Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-03
HObSON PLAN IS
MUCH OPPOSED
BY NAVAL MEN
Provision for Armor-piercing
Shells Could Not Be Com
piled With at. This Time,
Says Admiral Fisk,

Washington, Feb T.. r. Secretary
Daniels sent TO the house today a re-
port from special board Of naval
officers expressing the opinion that
the navys preparedness Tor war
would be- ioopardizcd b. the Hohs0n
amendment 10 the pending naval APP
preparation bin s0rbidding The pur-
chase Of ~ or l4-inch pierre
Ing shells unless II is demonstrated
that they can pierce lO-inch armor at
l2.000 Yards
This amendment was adopted by
the h0usc several days ago, but prob
ably viii be voted on again when the
BIN Is advanced 10 the point OF nnal
passage The house spent many hours
today ana tonight on the measure,
most Of the debate centcrinE upon The
provision which would abolish the SO
called "Elucking'' board
IN rs report on the llobson amend
ment, The special board. which Is
headed hy Rear Admiral Fisk. said
''rhe board h OF the opinion that
such provision would jeOpardizc
the readiness Of Tie navy for war
We believe that our armor- piercing
shells are as good as any that any
antagonist could use against us aud
are as good az can be made In the
present state OF the metallurgical
art"
Mr.. Daniels also submitted re-
port OF the board on recent tests of a
high explosive shell which has been
urged az a substitute for the amor
piercing proieetlle Il follows
"rhe board on torpedo shells has
the honor to report that IN ita opin-
ion the experiments held with the
lsham she'll on January 81, were not
conclusive and fell far short OF dem
onstratlng that the Ishman shell can
be considered an effective weapon Of
naval warfare.
"All the shells ricocheted that fell
at distances Of 5000 yrads or less
out of seven fuses only two operated
correctly and the shell being filled
with black powder only no proof was
given that II high explosives had been
In the shell II could have been deto-
mated by safe means The expert
ments. however, are to be continued.
The provision to abolish the pluck
ing board" and authorize the presi-
dent to restore to the service officers
retired by the board, was adopted to-
night at the close Of "a long debate.
All new ltklhihllpIs iHAlNullh HlVAA-
sions for the creation of naval re-
serve, and 10 set aside 100000 for
aeronautics, were stricken out OF the
bill.
II had been expected that the new
legislation would he defeated by
points of order or otherwise, In the
house and the administration forces
expect To have IL re-inserted when
the bill reaches the senate. If pre-
scented In the form of a conference
report, Il would be immune from
points 1T order
Majority Leader Underwood led
the fight for abolition Of the pluck
ing board. lie declared the board |
was based on q false theory and that
the navy should not drive out of the
service good men in order TO pro-
mote others
For many years, Mr. Underwood |
said there has been close edrpo-
ration in the house and In the navy
department that has run the United |
States navy. The day has come when |
the American people have a right to |
see that the American navy IL run |
la the interest OF the people and the |
FIRST thing To- do Is TO return these /
officers 10 the service Of their ooun-
try"