Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-19
LETTER TO Mr.. LILLEY
Secretary Metcalf Heard by Sub.
marine Inquiry Committee.
TELLS OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Admiral Capps Questioned as to
Charge of Excessive Profits on
Government Contracts.

Secretary of the Navy Metcalf and Ad-
miral Capps were among those who ap-
peared today before the submarine boa.
investigating committee to testify in re-
lation to the charges made by Represent
ative Lilley of Connecticut that wrongful
methods had been used by the Electric
Boat Company to secure legislation in
Congress. The committee hal planned in
consonance with the request OF Repre-
sentative Hobson TO call Mr.. Hobson's
secretary. Edgar Clarkson, as the first
witness today. but the appearance of the
Secretary of the Navy and Admiral Capps
in response to invitations from the COM
mittee changed this plan.
Both Secretary Metcalf and Admiral
Capps brought with them Navy Depart
ment documents and records as requested
by the committee.
Archibald's Claims.
Mr.. Liley presented to the committee
an affidavit. signed by Clement f. Adams
and dated Bridgeport, Conn. March Is.
1908. in which Mr.. Adams swears that
while he was engaged i'm business in the
city of Washington during the summer Of
1906 j. F. c. Archibald represented to him
that he was a war correspondent for Col
HerS Weekly. and that he had been ap-
pointed by the President of the United
States to visit certain cities and towns
on the Pacific coast and to report to the
President upon the conditions OF the coast
defenses in that section. According to
the deponent. Mr.. Archibald said to him
later that he had visited certain cities and
towns the Pacific coast and had re-
ported thereon to the President: that he
had appeared before certain chambers OF
commerce. boards of trade and other as
sociations of business men and citizens In
various cities and towns and states on the
Pacific coast, had addressed them upon
the advantages to be gained by the pur-
chase by the United States government
of submarine torpedo boats, and that
certain petitions and addresses made to
Congress and the members thereof by
these different organizations were caused
by the efforts of Archibald.
At later period, according to the affi-
davit, Mr.. Adams showed to Archibald a
newspaper article on the subject of SUBJ
marine torpedo boats, wherein the Lake
submarine boat was criticised. and Arch
ibald informed him that he was the au-
thor of the articles: that he wrote the
same. and that the criticism of the
Lake boat therein contained was melted
and caused by d request 10 him made
by Lawrence Y Spear. an officer OF the
Electric Boat Company, and that the re-
quest was acceded to by Archibald be-
cause he (Archibald) was under .obliga-
tions to Spear and the Electric Boat Com.
pany.
Denied by the President.
Accompanying the affidavit was the fol-
lowing letter from President Roosevelt
denying that Archibald was ever ap-
pointed or employed by him. or. as far as
he knew, was ever appointed or employed
by any one else connected with the ad-
mnistration:
The White House.
Washington, March Is. 1905.
My Dear Mr. Liley:
"Referring to our conversation of this
morning. Mr.. Archibald rover was ap-
pointed or employed by me. nor. so far as
know. was he ever appointed or en-
ployed by any one else connected with
the administration Some time about a
year ago he came in and saw me for
about two minutes and said tnat he was
going to make an investigation of the
question of submarine defense on the Pa
cific, especially. 1 believe. in reference to
Puget sound; and that he was immensely
interested in the subject. having been a
war correspondent for various papers,
and that he would like to send me a re-
port Of what he found. | answered him
that of course / should. be very glad to
receive such report from him or any
other man who might investigate the SUBJ
ject. He sent me a letter on the subject
some weeks later, which / transmitted TO
mitted dozens Of Similar letters from men
who have told me of Investigations that
they have made or of facts they had
found or of suggestions which they be-
lieved were important. 1t is the usual
course: it was followed in this instance
exactly as i'm all similar cases. Sincerely
yours. THEODORE ROOSEN ELT.
Hon. George l.. Lilley.
House of Representatives"
The Secretary Questioned.
Secretary Metcalf was questioned con-
cerning the section of his annual report
of 1907 concerning submarine boats in
Guiding the report of the board which
conducted the trials of submarines and
which recommended the adoption of the
Octopus type of boat. He said that in
the same annual report recommendation d
was made for four additional submarine
boats of the same type as those recon-
mended as the result of the competitive
tests, provided a more satisfactory type
was not developed in the meantime That,
he said. was the only report he made on
the subject.
, The Secretary's Recommendation.
please state your view as to the value
to the naval service of submarine boats?"
suggested Mr.. Olmsted, and the Secretary
replied: II would prefer that that state
Il6Ill Uc Iuduc ny the CApStto VI tut oc-
partment l made recommendations for
the vessels. and would not have done so
had I not thought they were necessary"
Admiral Dewey, he said, signed the re-
port of the board recommending subma-
rine boats.
In reply to question as to President
Roosevelt's attitude, Mr.. Metcalf said
that he did not have the Presidents mes
sage with him.
Contract for the Lake Boat.
Secretary Metcalf stated that the con-
tract for the Lake Companys boat was
entered into by the department on certain
guarantees. That company's bid was
S525 600. and the department agreed TO
pay $4,000 for one of its boats TO ap-
proximate 900 tons. money to be paid
on this contract until after the boat had
been fully tested and had developed
speed equal to the speed of the best sub
marine boat owned by the government
How was il the contract was made for
a boatcfhat was loser in the competitive
trial?" asked Mr.. Olmsted.
Some question was raised to the
discretion vested in the department. and
the department referred certain questions
to the Attorney General who decided that
the Secretary of the Navy had the a.