Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-24

Who will advocate more torpeAOes and
more ships for the navy.
Two radical propositions in naval pol,
icy will be presented to Congress as soon
as the members Of the House naval af-
fairs committee land in Washington after
their cruise to north Atlantic naval sta
tions aboard the U. 8. 8. Maynower.
According TO Representative Britten oi
Illinois, q member OF tho committee. q
drastic change in the ''stingy" torpedo
policy VIII be advocated BY him, as well
a. the proposal to close up several navy
yards in the south. which. he says, are
nothing more or less than examples Of
pork barrel appropriatine policy. The
yards at Nor1olk and Newport. says Rep
rsseaGaAive British, sheula be made into
navul bases, and the construction Of
mediatey at Boston. Brooklyn and Phila-
delphia- Nr. Britten 10 especially stroua
ln declaring thaf the United States haa
been sparse with money to buy torped0sa
and has comparatively only . few on
hand. He says that ships have crcled
the world without any Of this important
ammunition.
Interview by Wireless.
The interview with Mr.. Britten was OBJ
tained by Querying him aboard the May.
flower by wireless. In answer Mr.. Brit
ten sent for publication In The Star the
following letter. in care Of his secretary,
Frank H. Maxwell:
..At Norfolk, Va, our nrst stop. we
found small harbor and nne yard
whicn might easily be improved. The
marine barracks should be enlarged. too.
This yard seems to have been discriml-
mated against in the past as Tar as ap-
prop. ialione go.
.',rhe yard at Philadelphia is a fine
large one The city, Of course. Is q sup
ply center, and the Labor question Is not
troublesome, as there is a fine c.ass OF
mon to draw from. There 10 an excelent
opportunity there for seventeen-hun-
dred-foot dry dock connecting the river
with a back basin of fresh water: capa-
BILE of berthing fifty warships The re-
se.ve fleet under Admiral KNIGHT 70 nov
there. The marine barracks arc hne
and there are LOO marines there. The
yard wants to build ships OF the larger
kind and an appropriation will be asked
for this.
n believe the United States can save
a million dollars on the dry dock by
sending Panama canal machinery to do
the work under United States engineers.
The machinery Is or will soon be idle
In Panama
Brooklyn Yard Crowded.
equipment, but crowded for space.
They are about to lay tho keel Of a
great new dreadnought. No 20. there
The yard needs a couple of new fire.
proof buildings. While we were In
Brooklyn Representative kinkead OF
New Jersey took the naval affairs com
mittee over to a stretch Of meadows In
New Jersey which has been offered to
the United States as substitute for
the Brooklyn yard. 1t Is submerged
iand-the breeding place of the ia
Representative Buchanan suggested i,
ought to be sold by the quart instead
Of by the acre.
'-rhe training school for apprentice
seamen at Newport ID a wonderful In.
stitution and Newport has q great har.
Dor for q naval base. The North At.
lantic feet. under Admiral Badger. IL
there now. The naval affairs commit.
and found 1t quite thrilling. We dived
sixty-two feet. communicating witt
other submarines all the while. j,
made me think of Jonah and the
whale.
Only q. s. Torpedo Plant.
The only torpedo plant belonging t
the United States is at Newport anG
has a capacity of 100 torpedoes a year
There Is only one other plant In thi,
country-the Bliss company of New
York city. with a capacity Of 200 tor
pedoes a year.
81 was amazed to learn that we have
less than 100 torpedoes in the service
and these are not new or first-class by
any means. In other words, zoo shots ir
time OF war would deplete our supply ant
render our notilla of destroyers and tor.
pedo boats. as well as all tubes on bat
tleships and cruisers useless.
This Is a national disgrace. 1t is 9
situation allowed to continue by previous
Congresses in order to fill pork barrel ap
preparations for rivers. harbors, post Of
flces and other objects, with purely Do
litical effect in mind. Seven hundred
Sounds OF torpedo ammunition and ther
we must wait for the manufacture Of
these implements OF war ut the rate o
one a day. Japan had 1,5O0 on hanl
when war was declared on Russia. Hel
Srst torpedo charge, which sunk ant
manned the Russian fleet. gave Japan tn,
control Of the sea and enabled her force,
TO prepare to meet the enemy travelling
across Siberia. The torpedo practically
won the war for Japan, for without con