New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-22
Battleships Used for Duty
Which GunbOats Could
Perform as Well.
NEW DREADNOUGHTS
TO NEED 1000 MEN
Assistant Secretary of Navy
Holds Battleships Still Con-
trolling Factor.

From The Tribune Bureau.
Washington, Oct 21.-The admission
that the American navy has $4,000 men
less than enough TO man the ships
which could be used for war purposes
is contained in a statement issued TO-
night by Franklin D. Roosevelt Act
ing Secretary Of the Navy. Congress is
held responsible by Mr.. Roosevelt for
the shortage of men. Scventy-one YES
sells would be practically useless in
war time.
Theoretically, and on paper, the
navy possesses at the present time ten
battleships Of the first and twenty
three battleships Of the second line,
says Mr.. Roosevelt Actually, how
ever, only the ten battleships Of the
first line and eleven battlcships Of the
second line can be placed in commits
sion for service because OF the short
age Of men,
Pointing out specifically the lack OF
men. Mr.. Roosevelt says:
AT the present time three second
line bsttleships, two srmored cruisers,
four first class cruisers, one second
class cruiser. two third class cruisers,
twenty-one destroyers, three monitors
five submarines, one gunbost, three
fuel ships and two vessels OF special
tyne are in commission III feserve--
that is 70 say, they have on board only
from % per cent TO so per cent of the
crews necessary TO man them in case
Of war.
There are also six second line bat
tleships, one armored cruiser, one
cruiser. second class. and fourteen tor
pedo boats which are in the condition
technically called in ordinary These
vessels are manned by from 10 per cent
to 20 per cent Of their regular COM
plements--just enough to prevent them
flom rusting to pieces"
Requirements Of New Ships.
Answering comments about the "un-
readiness" Of the feet at the present
time. Mr.. Roosevelt says:
at is true that during the last two
wears manGuvres and battle practice
Of the feet as whole have, of neces-
sity. been greatly curtailed interna-
tional affairs have required the use OF
a certain number OF our ships. In
many Of these cases the department has
found il necessary, owing TO the
sbortspe OF men, TO use battleships for
6utv which could have been performed
equally well by gunboats or small
cruisers. This lack of feet maneuvres
;s however, matter which can be
remcdied by few months practice,
and it is hoped that these maneuvres
will take place in the near future"
Mr. Roosevelt declares that the prob
lcm Of manning the warships is be-
canning more difficult because of the
fsc+ that the vessels under construction
must soon be provided with crews. He
noints out that during the present year
the Nevada and the Oklahoma will be
ready for service and that each vessel
will REQUIRE a complement Of nearly 3
thousand men.
As to the equipment of the warships
and necessary materiel, he says;
'In regard to the materiel Of the
navy-that is to say, ships and their
couipment. including guns, engines
range finders, etc.-mstters are on the
whole in excellent shape. As units
the vessels in commission are well
built. we'll designed and well cared FOR
and compare in all types very favorably
with the vessels of other powers. In
fact. I believe that they are better
In few particulars, such as the lack
Of sufficient torpedoes, there is room
for great improvement. Also in regard
TO the lack OF certain auxiliaries and
the insufficient number Of scouts, much
can be done to make the feet better
balanced. But the navy has felt that,
while Il greatly desires well rounded
Aeet in the material sense, 1t would be
the greatest possible mistake to secure
such feet at the expense Of the main
seagoing fighting craft. that is TO say
our battleships and destroyers. This is
because of the fact that makeshift
auxiliaries can be improvised in an
emergency, whereas battleships must
no planned and commenced at least
three years beforehand"
Battleships Still Chief Factor.
Discussing the relative merits OF bat
tleships. submarines and aircraft, Mr.
Roosevelt says in conclusion:
ain their present stage Of develop
ment submarines and aircraft can make
a hostile attack only from a distance
/ Of approximately four or five hundred
miles. In other words, from the purely
technical point of view of national de-
| fence. the use of base within tina;
distance Of our own territory would be
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