The state herald., 1908-02-21
UNCLE SANS
WAR VESSELS
REPORT OF Admiral CONVERSE
ANSWERS HOSTILE
CRITICISMS.
OUR FLEET DEFENDED
PERSONNEL OF NAVY FIRST
CLASS AND ARMAMENT is
UNSURPASSED.

Washington.-By direction of the
President, Secretary Metcalf has made
public the report of Admiral Converse
on the fighting ships of the American
navy, called forth by many criticisms
recently published in magazines and
otherwise. This report was prepared
primarily to satisfy the President as
TO the exact state of our navy ships
compared with those of other navies,
and its publication is authorized with
the design to reassure the American
sailors as to the quality of weapons
with which they must go into battle
Admiral Converse characterizes the
criticisms as prepared by persons
whose knowledge of tine subjects dis
cussed was limited and incorrect"
There was, he says. ample justification
for the adoption of the battleship de-
signs which have been followed.
1T is not claimed that mistakes have
not been made" he adds, "or that our
ships are without faults, but in view
Of the then state of the art of battle
ship building this fact is not to be
wondered at. 1t Is remarkable that
the mistakes were so few and that
none were really serious. In this re-
spect our record will compare favor
ably with that of foreign services"
In the ninety.one pages which the
admiral devotes TO the defense OF the
navy, the subjects dealt with include
battle drills. freeboard of American
ships, height OF gun positions, torpedo
defense guns, battleship armor, turret
designs. ammunition hoists. in and out
turning screws. the Kearsarge and
Kentucky and general notes. His en-
phatic conclusion is:
Our ships are not inferior to those
in foreign services"
I'VE have" he says, made com.
promises In our designs OF battleships.
because IL is impossible TO construct
a perfect battleship; such comprom-
ises have. perhaps detracted from the
desired perfect ships In some respects.
but at the same time have made II pos
sible TO improve upon some other eN-
listing disadvantage, and, on the whole,
the compromises. each and all, have
tended towards nearer approach to
the desired perfect finnlity. Other ma
tions have labored and will, like our.
selves, continue to labor. under this
same difficulty In endoavoring TO ap-
proach as near ms possible 10 that i'm
possibility perfect battleship.
"The quality Of the material OF our
navy Ii inferior to none: In quantity
of vessels alone are we lacking. with
an Increase in number Of ships the Am
erican navy viii have been supplied
the only feature necessary to make It
second 10 none In all that tends TO.
ward fighting efficiency. And when
the stress OF actual combat. II such
should ever unfortunately come. brings
the only real practical test. our coun-
try need have no misgivings or fears,
but that our battleships will give an
excellent account of themselves. and
prove themselves all that we have de.
signed them for and know them TO be-"
The admiral says in treating our
battle drills that II was not until the
spring of 1908 that our new navy"
achieved the size OF a squadron
eight battleships: and not until last
spring that We acquired n feet-two
squadrons. II then for the first time
became possible 10 carry out feet tnc.
tics. These were begun In July. were
interrupted for target practice and re.
sumed again In the present voyage to
the Pacific coast. In this connection
the admiral remarks:
THE personnel of our navy, In ambi.
tlon and professional knowledge. lS
second TO none In the world"
II is admitted by the admiral that
the Indiana and Koarsargo classes THE
first bGttlcships Of the navy are too
low forward for efficient fighting NJ
sea In fairly heavy weather. but the
remainder Of our battlcshipa could
without doubt give n good account OF
themselves In n nght at sea In amy
weather In which II Is at all likely for
n feet TO engage"
The question presents the choice Of
being well armed and consequently
weighted lower In the water or being
lightly armed and setting high out. II
II stated 10 be the policy Of the Am.
eriean navy ito always have our yes.
..la artu.I h.fta. than .ttR -