The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-06-11

WORLD VOYAGE
BATTLESHIPS
Suffered no Material Injury
From the Trip.
Report That the Sixteen Vessels
Are Practically Wrecked a
Malicious Falsehood.


clipping containing extracts from
an article reprinted from a New York
paper in which it is stated that the
that the voyage around the world
practically wrecked the ships which
took part. in IT, and that the pres
emit extensive alienation to the up
per works of the ships is being done
to remedy certain serious deAects that
were discovered during the cruise. Our
correspondent asks TO be told whether
the fats are as stated.
The facts are rot as stated; nor is
there a word of truth in the whole
story. We would not take the trou-
BILE to refer to this false criticism
were it not that the report seems to
have originally emanated from Wash
ington, and to have sprung from the
same source and the same city from
which has come so much OF the de-
structive criticism of our navy during
the past two years.
How maliciousiy untrue is this sto-
ry is shwon by the fact that the six
been battleships that made the cruise
returned in absolutely firgt-class con-
ditdon, and that the repairs which
are strictly chargeable to the cruise
are a mere bagatelle as compared with
the annual cost of maintaining the
ships for the same period of time.
At the New York yard there are at
the present time for overhauling, the
battleships Rhode Island, Nebraska,
Connecticut, and Ohio. The repairs
on these ships that are traceab1e to
regular repairs incidental to the pc
riodical oyerhaulirg, will not average
over $4,000 for each batt,eship. This
low figure, be il remembered, covers
continuous srevice for a period of
over a year, and ON course that
reached $4,000 miles through the sew
en- seas. The cost of maintaining a
battleship in Commission during brdi-
nary service, for one year, is about
100000; and that such extraordinarily
severe service should have involved
so small an extra cost for repairs
must be considered a most credttab,e
record, and high tribute to the
excellence of the ships. The most
conspicuous evidence of wear and
tear was in the Mno,eum with which
the steel decks are covered; and this
was due to the coating and ceeseless
tramping to and fro Incidental to
the multtudious duties of life at
sea.
The structural changes, which are
almost entirely confined to the up
per works, are net in any sense due
TO lessons learned during the voy-
age, and certainly they are not to be
regarded as 'remedying of glaring
defects and suddenly revealed weak
nesSes." AS a matter Of fact, the
work was recognized as advisable long
before the fleet started on the cruise.
The principal changes are the remov-
al of bridges, the taking out of the
old military masts and the substitu-
tion for them of the new circular lat
tioework mssts for carrying the fire.
control platforms. The alter bridge
and its associated armored signal tow
er have been removed, ard the for
weird bridge has been greatly cut
down. The extensions OF thfs bridge
on each side OF the coming tower.
are now go arranged that they can
be quickly removed In time of bat
tie, the captain OF the ship being
bencetorth compelled to take his sta
'tion within the coming tower, where
he properly becocgs. By the removal
OF top hamper 1t will be possible for
the captain to command the horizon,
except through that arc OF 1t which
Is shut out by the smokestacks.
This change will remove one more
OF the picturesque and populer epd-
sodes of the earlier days of sea fight
ing. The captain viii no longer fight
his ship from the flying bridge and
in the open. The coming tower was
built for him, and due regard for
the issues OF the battle demands THAT
he rmeain within It, 1t was the
death of Admdraa Without OF the
"Czarevitch" that threw the Russian
line into disorder In THE great sor'tie
from Port Arbhur, at the vey time
when the chances of shaking off the
japanese seemed favorable The cap
tain of ore OF Tine baatleshdps,s In
that fight told us that THE Admired
was struck by shell. as he was
Leaning with fcidsd arms upon the rail-
ing of the bridge wetohing tire Japan
ese hne. That shot also wrecked the
conniug tower. 1t is true, but the lat
er was OF design which would not
be considered in our own navy.
In addition to the removal of top