The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-03-12
OUR yESSELSBETTER
Report Shows Warsisips to Be
Highly Efficient
Tie Senate Committee On Naval AZ
fairs Resumes the Hearing Into the
Subject Of Bxstieship Construction

was adduced before the Senate CON-
| nittee on naval affairs, which 10 in
vestigating the criticisms that the
ship construction, showing that the
location OF the armor belt of Arneri-
can battleshIps was too low On the
| other hand, letter from Secretary
| Metealf was read declaring it 10 be
the opinion Of the board Of eonstruc-
tion and Rear Admirals Evans and
Brownson that the armor belt lines of
the battleships Delaware and North
Dakota were right. The secretary in
his communicate took occasion to
declare that American battleships
were superior TO those Of any other
| navy. The witnesses were Lieuten-
ant Richard d. White, assistant in
speetor of target practice, and Rear
Admlrals George c. Remey and C.. +.
Goodrich. Lieutenant White was the
| first TO take the stand. In reference
to the location of the armor belt, he
said that If it were possible for a ship
TO get into action at the designed load
draft, the present location would be
about right, but it was his observa-
ton that the ships had greater drafts
than those designed. He thought the
drafts would be still greater under
war conditions. His opinion was the
same as that of Commander Sims,
who is the inspector of target prac-
tice. Concerning the construction of
turrets, he said that safety demands
that the turret proper shall be struc-
turally separate from the ammuni-
ton handling room. The two-stage
hoist is one way to effect this, but
he thought it might be possible to
| construct direct hoist so that the
handling room could be isolated. He
| preferred the two-stage hoist and de-
clared that the shutters now in use in
the direct hoist are "most ineffi-
cient. - Describing the shutter he
said it is SO constructed that grains
Of powder could easily get through
the slit for the lift rope in the event
| of an accident overhead.
Chairman Hale read letter from
Secretary Metcalf stating that after
| the plans for the battleships Della
ware and North Dakota had been ap-
proved, an officer lieutenant Com
mander HilD had recommended that
| the armor belt should be raised 80
inches. The department referred this
| criticism to the board on construc-
ton and the original designs were
declared to be right. The officer made
rejoinder and the matter. was then
referred to Rear Admirals Brownson
and Evans, who also declared that
the belt was correctly located. Sec
rotary Netcalf called attention to the
| fact that the Delaware and North
Dakota are to be equipped with the
| two-stage hoists, and "there is no
ground for further contention as to
the location Of the armor belt" An
swering general criticisms, Secretary
Metcalf said: "Our ships are not
inferior, type for type, in their own
period of construction to vessels Of
other navies. On the contrary [ con-
cur in opinion expressed that our
ships are superior
Rear Admiral George c. Remey, re-
tired, told the committee he would
locate the armor belt with reference
to the proper load water line when
the ship is equipped to go into battle.
He though it the duty of COM
mander of battleship to have full
stores on board if possible, in going
into battle. He excepted coal, but
| thought the bunkers should be at
| least two-thirds full. He said he
never had believed in the open tur-
ret and thought the guns should be
| completely isolated from the ammu
milton handling rooms. He said he
had no hesitancy in endorsing the in
terrupted hoist. He opposed sacrifc-
ing safety for rapidity Of fire.
Double Murder in Virginia.
Roanoke, Va, Special.-At dance
near Swards Creek, in Russell coun-
| ty, Sunday night, Fred Dye, young
white man, shot and killed John
Muller and George Call, also white.
Dye escaped, but was captured and
| taken back to Swords Creek. 1t be-
came evident that lynching was be-
ing planned by the friends of the
dead men and an engine was taken
from Riehlands with a posse Of men
and Dye was carried to Cleveland, a
distance Of Is miles, from which
place he was carried through the
country to the county Jail at Leba-
non.