The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-30
REFUSED TO TAKE
NAVY TUB" TOSEA
court-Marti of Ensign saufley
Likely to Cause
Trouble.

| Washington, December 2s.-The
court-martial of Ensign Richard c.
sautiey, winch began yesterday, prom
ises 10 develop trouble for the Navy
Department and for some Individual
| officers.
| Ensign Sauney is being tried on
charges of d!sobedience of orders and
for not reporting TO his ship. The tor
pedo boat Biddle. the tub" of the tor
pedo boat flotilla, is the cause of all
the trouble. According to the charges
preferred against Sauncy, the latter
was ordered to proceed to sea at night
with the Biddlc. Ensign Sauiley called
up Commander Patton. commandant or
the Norfolk Navy Yard. on the tele-
phone and informed him that his yes
sci was not fit for sea duty: that 1t
was unserviceable and dangerous.
according to Ensign Sauncy, he was
ordered TO take the Riddle from the
Norfolk yard to Cape Henry with sup
plies for n wrecked collier. lie d.a
so after he had reported the Biddle
unht for sea duty. He returned from
Cape Henry. and no sooner tied up
man he was ordered again to tho
Capes 1t was nearly night and he
called up Commander Patton and In
formed him that the ship was in such
bad cond ton he did not care to
take the responsibility OF risking the
fear for himself
Refused to Go to Sea.
Commander Patton refused to take
the responsibility of sending Ensign
Sauhey out. He did offer the services
OF pilot Sauney refused the latter.
and also refused to 81 out. The latter
refusal is the basis of the charges of
dlsobedience of orders. One of the
specifications Ia that he was personally
afraid
oficers of the Navy Department say
that Ensign Sauhey was Justified In re-
tnsinS TO go to sen in an unseaworthy
boat, but they neld that he should have
notified the commandant OF the Nor
folk yard sooner than he did of the
condition of his vessel
II is denied at the department that
Commander Patton is a martinez The
officers here say he is one OF the best
in the service.
Not a single tornedoboat in the
navy is In condition to go to sea ana
stand all kinds or rough weather."
was the statement Of one of the naval
constructors here to-day. He was dis
cussing with another officer the case
OF Ensign sauney He said that Sau-
fey ought to be commended for refus-
Ing to go to sea ut night in the tub"
In the last year nearly every tor
pedoboat Of the navy has met with
nisaap while at seq. During the as
sembl.ng OF the feet AT New York las.
November three of the torpcdoboats
came very near being lost with all
aboard off Cape Hatteras. They never
did reach the manoeuvres.
Most OF these vessels are described
by naval officers as "tin cans" end
UNIT for sea duty. But a few months
ago the Stringham. while at seq, lost
both her masts, one funnel and had
several seams In her hull opened. She
was In command Of an ensign, who,
when he saw the condition of the yes
sci. called for full steam ahead. He
managed to get into Hampton Roads
and to the Norfolk yard without furth-
er mishap, IT took several months to
repair the vessel.
1t Is because these vessels are IN
bad condition that most OF them are
in the reserve feet at Charleston. Tho
destroyers have taken their place so
far as lighting strength is concerned.
Both the torpedohoats and destroy
ers are built for speed. The thickcst
part Of their hulls protection is less
than one-eighth of an inch. It Is of
sheet steel and Is easily punctured. II
is this thin sheet of steel which is be-
tween the crew of the vessels and the
deep sea. or. as the officers term it,
safety and death
Either way the court-martial of En-
sign Sauhey goes. Secretary Meyer!
VIII appoint board OF inquiry to in
vestigate the condition OF the Biddle
and the causes leading up TO the en-
signs refusal 10 go to sea in her.