The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-28
Author

Washington March 27.-(Special.)-Ae- cording to the Navy league the United States is third battle strength naval power in the world. The Navy league calmly eliminates all consideration Of yes sels in any of the great navies, except the "big gun" or dreadnaught types. The statement of the Navy league is in reply to the minority report of the House com mittee on naval affairs, which contends that the United States navy Is superior in dreadnaught strength to the German navy.
 The minority report of the committee, says this stateemnt, determined the strength of the United States navy by adding up the caliber of guns without any consideration of their destructive power at battle range, and by entirely disregarding speed torpedo power, pro- lection and maneuyering power. In ad- dition the minority report is alleged to contain many misleading statements and false deductions due to an utter lack of knowledge as to what a dreadnaught ls
 The Navy league does not consider such ships as the Indiana, and while they do not mention it. probably the Alabama, Kearsarge and others of that type as real dreadnaughts. In fact, the United States is only accredited with eight dread naughts with four under constructions In a real naval battle, the inference is, that we have only eight ships that are fit to be considered effective battle units.
 Must Add Strength
 "An effective battle unit is one that adds strength to the feet" says the Navy league. To add an Oregon. or an Indiana to the battle line with their in- effective guns and low speed, not only does not add strength to the line, but ma teria1y diminishes it's fighting efficiency by reducing the speed and tactical mobil- ity of the whole while putting on the rest of the line the burden of protecting such weak and ineffective units" So says the Navy league.
 Added to battle line composed of the pre-dreadnaught ships of the navy, the three Oregons in their present state would reduce the fleet by at least two knots, a most serious tactical handicap, without adding any strength in gunf1re at battle ranges. Added to the dreadnaught di- vision of the fleet, the tactical handicap would be at least six knots
 Any ship is obsolete and outworn when it weakens and handicaps the battle line instead of giving it strength. Our first three battleships, the Oregon, Indiana and Massachusetts. are in this class. in fact, irrespective of when laid down or completed.
 "Experience, both in our navy and in foreign naves, has shown that as near as a general lay can be arrived at a bat tleship reaches that condition after 20 years of life In the fleet, or about A from the date of authorization. Hence. to maintain a fleet at a fixed numerical fighting strength. new ship to replace one obsolete would have to be authorized 20 years from the authorization of the original.
 This is absolute law in Germany and Russia, and is closely followed in Eng land; and, in computing strength of navies, vessels of over 20 years life, or 4 years from authorization, are considered and are negligible.
 Beginning of Dreadnaughts
 ''The term 'dreadnaught' was taken from the ship of that name completed in England in 1906 the first ship of a new type. This was ship 21 knots speed, 1S,0o0 to 22,000 tons displacement 0ight or 1oaded), armed with a main battery of 10 12-inch guns and number of small guns for torpedo defense and a very com plete armor protection.
 "Since that date all navies have fol- lowed this general type, and all ships of 20 or more knots speed, with main bat tery of one large caliber capable of pierc- ing armor at battle ranges, have been called dreadnaughts.
 "The accepted requisites in all navies to constitute 'dreadnaught are CD a main battery of single large caliber of gun capable of piercing armor at battle ranges. and @ a speed of 20 more knots, neces- sary to be capable of acting with other dreadnaughts.
 "No ship of ours previous to the Dela- ware fulills both these requisites. The South Carolina and Michigan, claimed by Inc minority as 'dreadnaughts' have eight 0-inch guns each in the main battery but in hull construction, speed. size and on maneuvering qualities class with the OlK ships of the Connecticut class and the five ships of the Virginia class