The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-11-30
.REUTERDAHL SAYS
CAPPS IS PARTLY
RESPONSIBLE
NAVAL EXPERT CRiTlCiZEs CON.
STRUCTiON BUREAU - AMERi-
CAN SHIPS ARE FAULTY, HE
SAYS.

NEW YORK, Nov. 3O.-Repiylng ID
Chief Constructor Capps, OF the navy
department. who denounced the critics
Of the construction bureau OF the navy,
In Chicago, recently. Henry Reuter-
Cahl, the naval expert, says that Ad-
miral Capps is portly responsible 70:
the defective features OF battleships
In the American fleet. Mr.. Reuter-
dahl severely criticizes Admirals
Schley and Evans. wbS. Admiral
Caps. said believed tie American
waTships ARE among the best affoat
Mr.. Reuterdahl declares that Admiral
Schley has never served on a modern
battle ship: that Admiral Evans, a
year before his statement upholding
the naval construction bureau. point
ed out defects in certain American
batlleships.
MIR. Reuterdahis statement follows:
The bureau system has been under
fire steadily for three years and the
fire will continue until the navy de-
partment Is reorganized on a military
basis. The public by this time real
ICES thatm illions and millions of dol
lars have been misspect. and that our
ships, although In many ways they
excel their original designs, have been
faulty constructed.
The pressure OF public opinion has
accomplished the reforms that the
bureaus opposed and we reached the
astonishing conclusion that the bureau
system. for the sake Of hiding It's own
shortcomings, would sacrifice the well
fare of the whole navy and possibly
the chance Of winning in war
Capps RESPONSIBLE.
'At recent banquet in Chicago
the chief constructor, Mr. Caps, one
of those responsible for the faults In
our later ships, marshaled the retired
Cfficers and from some of them OBJ
tanned laudations OF his own product
Rear Admiral Schley declared that the
criticisms which came from his bro
other officers OF actual sea experience,
on modern vessels. and which they de-
cared to be founded on facts, were
unjust and untrue. Admiral Schley
has never served on u modern battle
chip.
March 6, 1908, Read Admiral Evans
as commander-in-c chief of the North
Atlantic feet, while en- route to the
Pacific, signed the report based upon
the recommendations Of the command
Ing officer OF the ships in the feet
calling the secretarys attention t.
construction mistakes in the various
ships.
Less than a year later, after his
retirement from active service. Admir-
al Evans says all thesec riticlsms are
unjust, misleading and silly. Ii so
happens that the public criticisms
were absolutely identical with those
In
report. II becomes a matter for con-
gress TO find out whether an omcer
like Admiral Evans can SO completely
change his mind.
The result Of the Newport confer
ence was the final thrust at the
bureau system-it was the proof that
the four newest battleships, worth
$4,000, 900, are defective In design
Had . board OF real seagoing ofl-
GERS been allowed to formulate the
characteristics OF these ships previous
10 the drafting OF the plans they would
have been the most perfect fighting
machines the world has ever seen.
President Commended.
I'm the Newport conference. Pres
ident Roosevelt again helped the navy.
and II was only through him that the
conference became possible. The In
side story of the conference Is one or
the darkest pages In the history or
reform. 1t will be remembered that
the president ordered several younger
officers to be In attendance. These
men were not affiliated with bureau
interests, and they believed In calling
THE president demanded that every
officer should vote by name on each
question coming before the body, and
declared that he would review the
findings. Ii was this which made the
conference accomplish results and noi
q whitewashing investigation.
There is only one stop to it-and
that Is the complete reorganization
Of thedepartment. II Is understood
that President Roosevelt will present
q message to congress asking agair
for its reorganization.
when the department Is reorgan-
ized Il will become necessary to md
out who Is to blame for the past. IL
will become necessary TO inquire
whether Chief Constructor Caps. the
only man in the board OF construction
who possesses technical knowledge
Is not primarily responsible for the
armor belt. which is below water. and
for the low gun positions OF ships de-
signed In his term OF ONCE. and FOR
the mistakes in the last four new
battleships."