New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-10

Hampton Roads last month. Admiral
Fletcher was asked If there had not
heen an interruption of feet practice
for the last two years.
"Fleet exercises have not been KEPT
up as much as heretofore" he an
swered, for the reason that some Oh
the ships have been required in Mex
lean and West Indian waters. lndl-
vidual ship exercises have gone on as
heretofore, and the individual SHIPS are
as efficient as they have ever been. IL
criticism is due. it is due 10 the tact
that we have not had much opportunity
10 exercise the ships together"
$50 there has been an abatement OF
the usual drills and exercises or the
feet itself?" asked Mr.. Butler.
eyes, for the reasons | have named,
said Admiral Fletcher. Target prac,
tice has been somewhat interrupted
because of the presence of a number OF
our ships in Mexican and West Indian
waters, but we have had the ships prac-
tise individually whenever possible.
Admiral Fletcher was asked If 1t were
true that when he took command OF
the Atlantic fleet recently and issued
an order for a mobilization OF the
Virginia Capes only the fagshlps, re-
sponded promptly. He said the SHIPS
of the fleet were badly scattered
when he assumed command. lie eN-
planned that il was the desire OF the
department "to do everything we
could to get these ships together again
and get back to normal conditions Oh
fleet drills and exercises"
He said it was true that the flag
ships arrived in Hampton Roads ahead
of the other vessels, but he expected
only eleven ships in all, and that all
of the eleven assembled early IN No
vember and went off to drill.
They reported when | expected
them. and | did not send out n second
call, as claimed" said Admiral
Fletcher.
He confirmed The Tribune statement
that some of the ships had foul bet
toms,' adding that this was not UNI
usual among ships returning from
tropical waters. Fleet maneuvres, he
said. generally consisted of seventeen
ships, inclusive of the commanders
ship, but he admitted:
1--WE have not been able to get siX-
teen ships together since we first sent
ships to Mexico"
Representative Roberts read the
claim of Secretary Daniels that he had
attended fleet drills twice during the
year 1913.
isn't it true we have had no fleet
maneuvres for two years." asked Mr..
Roberts.
1--WE have not had maneuvres with
the entire fleet, but with parts Of the
feet. Each division has kept up the
fleet work; we have had divisional
mannuvres. The work of the individ-
ual ships has not suffered, but the
Mexican and West Indian situation dis
arranged the feet exercises"
"What was the necessity asked
Representative Roberts, ito keep
eighteen ships for many months in
Mexican waters when our soldiers oc-
cupied the port and there was no Mex
lean navy TO fight u.s."
Admiral Fletcher hestated, and
then, with some embarrassment, said:
THAT is question of policy con-
corning which | would like to be ex-
cused from commenting on"
Reading recent report of the Cen
eral Board of the navy, which asserted
that there existed mo definite naval
policy" and that such a lack of policy
encouraged the probability of war, Mr..
ROBERTS insisted that this was a part
of Secretary Daniels's report, and
wanted to know il this represented the
departments attitude While Demo-
cratic members argued that this was
not a part of the Secretary's report
so far as approval was concerned-Ad-
miral Fletcher failed to answer the
question, and the subject was dismissed
by Representative Roberts with this
statement:
every well, think the Secretary of
the Navy himself will agree that there
is no definite policy in the Navy De-
partment."