The San Francisco call., 1909-01-12
MANY fALS[HOODSIN
SENSATIONAL YARN
Author Turner Declares Things
FIatIy Controyerted by
Facts
Official Reports Prove Charges
Against Mare Island Are
Unf0unded
Continued From Page One


sells drawing IS feet inches have
gone safely through the channel
1t appears. however, that even Turner
did not take himself seriously, for he
adds: 1T iS hoped, following Mr.. Hale's
precedent at Portsmouth. ultimately TO
connect this dock with the sea. A visit
TO the yard at any time will find big
vessels al the dock, warships approach
ing or leaving.
Turner proceeds to declare that vast
sums have been spent on dredging
without success 1t is true that much
money has been spent for dredging. but
the work has been highly successful.
Furthermore, any engineer could nave
Informed the writer that even at the
channels of greatest depths constant
dredging is necessary to prevent the
accumulation of silt and mud
So thorough has been the govern
merlts inquiry into conditions at Mare
island that there can be little in ex-
tenuation of ignorance on the subject.
A board of engineers has just reported
on Mare island channel and had the
ci .tic glanced over the documents ne
could have avoided the error into which
he had fallen.
That part of Turner's article which
applies to the California yard appears
above. In answer to IT, captain
Phelps said last night:
The channel leading to Mare Island
has depth of 80 feet and is ample
for any battleship or cruiser that noats
the American flag. The battleship Mis-
souri,, drawing % feet inches, arrived
at Mare island under her own steam
last June and took her place alongside
the quay wall without assistance. 1t
was repaired here and was turned
around and navigated the channel with
ease. The four big cruisers of the Pa
cific squadron, all drawing 26 feet 6
inches, have repeatedly visited Mare
island
Dock Any Ship AflOat
The docking facilities at Mare
island are fair now and will be excel
lent with the completion of the man.
moth new dock which will be ready
to receive it's first vessel next April.
This dock will accommodate the North
Dakota. a vessel of the Dreadnought
type. When this dock is completed Mare
island will be able to handle any war
vessel afioat.
The new dock is 1852 feet long and
has a width of 101 feet, while the
Dreadnought type is only SIS feet 8
inches long and has beam of SIS feet .
inches. The Dreadnoughts draw 26 feet
IL inches.
The Mare island channel is deep
enough for such ships. The docking
facilities will be greatly increased be-
cause the new dock will be able to
handle two battleships of the Oregon
| type. Then there is the present con-
crete dock, which can accommodate a
vessel of the largest cruiser type Evil
IDENTIFY Mr.. Turner is not dealing with
facts, but has jumped a conclusions"
| Captain Young said that with the
completion of the new drydock Mare
island would be able to accommodate
the largest war vessel af1oat
| Former Secretary of the Navy Met
calf referred yesterday to his last Off
| cial report and to the statements he
had made when he returned from
Washington. At that time he declared
unqualifedly that with the proper ap-
preparations from congress for main
tenance and the completion of improve
ments planned for Mare island the navy
yard in San Francisco bay would prove
capable of docking any ships in the
world
In his report for the fiscal year 1908
Metcalf said:
During the past year the approaches
to Portsmouth, Norfolk and Mare island
have been improved 1t is now possible
for battleships and armored cruisers to
reach these navy yards and they have
been utilized in the past year for re-
pairs