The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-16

New York, Jan. 15.-''There is no battle
ship in the United States navy that would
I'll and sink in one hour because OF the
damage done by three Pinch shells
on her water line amor. no matter
whether they made a gateway or holes
as big as q door" declares Rear Ad-
miral Robley D. Evans, replying in
Hsmpton's Magazine for February 20
critics OF American battle-ship construe-
ton.
Henry Reuterdahl and other critics
hsve charged that all our ships. old and
new and under construction. are faulty
in design in the matter OF water line
protection, and would crumple as did the
egg-shen Russian feet under heavy fire.
I'VE are not in the condition Of the
Russian feet in the Sea OF Japan, either
temporarily OF permanently" asserts
Fighting Bob adding:
That our older battle ships do not diff
fer from those Of England or Japan OF
the same date IN the matter Of design
IN this respect an sure. because I have
personally inspected these ships when
deeply loaded, and found their water line
belt in the same positions with reference
10 the surface Of the water as were our
Own. am strongly Of the opinion that
this condition vas in most cases the re-
suit ot placing on board unnecessary
weights. and not q fault primarily OF de-
sign
Compares Foreign Vessels.
Comparing the height Of our main bat
teries. broadside guns, and freeboards
with those Of foreign battle ships. Ad-
rniral Evans says:
An talk about the ships being able 10
fight their bow guns when our ships
would be smothered n tons Of water
coming over their bows is pure nonsense,
and must have been written IN ignorance
OF the facts. Somebody has been pulling
the leg OF Mr. ReuterdahI, II I may be
allowed 20 use that expression-and pull
ing It badly. too.
The Connecticut has nineteen feet
freebosrd-that Is. her forward OF fore
castle deck is nineteen feet above the
water The King Edward VII has eighteen
feet and the Kzshima nineteen feet The
British ship has one foot less, and the
japanese ship exactly the same as the
American ship Why viii the heavy sea
punish the one so badly and not the
other as well2 The Connecticut carries
her main battery guns. forward turret.
twenty-siX feet and five inches above the
water, the King Edward VII twenty
three feet and six inches-two feet six
inches less, ard the Kashina tweutv-six
feet-flve inches less than the Connect
cut What then VIII be the condition OF
those foreign ships when the forward
tuTret guns Of the Connecticut are 81
fenced by the heavy sea? Either the
commentator did not know what he was
writing about, or INTENDED 70 deceive
which cannot be supposed, or some mis-
take was made IN setting up the type
for this remarkable statement
Report Distorted by Critics.
When IN command Of the Atlantic
feet on the cruise 10 the Pacific. I made
e report TO the Navy Department con
corning minor defects In the vessels of
the fleet In this I recommended, among
other things. that the broadside guns be
raised, II possible. 10 q higher level. I did
this because, after watching the ships for
many days, steaming in trade wind
sea, I was confident that in battle under
these conditions the forward weather
guns would lose their effectiveness be
cause Of the spray which was constantly
thrown over them I knew perfectly well
that the ships Of other nations would
suffer in the same way, as our guns are
quite as high as theirs, but believed
that II ours could be placed higher # /
would give Us distinct advantage This
report has been distorted and twisted by /
some critics in an effort TO show that I /
believed our guns would be fought Al a 4
disadvantage because they were lower !
than those on foreign ships, which Is not
the casa and never was IN my mind.
Il fully appreciate the difficulties in the
way OF carrying out my recommended
tons, but hope that sooner or Later. the
designers viii overcome them But If il 4
IS TO be done az the cost OF less protec-
ton 20 the ship prefer that no change
should be made. for firmly believe that !
a low gun vel protected IS better than a
higher gun with materially less protec-
ton.
Torpedo Guns Needed.
In view Of the increased range Of tor
pedoes. and, therefore. the difficulty OF