The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-16
CAN UNSUITABLE
SHIP Be BUILT?
Rear-Admiral Taylor and Other
Naval Constructors Discuss !.
Titanic Disaster.
Especial 10 Tue Times. 9is,a,ebl

Especial TO The Times i,is;atcb.
Washington. April l5.- Can a shin
! be built so Tia, 1t Will he absoI,,c,v
"ns'nknble' This is tho question
"hicn has "ngrossod tho entire al.
iention OF the naval constructors and
scientists here today.
AT the Navy Department, Ilt,1o
groups Of constructors, the men who
plan Inc Drcadnoughts and scnd
them TO sea, Were gathered here. and
there discussing the latest shipwreck
-Nt the Cosmos and other clubs, where
| scientists make their hcadnuar,ers
there WAS similar situation. Moth
! inS but tho Titanic and the nlsmnorb
iceberg with which ane co!lided, vas
| talked about.
hen Rear-Admiral David w. Tay-
| lof, OF Louisa county Va attacbed
TO the Washington Navy YARD NAN
! asked tonight by The Times- Disnatcb
| c, rrespondcnt for his opinion regard
| ing the accident which has Just taken
| place. he readily stated that he ,.o,,lI
be glad TO tcli al lie lsncw about
| such matters were 1t not for the rrlc
| mat naval officers are supposed 10 Il.
| lighters and not takers. However, bc
! made some Interesting srIrrcstions
! Tho first Of these is the question no,v
| occupying the minds Of naval eyncrts
IS there AN unsinkablc shin? This
Adm'rai Taylor said, is question
Mnich Probabiy the Titanic herself
| VIII settle before the next tv,,vc
hours With watcr-tight commandment !
however, there should be no reason Ia
believe that tho ship Will go down
Asked ms to whether he had ever bccn
In a shipwrcck caused by an iceberg
collision, Admiral Taylor replica thai
ne did not enjoy such distinction on
ono occasion, howcrcr. while serving,
abuard naval vessel and coming ,lont,
In pretty much the same channcI g
| that taken by the Titanic he came
dangerously close to an iceberg. For
tunatnly II was sighted some four a,
five miles off, What would Ia, han
pened had he struck ii head Oh in
the night no ono knows. but It is
probable that he would not be here
now to tell this story.
The ships captain was able in thai
case to avoid what would probably
have meant going to The bottom
There arc some things which tho
| best naval constructors in the world
cannot foresec. and avoid" Admira
Taylor said one Of these is contact
, with an iceberg OF the kind encounter
ed last night. No amount of scientific
ship should she strike 4 berg of this
kind hard enough. or course, as
was not there | do not know the par
ticnlars, except what have read, bu.
on general principles, I will say tina /.
like other collisions IL all would de-
pend upon the severity OF the blow. As
am more deeply Interested in tbs
construction OF ships than I'm thclr
navigation after they are sont 10 sea- |
shall await with many other persons
to see whether the wnter-light com
pnrtmcnts of the Titanic hold. The
collision In this case must have been
terrific. and IL the Titapic stays afloat
she will probably have proved herscl {
marvel OF the shipbuiider's art"
p. IT. MEG.
The above interview with Rear -Ad :
miral Taylor was written batore news
OF the ainkinE of the Titanic hnd Ia.