The Washington herald., 1908-02-26
SUGGESTS Cross-examiners.


TilIman to be present and suggest a line
of cross-examination to be imposed upon
Lieut.. Commanders Sims and Hill but
he asked to be excused. and suggested
that Rear Admiral Mason, Commander
Fletcher. and Prof Alger be called for
that purpose
In the course Of his statement. Admiral
Converse impressed the committee very
much by his declaration that neither Sims
nor Hill had ever commanded a ship.
At noon the committee took a recess
until o'clock
When the committee resumed it's hear
ngs In the afternoon Chairman Hale
asked Admiral Converse 10 explain the
criticisms that the armored belt OF United
States war vessels was below the water
line. exactly as the Russian war ships
were when they engaged the japanese
feet, and which was pointed out as
vulnerable peint.
Mt Like Russian ShipA.
After setting forth with some detail
the construction OF vessels, the admiral
said that with few exceptions. the United
States war vessels. when completed. were
overdraft as much as eleven inches in
some cases. In the British navy the over
draft was even greater. Allowance was
made for the fact in naval construction.
The comparison made by Reuterdahl OF
the Atlantic fleet with the Russian feet
was unfair. because the Atlantic feet was
not going into battle but on long voyage
and was heavily loaded. He estimated
-. II n
were relieved OF the extra stores carried
on account of the voyage the armor belt
would be raised at least thirty inches
higher in the water.
Senator Perkins expressed the opinion
that this explanation was complete an
swer to Reuterdanf-s criticism Of the
armor belt line shown by the United
States vessels, and Chairman Hale nodded
approval
Equals Any Tn World.
Mr. Hale asked Admiral Converse 20
compare modern built war ships in the
Unite,l States navy with those Of con-
tempManeOus construction.
I think our construction IS equal TO
that of any other navy in the world.
replied Admiral Converse.
rs Il not SUPERIOR persisted Mr.. Hale
Il would not like 10 say superior" re-
piled the admiral i would rather CON
cede something TO the superiority Of the
personnel"
Relating TO the question OF freeboard.
Admiral Converse called the attention of
the members 10 the fact that the Russian
vessels sunk by Admiral Togo carried
higher freeboards than did their antagon-
lists in the japanese feet. High free
boards. he stated. offered a large target
for the enemy.
Asked IL he would be willing to take
his chances on a vessel Of tie type OF
the Soath Carolina. the adniral expressed
his opinion that he would. and added
that there were no better vessels than
those Of the South Carolina type
Must, Keep Up Pace.
Then why is it necessary to pay 81
10000 or S5,oO0ooO more Tor vessels Of the
Dreadnough type. such as the Delaware2''
inquired MI Perkins.
simply because other nations are
building them. and we must keep up with
the pace was the reply.
Replying TO the criticisms OF Reuter-
dahl regarding the close proximity OF
the hreech OF the guns 20 the ammunl-
ton hoists. Admiral Converse expressed
TIE opinion that safety depended more
upon the number Of doors interpOsed be
tween the guns and the ammunition
stores than upon the distance
He called attention 70 certain mac
curacies in the Reuterdahl article. among
them the statement that the opening IN
the turrets Of the Kentucky and the
Kearsarge were ten feet square. That
would be 100 square feet. wouldn't ito
inquired Admiral Converse. well. the
fact is, the openings are nine square
feet
MIR. Hale asked II il wc~e true that
these turret openings had been covered
with white canvas with the idea Of de-
celving
The canvas was put on at the time
Of the gale during the KEEL celebration,
replied the Admiral smiling
Commenting upon the criticism that
the fleet had never been given battle
drill the admiral said that the writer
apparently could not differentiate be-
tween battle drill" and battle tao
tics" The American navy had never
been able 10 assemble battle ship
fleet until last april Since the James
town Exposition battle tactics had been
peElOIme4-
Bureau system Defended.
Admiral Converse expressed. the opin-
ion that the bureau system" criticised
by Reuterdahl was the best system in
the world for constructing ships lie
went into detail. showing the expe-
rience Of the various heads OF the dir
ferent boards and how the personnel
Of the boards was being constantly re-
newed from men experienced in sea
service.
Senator Perkins suggested that the men
on the committee regarded Admiral Con-
verses statement as a complete refuta-
tion of the criticisms OF Reuterdahl on
bureau management
Admiral Converse concluded before the
adjournment Of the committee. and was
thanked by the members. Mr.. Perkins
apologized for the circumstances that
made it necessary 10 call on experienced
officers to take note of and reply TO ar
ticles such as those by Reuterdahl.
Rear Admiral Caps. chief Of the Blu
reau Of Construction and Repair, viii be
heard to-day