New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-16

obtaining some satisfaction out Of the
new Edison battery. but ne was not
positive as TO this comparatively UNI
tried medium of power. lie under
stood the claims Of the Edison people
were that their battery obyiated much
of the danger Of the creation of poison
Gus gases. The present open types OF
batteries were always open 10 this
danger. for with the action OF salt
water which might leak into the bat
teries there was generated within the
vessel chlorine gas. which had a highly
deletorious effect on the lungs of the
crew, experimenting pneumonia.
Submarine of the Future.
The ultimate submarine. according TO
Commander Stirling. will be vessel OF
about 1000 tons displacement, with "a
wide steaming radius above water and
capable Of remaining submerged for
long periods. He thought that the ten
dency already was toward larger sub
marines. lie understood that Great
Britain, France and Germany now had
submarines of from 800 to 1000 tons
displacement. He thought, however,
that except in the matter of size the
Development of the submarine had gone
IS far In the United States as in any
OF the European nations.
What were the chief deficiencies of
he fOtilla from your own first hand
observations ?' asked representative
Roberts.
Commander Stirling answered through
a. course Of numerous interruptions as
follows:
There are two things necessary TO
improve the efficiency OF the submarine
Aotilla. There is lack of permanency
20 the officers. Officers can only remain
in the submarine hotilla a compare
lively short time. The hardShips of the
service drive men out Of IT, Up until
the outbreak Of the European war and
the incidental interest aroused thereby
the submarines were not receiving much
attention Il is different now We are
getting more, and ! think the navy and
the people have awakened to the needs
Of the service. On the question OF per-
sonnel the fact that 1t takes six months
or more 10 train an officer TO command
a submarine IS important. After that
the average length of service with the
Aotilla is about three years.
At the end of Commander Strings
general testimony he was asked by
Representative Kelly, of Michigan, how
soon the submarine fotlla could be
got ready 70 assist the Atlantic fleet
in a defence action. He said:
The ships az Panama are ready to
go to sea at any time. OF the divisions
in New York and Norfolk. it would be
possible, by working night and day, 70
have them ready for service in month.
Several Of the vessels are ready now,
or require little attention.; but | am
speaking of the whole fotilla. II would
require about month 70 put the sew
enteen in service"
Wants to Hear Roosevelt.
The question whether any person
outside the Navy Department and the
officers of the navy shall be summoned
20 testify before the committee Will be
settled in executive session tomorrow
morning. Il was brought up at the
sentative Hobson advanced the sugges-
tion that ex-Presideut Roosevelt be
invited 10 testify.
So evident was the objection 70 eX-
tending the hearings beyond the seized
uled appearance Of Franklin D. RoOse-
welt. Assistant Secretary OF the Navy,
that Chairman Padgett suggested put
ting over the decision until that time.
By a vote Of 9 TO ) the suggestion was
adopted. Il is not believed that the
hearings viii be extended.
Further confirmation of The Trib-
une's disclosures concerning the inter
rupton Of fleet practice is contained in
the transcript of the testimony Of Rear
Charles J. Badger. recent COM
mander Of the Atlantic feet, before the
House Naval Committee.
Representative Butler read The Trib
une article Of December regarding
the lack of feet practice. Admiral
Badger said that as a general thing the
practice had been good. but he acknowl
EDGED that il had been necessary TO
omit particular forms Of practice for
certain ships. His reply to Mr. Butler
was as follows:
Badger on Lack Of Practice.
1T has happened that various ships /
nave been unable to hold some particu
ar form or forms of the annual target
practice on schedule time, though effort
S always made 10 have such ships
make up the deficiency later. In the
Ease Of some ships II was necessary 70 /
,mit altogether one or more forms OF
practice for one or other of the fol- /
owing reasons: Employment on the
TOAST Of Mexico or IN the Caribbean. /
delay in the completion Of authorized
repairs a. the navy yards or because
Of temporary withdrawal from the fleet
due to accident 10 the machinery. To
late the Florida, the Virginia. the Min
nesota and the South Carolina nave not
held division practice since the au-
.umn Of 1912. the Louisiana and the
Connecticut not since the spring Of
1912.
"The Florida. the Utah. the North
Dakota. the Minnesota. the Connecticut
and the South Carolina have not held
day individual practice since the
spring of 1913, the New Jersey not
since the spring Of 1912 and the Yer
mont not since the spring of 1911. The
Arkansas has not held day individual .
practice since she was commissioned,
about two and a half years ago.
"In the present year all battleships
except the Louisiana and the Kansas
rave held elementary practice
Mr.. Butler Did you have target
practice?
Admiral Badger No. sir. because
hat is a thing ordered from the de-
partment at certain periods and re-
luiring for its proper execution GER
tain material, such as target RATS,
screens and other articles of target
outfit not available at Vera Cruz.
That the navy is short about 1880
substantially the figures given by
A assistant Secretary Roosevelt-was de- /
clared by Admiral Badger. who said;
at is my opinion that to fully man
all of the ships OF the navy for war
with navy crews there is required
,4 600 men. Those who would have 10
be employed elsewhere than with the
rhtine fleet number 6.sI9 for hos
bitals. Insular guards. training and re-
ruiting stations. navy yard tugs, radio