The Washington herald., 1911-02-26

strongest of an our stations Secretary
Meyer answered 1T is the key to the
Western ocean, being 1856 miles distant
from the navy yard in Puget Sound, 20sl
| miles from San Francisco, 1855 miles
from the Panama Canal and about an
equal distance from the Philippines The
harbor is deep, viii accommodate a large
| number Of vessels, and is easily de-
Tended"
''WiI you give me some figures Illus
trating the size of the 14-inch guns which
are to be used in the arming of the new
DreadnoughtsT'
They will weigh s. 1-3 tons each and
win cost $500 The Texas, which Is to
be built, will be armed with guns of that
size. So will the New York. whose con-
struction has also been authorized. The
armor-piercing projectiles will weigh 1,4OO
pounds and cost $500 apiece. The cost of
the powder will be SZ30.'
What is there new with respect to
submarines?'
They are being improved constantly,
but their use will always be limited.
While they cannot steam as far as big
ships, they can be nayigated in rough
weather, and one OF them had no diff
Guilty IN going from Boston to the Ber-
muda Islands. During a war they will
follow the fleet, as will torpedo boats,
and in battle win attempt to blow up
the ships of the enemy by attacking them
with powerful explosives beneath the sur
face of the water"
Aerial Warfare of Future.
What use will be made Of aeroplanes
during the wars Of the futre?'
They win be sent with the feet to
act as scouts in locating the enemy. 1t
would be practicable, also, to send them
out from cruisers on the same duty.
That they will ever be used as fighting
machines is very doubtful. 1t has been
suggested that they could drop explosives
on war vessels and forts. There are
some barbarities. however. that are even
prohibited in war. Besides, Germany has
thick as rain, and an aeroplane ap-
preaching a ship or a fort could be shot
to pieces before it got near enough 10
work any damage"
"As 1 understand the changes you
have made" 1 said. the military branch
Of the navy is now in control of the
naval establishment. being subordinate,
of course. to the Secretary"
'I should hesitate to say that the
military branch, as you term it, is in
control to the extent implied in your
question All of the old bureaus but
one are still in existence, and their duties
are defined by law. But 1 have called
i've aids to my assistance. They keep
me informed concerning everything that
is going on. Their vision is not on any
one spot My object and their object Is
to increase the efficiency of the fighting
feet, and to introduce sensible business
methods into the department. 1t would
be the very nature of things for a bu-
reau TO become concentrated in itself.
Russia is a government OF bureaus, as
you know. The navy of France was
once a bureaucracy. but now, going 10
the other extreme, a naval officer is in
supreme command. officers of the line
in our navy will say that the Secretary
should come from the outside, because
he will then have no pet theories OF his
own to test in time of peace or war.
st believe that the men who go to sea
and on whom the country must rely when
any fighting is to be done, should have
the ships which experience has taught
them will do he best work. A carpenter
ordinarily selects his own tools. naval
officer to-day is in a great floating ma
chine shop, powerhouse, and fort There
are scores of engines on every ship
think he should be competent to make
temporary repairs while at sea- Conse-
duently. he should be, and he usually is,
an expert engineer, navigator. and fight
ing man combined With all his technical
knowledge, therefore, it follows that he
is competent to suggest how battle ships
should be built and armed.
so aids from the line are assisting
me in the work of preparing our fleet
for any contingency that may arise
Likewise, they are helping me to econo-
mize- Bureaus are now intelligently OBJ
served, especially when they pass judg-
ment on their own work When vessel
Is said to need extensive repairs one of
my aids ascer-ains its military value. If
It Is worth repairing the outlay is au-
thorized. Fourteen of our gunboats cost
8, Az 900 when new. Since launching.
S. 100, zoe has been added to the first cost
IN one way or another. Immense sums
have been spent on some of the larger
ships-s2 OOO, 900 on the Indiana a battle
ship; S2,1O00OQ on the New York, an
armored cruiser, and S,9O0,0o on the |
a protected cruiser. although its |
original cost was only S,1S3,00o.
Tn a word" Secretary Meyer con- |
,fuded, I'VE are working toward an ade- |
Iuate fleet and are employing modern |
men and busineSslike methods
Copyright, 1911. by James B. Morrow