The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-04

WASHINGTON, d, C., March 3.-tour,
naval officers. all experts in turret con-
struction and ammunition, to-day tes-
titled before the Senate Naval Com
mittee in defense of the American Navy
against all forms of detractions. Three
OF the witnesses-Professor P. r. AL
ger, instructor In mathematics at the
Naval Academy, and member of the
special board on turrets; Commander
f. L. Fletcher and Lieutenant Com
mander V. o. Chase-spoke in detail
concerning turret accidents and the
methods that have been adopted to
make the turrets safe. None of these
officers seemed to think there was
great danger from the direct hoist If
some changes were made to provide
more effective screening between the
ammunition handling room and the big
guns.
Professor Alger defended the An,erl-
can Navy against the criticism made
bya Commander Sims that poor marks
manship was shown at Santiago. He
declared that American gunnery was
as good as that in any navy at that
time, and that at the present time
there was no navy in the world that
would surpass the American in straight
shooting. Lieutenant-Co Commander Jo-
seph Stratus testified In regard to gov
eminent powder manufacture. Rear
Admiral Cowles. chief of the Bureau Of
Equipment, tomorrow will tell of the
explosion on The Missouri. He was
lin command of that vessel when this
explosioa, the worst in the history Of
the American Navy. occurred.
Professor p X. Alger, who was for
fourteen years attached to the Bureau
l n NJ ali e. l,a
excellence of American turret construc-
ton. He described the Missouri acci-
dent, and said that never again will
| fire get into the magazines in that
manner, for the copper flaps covering
the apertures, through which powder is
passed, are always kept In place.
Professor Alger commented on the
! gunnery at Santiago, and said that
since that time there had been "a re-
vival Of gunnery," due largely to Com
mander Simss campaign for the in
Istallation of the telescope sights for
big guns. which were adopted from the
British He said the guns were all
fright at Santiago, but the men had
mot learned how to shoot them. He
asserted, however at that time, no
other navy knew how to shoot. and
that no navy could shoot better than
the American Navy at the present time
The finding of foreign substances
in sacks of powder, put up as charges.
was explained by Professor Alger. who
said that such gross carelessness" was
not possible now because since the APP
polntment of Admiral Converse as chief
OF the Bureau Of Ordnance, system OF
Inspection had been inaugurated.
The discovery OF scraps of iron. frag.
ments of wood and in once case,
loaded revolver cartridge, was due t,
the practice Of having officers OF
board ship weigh loads OF powder. II,
had heard of only three instances on
of thousands of sacks of powder wher
foreign matter had been found.
Lieutenant Commander JOSEPH
straus. on duty at the proving groun,
at Indian Head testified as to TIL
cost OF government manufacture o
I, powder The plant at Indian Hea,
turns out $500 pounds Of powder
I day at cost of about 45 cents pc
! pound.
Lieutenant-C Commander Chase, OF tn,
| Bureau of Ordnance. explained in de
] tail the changes being made In turre
construction with View to safeguard
ing against accidents,
Commander f. r., Fletcher, nava
expert on the subject OF turret con
struction and particularly on the sub
Il JeCg VI ucSidIcl
| that Rear Admiral Converse had givel
an excellent description Of turrets an,
hoists.
'"rhe American device of straight
hoist" he said. us similar to flve-siXth.
OF all the HOSTS In use, and therefore
are not the senseless experiments some
critics have charged" All that Is rn
qulred to make them safe he thought
is to provide proper screens between
the guns and the handling rooms
Hinder the present system, he asserted
There Ii no danger whatever "a thu
powder magazines.
He said that there had been fort,
or fifty accidents In the French an'
lother foreign navies where powder ha'
burned In the handling rooms OF ship
without causing explosions. He agree
+ with Admirals Converse. Capps AM
Mason, that the turrets can be mad
safe at a comparatively small cost.
Senator Perkins questioned Com
IL mander Fletcher about the Statement
y lof Commander Sims that the Ameri
4 can navy at Santiago gave q poor eN
hibition OF aarksmanshin. The witnes