New-York tribune., 1908-11-24
ADMIRALS TO CRITICS
B4TTLESHIPS PRAISED.
Descey, Schley and Exams GiUe Their
ViezcS.

Chicago Nov Z3.-Critics of the navy VINO con-
denim warships because OF minor defects were pub
lcly answered at dinner given by the United
States Naval Academy alumni of the West tonight
Six rear adirals attended the dinner at the AUDI
torium Hotel, and letters denouncng recent critics
and praisug the navy were read from AdmiraI
George Dewey, Rear Admiral Schley and Rear Ad-
miraI r. D. Evans. Tie rear admiralS present
were Washington L. Capps. chief constructor of
the navy; Albert Ross, Willard II. BroWnson.
Francis J. Higgnson, French z. Chadwick ana
James H. Dayton.
Rear Admiral Capps, after alluding briefly to the
development of battleshiDs and declaring that the
vessels of this country were fully abreast OF the
times said: II shall refer you to the opinions OF
three of the most distinguished officers VINO NAYS
commanded fleets in our own or any other
navy. Each of these opinions was "Fltteh III 4S
sponse TO a request"
Admiral Dewey's letter follows in part
or the batttleships designed during the last five
years have spoken, and snail contnue 10 sgeaA. a.
Michigan the North Dakota and that ct9ss are. IN N
M ogniSn equal in n value TO any 8d ths s boz
iieyc, the general naval verdict upon their power
The fleet Of batteships now going around the
world, and received everywhere with SO mucn nos
pitality and enthusiasm. which hospitality ana en-
thpsiasm are EVIDENCES OF respect LOT tae eT p"ss
OF % good i@Ges @ & are % big IGT The f as
commonly estimated, OF a b8tteship In the hrst
Battleship building IS one Of the most progressive
but the vessels which have recently been received
with such marked consideration in South America.
New Zealand Australia, Japan and China are ., the
3d s9da6 T5 an off their saperoP That this
has been the estimate placed upon them by foreign
nowhere in the world to-day fleet of sixteen bat
tleships Of greater fighting strength
Rear Admiral schley said. in part:
take exception 10 much Of the adverse criti-
many of the defects adverted to were incident to
the time and type when those vessels were were COP
str pH
centage of the war vessels of every other power.
But the inference sought 10 oe rs tp IN
foreign navtes, is unfair, untrue and unpatrlouc.
PRESIDENTS PRAISE OF EVANS.
After reading these letters Rear Admiral Capps
said:
While It would unquestonably be possible to
officers similar in tenor TO those Just given re-
9ceF Is m one VINO has served as commander in
chief of modern fleets for a longer period than
officer OF whom the President Of the United States
expressed himself in the following terms in let
Your career has been one that has reflected
honor upon the entire American people ana II IL
those which divided the period OF the rowing gal
the great sailing ships Of the line that formed
the fleets Of Blake and Nelson, OF Iromp ana De
Ruyter and Suffren. While still one Of the young
est officers in the navy, in the assault at Fort
Fisher at the close Of the Civil War you won won with
yet bear; and you ended your career as the rear
stage the great battleshp fleet which Is at this mo-
ment engaged in making the longest voyage ever
undertaken by any such feet OF any nation You
have shown the qualities of courage and honor
and trained efficiency which we are glad to De
lieve typical of the American navy: and nope
your book Will be widely read throughout all the
country, for II cannot but tend IN favor or
glowing ard lofty patriotism
OF course, there is no doubt to whom tho
President referred to in the foregoing viii read
the letter from Rear Admiral Evans
am glad you are going to Chicago to dine with
the Naval Academy men there, for believe you can
do the service much good by giving the men you
will the banquet the facts to our present
condition. After experience with our fleet which
few men have had am convinced that our ships
taken q whole are equal to or superior to those
built by any other country. OF course, our first
ships are the equals of the last foreign ships
date for dst Of design they are the equals of any
except in the Of latest designed ships
where great superiority of ours is beyond ques-
tIon AS fighting machines designs Of the last
few years show great advantages over anything
proposed abroad. | have made 1t my business TO
study the recent criticisms OF our navy published
in various magazines and papers, and have
words with which to tell you how unjust. mislead-
ing and silly they II the results OF the
NeypOrt conference become known. think that
Won will find that majority of the officers agree
with me- hope you will make all this plain to the
splendid men you will meet In Chicago, for am
sure that when they understand 1t they will make
their influence felt.