Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-26
HEIGHT OF ARM0R BELTS
Reuterdahl's Criticism a Rehashing
of Ancient Questions.
AMERICAN VESSELS PRAISED
Compare Favorably With Those Of
Foreign Make-Recent Charges
Pronounced Absurd.

Rear Admiral W aShlngtOn Lee IdppS
chief constructor of the navy. today ap
peared before the Senate committee or
naval affairs and replied to the recent
magazine article written by Henry Reu
| terdahI in criticism of the construction
| of American battleships. He went ove1
practically the same ground covered b!
Rear Admiral Converse. retired, who wal
a witness yesterday. He discussed tech
nically the alleged defects pointed out BY
Reuterdahl and asserted that the Ameri
can ships are the equal of ships of an,
| navy of the world. Comparisons be-
tween the United States navy and foreign
| navies, ship for ship. he said. were favor
able to American naval architecture from
every point of view.
| Taking up the character of the Reuter-
dahl article. Admiral Capps said that 81
| far as they concern ship design the mos
| serious charges made were of insufficient
eeboard by which. is meant height from
water line to deck; insufficient gun height
| and improper location of main line armol
belts. He said these subjects had beer
treated by the writer as II a discovery
had been made. when, as a matter of fact
these questions have been the subject Of
the closest study and experiment fol
many years by naval designers of ever!
country. 1t was shown by the admira
that twenty years ago these subjects were
just as important as they are now, for
he said. the set did the same things tC
the freeboard or gun heights then as II
does today
.ficiency Of Protected Deck.
During the discussion Of the distribution
Of the armor belt Senator Tillman asked
a number of questions intended to bring
out the value of the protected deck, inside
armor belt. The theory was that II q
she'll penetrated the armor plate at a
slight incline II would be detected up
ward by the armor of the protected deck
but Admiral Capps declared that this
theory had been exploded.
I'VE have reached the conclusion from
our experiments he said that all ef-
forts should be directed in keeping the
shell out. In other words. all the armor
FORM
'1n other words, put it all on the out
side?" rema rked Mr.. Tillman.
Exactly, for if a she'll goes through
eleven inches of armor it will explode
anyway. The protected deck would not
be a protection at all"
Height of Freeboard.
In regard to the height of the freeboard
the admiral said the fact that in the Dread
nought class in Great Britain. and the
Delaware class in the United States, the
forward freeboard has been made one
deck higher than the previous class does
not indicate that the latter was too low.
They are just right for their type" he
said. THE Delaware is made high for
ward because she is designed on finer
lines, much longer. and for greater speed,
which. of course. casts the spray higher.
No increase has been made in the free
board except al the bow.
The statement was made by Admiral
Capps that during the five hours firing In
the fight of the Sea of Japan the rapidity
of firing from big guns OF Japanese I YES
sells was only one-fourth of that main
!! tanned by. the American navy during re-
cent target practice.
Height of Armor Belt.
When Admiral Converse resumed his
statement at yesterday afternoon ses-
sion Mr. Hale directed his attention to
that portion of the Reuterdahl article
which criticised American vessels for
having their armor belt submerged, while
foreign vessels are constructed with the
belt above the water line. 1t was shown
that the comparison made by Mr.. Reuter-
dahl was between American vessels
loaded down for a long voyage and for
eign vessels in fighting trim. He claimed
that American vessels would be In no
better condition than the Russian battle
ships were when they went into battle
with the Japanese.
strips for it, replied the admiral. "He
doesn't go in with overcoat on and carry
ing unnecessary baggage. Ships act the
same way. They don't go into battle
with their bunkers full of coal. as, Ro-
jestvensky did. When our ships sailed foI
trim. They were loaded down for a
long voyage.
Rear Admiral Capps interrupted to say
that with bunkers full of coal for lone
voyage there is not a battieship IN the tne
United States Navy that would have less
than eleven inches of her armor belt
above water Admiral Converse Endorsed
that statement
Il think that entirely refutes Mr.. Reu-
terdahrs charge remarked Senator
Perkins.
Il thinksso certainly" added Chairman
Hale "One lesson we learn from all this
is that naval power which nights al
home has a tremendous advantage" saiC
Mr.. Hale.
I'VE would never get into battle ir
| these DAYS of wireless telegraphy with.
| out getting three or four days notice,
| replied Admiral Converse.
Best Glass Of Warships.
! Gaming attention 10 pdtlieSihpS oI LIN
South Carolina type. Mr.. Hale asked Ad
miral Converse il he would not be willing
to take his chance on such a ship In en-
gaging any type Of ship afioat.
Yes" replied the admiral with posi-
tiveness. He added that he considered the
South Carolina type the best class o,
! lighting snip of any navy.
Then why pay four or five million dol
| lars more for vessels of the Delaware
| cIass?" asked Mr. Perkins.
ITO keep pace with other nations" re-
piled the admiral.
Exactly" said Chairman Hale. 'Othe,
countries are building bigger ships, 81
| we want them.
Completely Equipped Fleet.
Admiral Converse supported the state
ment made recently by Chairman Hale
| that never before. in the history Of the
world. has there been such completed,
equipped fleet as that which the Unitet
| States sent to the Pacific.
| 1t was charged in the Reuterdahl article
| that there is dearth of torpedoes In the
| navy.
| This criticism was met by Admiral Con
| verse saying that the Whitehead torpedo
was designed for use at 500 yards. and
| that battle would not be given now under