The San Francisco call., 1908-03-11
ARMOR BELT TOO
Low IS CONTENTION
Two-thirds Supply Cargo Would
Submerge All Ships Too
Much, Says Officer

WASHINGTON, March 10.-That there
are serious defects in the construction
Of American battleships was charged
today by Captain G. MGR. Winslow as
sistant chief of the bureau of naviga-
tion of the navy department., and
Commander A L. Key former naval
aid to President Roosevelt. The for
mer officer said the ships under Ad-
miral Evans were all overdraft when
they left Hampton roads.
Winslow defended Admiral Rojest-
vensky for taking the Russian ships
into battle with the Japanese with
full bunkers of coal saying that the
Russian commander could not have
done otherwise. for he did not know
how far he would be compelled to
steam.
Captain Winslow. who was the first
witness, in defending the Russian ad-
miral. used the fate of the Russian
feet as an illustration of the danger
of going into action with the armor
belt too far under water At the same
time he said that the ships should
carry at least two thirds their capac-
ity of coal and full ammunition and
stores. He said that two-thirds sup
ply of all stores would make all
American battleships too low. and
therefore the armor belts should he
raised. He could not state the exact
amount, as he said it would vary on
the different ships.
ION what ships now under comma nd
OF Admiral Evans is the armor belt
misplaced?' asked Senator Burrows.
| "All of them
Misplaced because it is tooslow?"
Because it is too low"
Continuing, Winslow said that .ne
armor belt extended feet below water
on all of the ships in Evans flee,
when it left Hampton roads. and most
/ of them showed less than a foot OF
armor above the water line. He said
| that with two-thirds supply of coal
and two thirds of all other stores or
Board the armor belt of all the Ameri.
can battleships would be too far below
the water line. This would be the
condition in which the ships would &c
] into battle he said.
EXPLOSION ON MASSACHUSETTS,
Captain winslow gave his expert
ence as a member of the board whicf
| inquired into the causes of the explo.
sion on the Massachusetts in 903. II
that case 1t was found that the damage
! was due to the open turret and the
ineffectiveness of the direct hoist.
Naval officers had predicted thai
just such accidents would occur ant
the fault should have been corrected
them said Winslow.
What officer had pointed out tn,
danger" asked Tillman.
In 1902 1 received a personal lette
from Commander Sims criticising th,
Kearsarge and the Kentucky, and say
ing that there was great danger in tn,
turrets," replied Winslow. He added
that this information had been givei
to the department. He said he die
not know where to fix the responsi
bility for the failure to correct th,
fault unless it was In the fact tha
there was constant change in the de
partment through frequently shifting
civilian secretaries
Commander A. L. Key, formerly ma
val aid to the president, was the mex
. witness He began by stating tina
he had duty to perform not entirsl,
agreeable as his testimony would no
be approved at the navy department
ARMOR BELTS
! The witness took up the subject o
armor belts He said the belts shoul,
not be placed around a fictitious waite
line but should be located with regar,
to the actual line when a vessel i
equipped for action. He criticised tn
speed tests OF battleships and declares
that the vessels run so light that TIL
test is of no value in ascertalning th
actual speed of vessel when carryin,
full armament, crew and stores.
why should contractors be per
mitted to bamboozle the country wit
these fictitious speed tests?" aske
Senator Tillman.
They should not. That is just wha
have been trying to show reptile
Commander Key.
,