Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-27
EVANS BACKS CRITIC
Admiral Wrote Long Ago Thai The
APmOr Bell Was Too Low.
REPORT BOT MADE PUBLIC At TINE
Renterdah Says the Suggestion by
General Board, Which Were Not in
Evidence Before Committee. viii
Prevent Any Whltewashins.

| NEW YORK, March 2G.-lt became
known today that Admiral Evans put
on record last summer his opinion
that the armor belt on our battleshlps
Is too low, thus upholding the conten-
tion made by Henry Reuterdahl In HE
article in McCnre's Magazine. Mr..
Reuterdahl. who has just returned TO
this city from the battlesbip fleet.
talked today about this new turn IN
the naval controversy.
The statement OF Admiral Evans
was made in his letter to tho COM
manding officers OF the ships after lie
had been ordered to detail boards t.
determine what weights could be re-
moved from the battleships. This was
| his statement:
1T will be remembered that all our
ships are now of greater displacement
than that OF their original design. and
in consequence they not only have an
increased draught of water. but in
the case of armored ships their armor
jdraught, which leaves them. as far as
protection is concerned, but little bet
ter than armored cruisers"
This statement Is said to he on file
in the room OF the Senate committee
on naval affairs. as is also n similar
statement made in 1906 by the gener-
nj board of the navy, which recon-
mended reduction of weights on
battieships in order to raise the ar
NOR belt.
Reuterdahl's Comment.
Mr.. Reuterdahl in his interview to-
day said in part:
according to the public prints the
letter of Admiral Evans and GER
tain statement by the general boarll
! were not admitted as evidence by tho
Senate committee which has been in
vstigating certain constructive defects
of our navy. The publication OF It
will undoubtedly prevent any white
washing and help the country to as.
certain the absolute truth.
"As this report was part of the pub
lie proceedings It indicates the tenn
per of the other side In preventing It
being known. The existence OF Adj
miral Evans letter was pretty well
known 10 the service, and every ono
In the fleet was aware of the fact that
the hoard which was appointed to in
Ivesligate the conditions of the armor
belt had reported that the belts were
so low rs to be practically. IL not al.
lsolutely. useless in battle.
Criticisms Not Patriotic.
Tho question OF naval reform Is very
Iold. Certain tools were given our of.
ficers to fight with. They did not like
their tools, and they suggested i'm
provements. These suggestions vera
carefully studied documents. contain-
Ing an infinite amount of research
and information. They were written
in tho most patriotic spirit, and they
were meant for no other purpose then
to benefit the service.
Instead of being received as hon
est efforts to improve existing cordi-
lions they were tied mp with red tape.
md in most cases buried in dusty
pigeon hole. Had these suggestions
been accepted by the proper authori
ties our people would never, have
l'rcwn about our faults of construc-
ton. which already were we'll known
ID The foreigner. Bh; they were not.
lrstcad. all possible eisor.s were mada
- minimize the importance OF the
suggestions. and e1e-v one becar..
very busy to save his own face liz
stead OF Improving our ships. which,
were not up TO the sta'i l:rds set nv
the foreigner.
The Other Unpublished Report.
Tie general board OF the navy in
1906 officially recommended a reduc.
ton of weights on battleships, in or
der TO raise the armor belt, saying:
The military value of our com
pleted battleships will be much in
creased by any reduction of weights,
since. with few exceptions, they car.
ry their armor belts too low to pro :
tect the water line when they are
loaded for sea. That this defect
would be disastrous in action is shown
by the fate or the Russian batleships
in the battle of Tsushima.''
The Senate committee has not al.
lowed this piece of testimony to be.
come public. though 1t bears directly
on one of the important phases of Tho
investigation now being made.
At Full load Line.
The general board has rcported
each year to the secretary of the navy
its opinion that the water-line armor
belt should be disposed around the
full-load line in preference to the
normal water line" When making
their report for 1907. the members of
the board declared:
Normal displacements should not
be considered in connection with ques-
lions of armor distribution.
Belt armor should be- based on
full-load displacement and so dispos-
ed as to AFFORD adequate protection at
that draft
AT fnll-load displacement all OF
our battleships in commission have
the waterline belts awash or entirely
submerged. 1t therefore follows that