OF 1903 that our new navy"
eyed the size OF a squadron
l battlcships: and not until last
ny that We acquired fleet-two
'drons. II then for the first time
me possible to carry out fleet tao
These were begun in July. were
Frupted for target practice and re-
ed again In the present voyage to
raciiic coast. In this connection
admiral remarks:
ne personnel of our navy, in ambi-
and professional knowledge. Is
nd TO none In the world"
Is admitted by the admiral that
INDIANA and kearsarge classes (the
oattleships of the navy are too
forward for efficient fighting at
IN fairly heavy weather, but the
Under OF our battleships could
out doubt give good account of
iseives In n fight at sea In any
ner in which 1t is at all likely for
ct to engage"
e question presents the choice of
. wei armed and consequently
h'ed lower in the water, or being
" armed and setting high out. 1t
a'ed to be the policy Of the Am
~ navy to always have our YES
armed better than our opponents"