The Washington herald., 1909-03-18
WARNING FOR NAVY
SOUNDED BY EVANS
Describes the Dangers that
Threaten Our Ships.
AMMUNITION SOON EXHAUSTED
Two Hours of Fighting Enough to
Use Up supply for the Big Guns.
Many Other Weaknesses Greatly
Exaggerated, Says Fighting Bob.
Danger OF Shells Entering Ports.

New York, March 1.-THE question Of
supplying ammunition 10 the American
fleet during battle is one that win require
most careful thought. for it is practically
certain that at the present rate OF firing
the heavy guns viii exhaust their sup
ply in the first two hours OF r battle. %
Is declared by Rear Admiral Robley d.
Evans, in Hamptons Magazine for April.
Discussing some Of the gravest dangers
to which our battle ships will be exposed
In time Of war, Fighting Bob" adds that
naval battles OF the future viii begin
at a range OF about 1000 yards. and the
result will depend on turret guns, their
ability 10 lift. and their power 10 resist or
stand punishment. At the range stated.
battle ship appears a very small object
to shoot az. and the whole ship must be
taken as a target for the guns to aim at.
The idea OF shooting at any particular
gun port or men, or single turret. will
not be considered, but the gun pointer
Will be directed 10 aim al the ship amid
ships-that IS. at the middle part OF the
ship-Or at one end or the other. with
the hope Of striking the turrets or their
guns. Shells that enter the broadSide
ports will do no harm 70 the personnel.
and only those that enter the turrets will
prove greatly destructive. Hitting gun
ports viii be entirely accidental
Danger of Shells Entering Ports.
The gun ports will stand the same
chance OF being hit as any other equal
area on che side Of the ship. and no more.
no matter how well the enemy can shoot.
This area, therefore. becomes a matter
OF great Importance. but only so far as
the turrets are concerned. because the
broadside guns VIII not be used IN battle
ar such ranges. and the men for these
guns will not be exposed. The damage 10
the ship from shells entering these ports
might be great. but the loss Of life would
be small"
Taking up the criticisms 70 Congress OF
the alleged defective gun turrets on the
Kearsarge and Kentucky, Admiral Evans
says.
IF. as stated, the openings above and
below the guns IN the turrets OF these
two ships are ten feet square, the APP
plication OF the simplest rule OF arith-
metic shows that about each gun would
be an open space OF 100 square feet As
each tUrret has two guns. the open space
on the face Of each tuTret would be 90
square feet II this were true. the guns
would be practically standing out in the
open. FOR the whole face Of the turret
contains only about 30 square feet OF
surface.
when Shells Explode on ships.
''Those who have seen many shells ex-
pIode on ships in battle may. I think,
form a very fair idea OF what viii happen
In the future. During the bombardment
Of San Juan. Porto Rico, during the
spanish-American war three shells came
onto the upper deck OF the Iowa in rapid
succession and all exploded. As nearly
as we could determine afterward by put
ting fragments OF these shells together.
one was a nine-inch Krupp and the other
two either eight-inch or ten-inch from
old smooth-bore guns. They ali exploded
in the open superstructure deck OF the
ship. and at the time the men OF the crew
10 the number OF $50 10 200 were crowded
into this open space.
we were not firing at the time and
the men were observing the firing Of me
other ships. When the smoke OF the
exploding shells had cleared away We
found damage had been done, bottoms
or boats blown out, ventilators wrecked
&C. but only three men were wounded
one seriously and two slightly.
AS 70 the damaging power OF torpedoes
in action, Admiral Evans sounds = warn
ing regarding the deaIth Of torpe lJss jn
the United States navy. but decI lres -hat
the men who handle cur battle ships are
IN no way responsible for the shortage
When the American people. he concludes
tersely. want the navy 10 have moro tor
pedoes, they have only to see that Con-
gress votes the necessary money to Iur-
chase them.