New-York tribune., 1908-03-04
DEFENDING THE NAVY.
American Gunners Declared To BE
the Best III the Horld.

71sshs-Ero-- March 5-Four naval CHEERS al sx-
pe-tz 1ur-et oonst-uction ard ammunition manu-
1sc-u-s. to-day testified beto-e the Senate Naval
Colait-ee defence CT the American navy against
Al forms e criticism Three of the witnesses-
Professor ? p AIgsr- Instructor n mathematics
g. -he Naval Academy an5 member Of The special
hoard ru--ets: Commander 2 2 Fletcher and
L.5ectsns1t Commander Y 0 Chase-spoks II de-
tail concerning rur-et accidents and TIE rlethoos
thai have heen adopted make tu-re-s safe Noas
q these officers seemed think there was great
danger f-un TIE direct host = some changes were
-sde 70 p7ovloe mere effective screening between
tae ammunition handling roo1 and the big guns
Professor AIge- defended the navy against the
criticism made by Commander Sins that poor
r-a-ks-,a-shsp vas shown - Santiago He &C.
dared that American gu1ue-y good IS that
r sry ether navy a. that -t-ne. and that al the
z-esear tine there was 10 navy in the world that
WolI6 su-2zss The American II straight shooting
sez- Admiral Covzles chief OF tbs bureau q
sau-p-ne-r- -7-1 reu ro-rorrOw e rhs explosion
the Missouri He was = command q rhst vessel
~-1s- 1ris explosion occurred
r7-cEEssr- = ser. -rr was -c- fourteen wears at
-sc1e5 . rhe h--ezu q ordnance. testified =
ne sEce-sr-e ~ American r1r-er construction He
described rhs 7L-sso1- acc,de--- ana szlG hat
never again vii NE 81 --a -he magazines that
-grre-. tor the copper azz covering The zperrEres
through TAica -1c pc7a@~ IS passed aye al~ayz
kept II place
Senator T--ll-ls1- commenting oa Professor A.
gsrs connection with the Naval Academy. asked f
per- The WINES explained that since taking up
Instruction II -la1heula-irs Ne lad continued his
ordnance work a1d was member q tae special
hoard ordnance
Doubtless you are eZpe-- I Only raised this
question II your interest said M Tlll-nal-
Professor 2-Ez- CG1-sure5 o7 the EUnIlerC at
Santiago. and said that since 1har time there had
been & revival = gunner dur largely 20 Com
1sn6e- Sl-nss campaign FOR tie installation u
the telescope sights Tor biE guns which were
adopted from The British lie said the guns were
al -1gaz Santiago. Lur The ha6 nor learned
how 2 shoot ILC-1 F5a asserted, however. that II
that time 10 other navy knew h0w 70 shoot. and
rhzr 10 navy could shoot better man cie American
navy TIE present time
The Gnd--E n foreign substances = sacks of
powder put I'D as charges. was explained 10y Pro
fesso- Alcar. vho Sai5 that such gross careless
ness -as uor possible nov bocaLse. since the ap-
Tc--zae-1 II Admiral Converse chief OF the al-
-ezu q ordnance D system ot inspection had been
frauzsI-atdd - la5 beard Of only three instances
o1t . thousands oF sacks ut powder here foreign
matter had been found
Lieutenant Command Sr-al-s. duty tie
proving ground ~ Indian Head testified - the
cost cf the government manufacture Of powder
The plant u Indian Head turns cut 500 pounds Of
powder 6ay. Al q cost OF about = cents pound
TIE government rays f7- powder manufactured At
private plants f2 cents pound
Lieutenant Commander Z. o.. Chase. Of tie bU-
-eau ef orduauce. explained IN detail the changes
being made 5u -r--er construction. with view 20
safeguarding against accidents.