The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-26
ANSWER ATTACK ON BATTLESHIPS Admirals at Head of Board of Construction Refute Charges in Recent
 Article.
WRITER NOW WITH FLEET
Naval Committee Apologies for Hav- ing Called Officers to Answer Charges of Such
 Character.

Washington, Feb. 25.-The experts in naval construction-Rear Admiral Con- verse, retired, president of the board of construction, and Rear Admiral Capps, chief of the bureau of con- struction and repair, were before the senate commttea on naval affairs to- day in the investigation of charges against the navy made by Henry Reu- terdahl in 8 recent magazine article. Copies of the article were supplied to each senator. The charges were taken up in the order they appeared in the article and at the conclusion of the ex- tended refutations by Admiral Con- verse it was stated by Senator Per klns that the apologies of the com mittee were due to the officers for having called them to answer such charges. Chairman Hale assented to this view and no member of the com mittce took issue.
 This incident at the conclusion of the first days proceedings is thought to indicate that the inquiry will be short. It has not been determined whether the committee will enter upon an in vestigation If any subject except those embraced in the criticisms of battle ship construction, but if other ques- tions are taken up 1t is certain no long continued discussion will be per- mitted. It is likely that the entire inquiry will be concluded before the naval appropriation bill is taken up.
 lo., ~r ,,,ta est in the testimony of Admiral Con- verse was that two of the charges made by Mir. Renterdahl were in lan- guage similar to that used by Lieut.. Commander Sims, naval aid tu the president. and Lieut.. Commander Hill, on duty with the general board of the navy, in articles which they prepared and submitted to the secretary of the navy at his request. He disclaimed any purpose to indicate that these articles of statements of these officers had been the inspiration for the Reuterdahl at tack upon the navy. Nevertheless these officers are to be called before the committee in the near future. Sec retary Metcalf also will be a witness. No decision has been reached as to what persons will be called as wit nesses outside of officers of the navy.
 Admiral Converse supported by Ad- miral Clapps was first called. He was designated by President Roosevelt as defender of construction methods, and material. He told of visits to foreign ports as commander of the battleship Illinois and of inspections of the ship made by Prince Henry of Prussia, and Lord Brassey, an emi- nent naval authority of Great Britain, both of whom practically declared the Illinois to be faultless.
 i MT. Hale called upon Admiral Con verse .o take mp the Reuterdabl ar l ticle and give his views Of the charges contained therein The admiral char acterized some of the articles as very ! unimportant." some to be 50 stated as to give wrong impressions" and some to be absolutely false"
 Reuterdahl was described as an artist, who had been employed by the navy department for time in design ! ing gun prize trophies, and 1t was stated that in that connection he had been with battleships in action on ! several occasions.
 Undoubtedly he had opportunities for seeing and conversing with off cers,' said the admiral, that few in his position would have"
 It was asserted that MT. Reuter- dahl had had no education as a naval officer
 Admiral Converse supported th' statement made recently by Chaifmdl Hale that never before in the histor, of the world has there been such completely equipped fleet as that whicl the United States sent to the Pacific In great detail the admiral explained i the American system of battleship con
 struction. which he declared to be tn best In existence. Incidentally tn
 statement amounts to a complete en riorsement of the bureau system of con
 struction He showed the part each o
 the bureaus played in the construction of baitleships, and their equipment and the care that is taken to mak
 up the personnel of these bureaus witt
 the best material in the navy from tn
 standpoint of experience and technica
 knowledge of the various branches
 Senators Martin. Perkins and Galfin
 ger laughingly suggested that Reuter-
 dahl. who is now with the Pacifi
 cruise. should he set off the fleet if
 convenient barren island could be foun
 in the Pacific ocean.