Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-27
GAPPs GOES AFTER REuTERBAHL
Declares That Department. Carried Out
Provision Relative to Seeking plans
from Private Naval Architects-col.
Mcclure Requisite Tina. Two Other
Naval officers be Called.
tBy ARaocIatAd Preaal

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Feb. 16.--
just how far the Senate committee
on military affairs will so into The
criticism of battlcshlp construction
Will be determined at IN executive
session tomorrow. During the after
noon session today Admiral Cams
chief OF construction and repair of
the navy, concluded his statement IN
reply TO and In rerutation of the
Rcutcrdahl criticisms and II was ag-
reed 10 call tomorrow, Rear Admiral
Mason, chief OF the bureau of ord
nance, TO meet tho criticisms made by
MI. Rcuterdnhl of turret construction
and ammunition hoists.
Chairman Hale read to tho commit
tee letter received from Colonel s.
L. Mcclure suggesting that Llcutenant
commander VoBelgeasaHg whom .he
DESIGNATED as an expert In regard 20
slirrets, and Lieutenant Commander
Hill, deslgnated' as un expert III tho
matter OF the proper distribution OF
armor plnte. be called as n witness,
Colonel Mcclure stated explicitly
that neither OF these officers had In
any manner contributed to tho Reu.
terdabl article.
Mr.. Halo said that he deemed the
request proper ana that he had been
given assurance that the oficres
would be called. Both are now In
Washington. Lieutenant Commander
Vogeleessang being In command OF
the Mayilower, familarly known as
President Roosevelt's yacht. 1t haa
hRAn lnttlpI oil A..
navy whose names have ben connect,
cd win the recent criticisms of con-
struction shall lie called and that Col
onel Mcclure also shall be given an
opportunity TO appear and make a
statement.
Admiral capps' Testimony.
In concluding his remarks Rear
Admiral Capps showed that the pro-
vision of the naval appropriation ac.
of 1906 requiring the department To
receive plans and specifications for
battleships from private naval ar
chitects had been compiled with in.
The cases of the two big ships Of the
Delaware class. tho largest vet auth
orizcd by the United States. Nine
designs We're received outside Of thosa
prepared under department suparyis-
ion.
During the discussion OF the dstri-
hntion OF the armor belt. Senator
Iillman asked q number of questions
intended to bring out the value Of
the protected deck. inside armor bolt
The theory was that IL shell pene-
tratcd the armor plate at n slight in
cline 1t would be Debated upward By
4 Hn nj h.
Admiral Camps declared that this
theory HAD been exploded. I'VE have
reached the conclusion from our ex-
periments. he said that all efforts
should be directed in keeping the
Fhells out. In other words all the
armor should he put on the ships in
verticle forme."
In other words nut ii all on the
outside remarked Mr.Tillman.
Exactly. for II a shell goes through
eleven inches of armor it will explode
ANYWAY"
The protected deck would not Nie
a protection at all. In regard to the
height of tie free board The Admiral
said the fact that in the Drcadpaueh.
class in Great Britain and the Deia-
ware class In the United States the,
forward free lcard has been mads
on deck higher than the previous
class does not indicate that the latter
was too low.
They are Just right for their type.g
no said. "The Delaware is much
high forward because she is designed
on fine lines much longer and for
greater speed. which of course cast4
the spray higher. No increase has
been made in the free board except
at the bow