Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-10
METCALF SAYS NAVY
IS As GOOD AS ANY
Declaration Made 10 a Letter
Which He Wrote 10 IRveslI-
calling Committee.
QUESTION or ARH0R BELT LOCATION
officero on the Stand Yesterday Be-
ieve That the Armor on the Della
ware and North Dakota viii be We'll
Located-ships Are Good But Could
be Better.

| WASHINGTON. D. c.. March o.
Testimony was ndduced today before
the Senate committee on naval affairs
which is Investigating the criticisms
of battleship construction, showing
that the location of armor belt OF
American Lnttleships was too low. On
the other hand u letter from Secretary
AIctcalf was read declaring Il TO he
the opinion of the board of construc-
tion and Rear Admirals Evans and
Brown that the armor belt lines of the
battleships Delaware and North Da-
kota were right.
The secretary, in his communica.
ton took occasion to declare that Am
'orican battleships were superior TO
British or to those of any other navy.
The witnesses today were Lieutenant
Richard D. White, assistant Inspector
OF target practice. and Rear Admiral
George c. Remcy, and C. F. Goodrich.
Lieutenant White was the first to
take the stand. In reference TO the
location OF the armor belt he sail
that If it We're possible for n ship to
! get into action with the desired load
ldraft the present location would be
about right. but It was his ohserva-
ton that the ships had greater drafts
than those designated. He thought
the drafts would be still greater under
war conditions.
His opinion was the same as that OF
Commander Sims, who Is the inspec-
tor OF target practice. Concerning
the construction of turrets. he said
| that safety demands that the turret
proper shall be structurally separate
from the ammunition handling rooms
The two stage hoist is one way to eff
feet this but he thought 1t might be
possible to construct direct hoist so
that the handling room could tie iso-
lated. He perferred the two stage
hoist and declared that the shutters
now in. use in the direct hoist q
| most inefficient"
| Discussing the shutter. he said that
it is so constructed that grains of
powder can easily get through the
slit for the lift rope in the event of an
accident overhead.
SecDrtary MeteaFs Letter.
Chairman Hale read letter from
Secretary Metcalf. stating that as to
the plans for the battleships Delaware
and North Dakota. Commander Hill
had recommended that the armor belt
should he raised 80 inches.
The denartemnt referred this criti
cism to the board of construction and
the designs were declared to be right.
The officer made rejoiner ard the,
matter was then referred to Rear Ad-
mirals BrowDson and Evans. who al
80 declared that the belt was correct
ly located.
Secretary Metcalf called attention
to the fact that the Delaware and
hNorth Dakota are to be equipped with
the two stage hoists. and there is no
ground for further contention rs to
the location of the armor belt"
| Answering general criticism. Score
tarv Metcalf said: "Our ships are not
inferior type for type in their own
period of construction to vessels of
other navies."
Rear Admiral George C. Remey re.
tired. told the committee he would To-
cate the armor belt with reference
to the proper load water line when
the ship Is equipped to go into battle
He thought it. the duty of comman-
der of battlcshiD to have full stores
on board if possible in going into bat
tie. He excepted coal, but thought
the bunkers should be at least two
thirds full. He said he never had
believed in the open turret and
thought the guns should he complete.
~ isolated from the ammunition
handling rooms. He said he had no
hesitency in endorsing the interrupted
hoist. lie opposed sacrificing safety
for rapiditv of fire.
Rear Admiral C. F. Goodrich. com
mandant of the New York navy ward.
who said in an interview after the
publication of the Reuterdahl article.
that he had called attention before
TO such defects as were alleged by
Ruterdahl. asserted that he believed
the American ships to be good. but
that they could be made better. He
was asked by Mr. Hale IL he would
subscribe TO Reuterdahls statement
that if our ships went into action
Al 4 A.