The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-02-28

Washington, February 26.-JuSt how
| for the senate committee on naval
affairs will go into criticisms of bat
| tleship construction will be determined
at an executive session tomorrow.
During the afternoon session today
Rear Admiral Washington Lee Capps,
chief constructor of the navy, con-
Guided his statement in reply to and
| in refutation of the Reutehdahl charges
and it was agreed to call tomorrow
Rear Admiral Mason, chief Of the
bureau of ordance, to meet the criti-
cisms made by Mr. Reuterdahl, Of tur
ret construction and ammunition
hoists.
Chairman Hale read to the COM
mittee letter received from Colonel
Is. L. Mcclure, suggesting that Lieu
tenant Commander Vogelgesang, whom
he designated as an expert in regard
to tarrets, and Lieutenant Commander
Hill, as an expert in the proper d1strt-
button of armor plate, be called as
witnesses. Colonel Mcclure stated ex-
f,'icitly that neither of these officers
had in any manner contributed TO Une
article. Ar- Hale said that
he deemed the request entlray proper
and that he had but given assurance
shat the ofTiaars would be called. Both
are now in Washington, Lieutenant
Commander VogelgeSaag beng In
command OF tae MayfoSer, tamillari!
known rs Presidents Roosevelt s yacht
It practically has been settled that
al. officers of the navy whose names
have, been corZ!ected With the recent
of conaFuctiOn small be call
I'd. md that Co,odef Mcclure also saalI
be sfven opportunity to appear isad
malss' statement
In concluding his testimony Rear
Admiral Capps shaved that the pro'1-
sion Of the naval appTopriat5on act oI
1906, requiring the department. 10 re-
ceive plans and specifications 70 pat
tlesihi Hg from privsare naval @Erch1tecCs
had been complied witn In the cases
of the two big ships of the Delaware
class, tie largest yet authorized oE
the Urrited States. Mine designs were
received outside of those prepared un--
der department supervision.
During the discussion OF the distrl-
hutton of the ar1nor BELT Senator l1il--
man asked 8 number OF questions IN
tended to bring out the value OF the
rotected deck and inside arm0T Deit.
The theory was that II sne1f pene-
rated the armor plate at slight IN
line it would be DETECTED upward by
the armor of the protected deck, put
Admiral Capps declared that this
,heory has been exploded.
1--WE have reached the conclusion
from our experiments" he said, that
I'll efforts should be directed in keep
:ng the shell out In other words, all
he armor should be put ON the ship
N verticular form"
"In other words, put 1T all ON the
outsider remarked Mr.. TiI1man.
Exactly, for if a shell goes through
| eleven inches of armor 1t VIII explode
anyway. The protected deck would
not be a protection ae all"
| In rgard TO the height Of free board
the admiral said the fact that in the
! Dreadnought class in Great Britain
and the Delaware class in the United
States, the forward free zoard mas
iNoen made one deck higher than the
Iprevious class does not indicate +n"'
1.-The latter was too low. "They are just
light for their type" he said. The
delaware is made higher because sht
lis designated on finer lines, mucf
longer, and for greater speed. whicf
of course casts the spray higher. NJ
increase has been made in the rre'
board except at the bow"