The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-12
Commander Key Tells About ths Dangerous Hoists for
 Ammunition
AMERICAN SHIPS ARE
 SEVERELY CRITICISED
Senator TiIIman Asks Some Sharp Questions of Commander Key But Does Not Lessen the Amount
 of Criticism.

Washington, March 1f.-When Com mander A. l.. Key, former naval aide to the President, resumed his testimony be- fore the Senate naval affairs committee today. Chairman Hale cautioned him that he would proceed only under the rules of the committee, adding: You may make statements from your own knowledge and observation. 1t is not a part of the con ditions laid down by this committee for one witness to take up the testimony of another witness and criticlse testimony he believes to be misleading"
 Commander Key agreed to comply with this ruling. He then proceeded to con- pare American ships constructed since 1899 with other ships built in the same periods. His diagrams tended to show that American vessels are overdrsft to a greater degree than the English ships. He agreed with Admiral Remey and Cap tain Winslow that ships should carry full bunkers of coal when they go into action and he said that not to do so would be "preposterous." His observations in re- gard to the draft of vessels were that the decision of the Walker board of May Is, 1896, that "a battleships normal draft should be her fighting draft. not her max imum draft, with full stores on board. had been disregarded by the individual constructors.
 s- How. are we to remedy these ar sed vit etfs3s of the taNsr asked sgf eta-- man. e:ie also wanted 10 know what guarantee Congress has that good fight ing ships would be built with the money appropriated. This led to a general dis cusslon and Commander Key suggested that the general boards, which are not responsible under the law, have too much authority This statement provoked such differences of opinion that Chairman Hale steered the debate into other chan nels.
 TiIIman's Questions.
 You were naval aide to the President what were your duties?' asked MT. Till man.
 Chiefly to attend functions at the White House" The commander began but he was interrupted by MT. Tillman who said:
 Tn uniform, just as an ornament?''
 .Oh, no. sir; not at all, the witness replied. "The naval aide goes with the President on trips to visit ships on voyages He is a sort of an attendant"
 MT. Martin wanted to know If the aide Is not expected to advise the Pres ident in regard to the naval programme and other matters.
 If the President had a young officer in that capacity his advice would be re- sented by other officers I think" said the commander
 Chairman Hale questioned Commander Key about the work he had done while naval aide to the President, in endeavor- ing to promote the chances for naval personnel legislation.
 My efforts were purely personal. and had no connection with my duties at the White House. the commander said. 1T did not think that in being aide to the President I had lost my personal friend ship"
 But you do think such duties lessened your infiuence?' asked Mir. Hale.
 My work was entirely with officess and not with congressman the witness replied.
 Personnel Campaign.
 Senator Tillman called attention to tho campaign conducted by midshipmen for the personnel bill. and Commander Key denied that he was responsible for that campaign.
 The witness explained his reasons for believing that 1t was not necessary to ex- tend the armor belt more than five feet below the actual water line, and the advisability of having the remainder of the armor above the water line. He criti- oised number of the American ships on the ground that the free board was in- sufficient in heavy seas the effect being that the gun checks were so low that tho big guns could not be fired in such seas. He found flaws also in the turrets and hoists.
 Commander Key said that America is the only nation in the world that has hung onto'' the type of hoist which does not isolate the handling room from the guns
 Mir. 1illman was anxious to know who was responsible for this fact. and asked how long the American navy had per- sisted in keeping this type.
 Six Years of Danger.
 "six years, since the dangers of this hoist became positively known,' said the witness. Tn that time it has cost 15 lives"
 'Six years repeated MT. Tillman. That is one year less than MT. Roose- welt has been President. He came from the navy department and is supposed to know about these faults"
 Commander Key said that the 15 lives were unnecessarily sacrificed" but that the chief of ordnance has now asked for more than s2.0oo.O00 in order to correct the defects in the hoists.
 In concluding his testimony the com mander paid a great tribute to the Amer ican navy and especially the gunnery.
 "It is fine thing" he said. that a young man. green from farm In the west can be taken on ship now and drilled so that in three months he can make hit with one of the big guns every 70 seconds"
 The committee decided in executive ses- sion not to take further testimony con cerning the criticisms made of structural and to decide at another meet