The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-14
THE NEVADA, THE NAVY'S LATEST AND
GREATEST BATTLESHIP.
Superdread Me-
vada's Successful Run
Points Lesson in
Preparedness

THOSE that were fortunate enough TO see
her must have been thrilled by the
sight Of the superdreadnOught Nevada
as she tore through the water upon her record
making run. Just picture. II you can. a nav
igable fortress weighing nearly $4,000 tons
pushing her way through tumbling seas at
the rate Of twenty-One knots an hour. This
means going at . clip close to 1925 statute
miles an hour. Isn't 1t comforting to think
that the United States navy has such a formi'
dable craft-a ship that could. undoubtedly.
hold her own against any single antagonist
ahoat to-day?
And yet there is a hy in the ointment. One
ship doesn't make q sufficient navy, be she
ever so big and formidable. and experts say
that the United States navy needs a score at
least Of dreadnoughts like the Nevada. not to
mention other battle craft Of the first line OF
defence. So eminent an authority as Rear
Admiral Frank +. Beatty, commandant OF the
Norfolk Navy Yard, recently declared that the
United States IL unprepared for war, and would
not be able to hold her own at the present rate
Of naval increment for years to come. As new
ships are built the older vessels become obso-
lete. Measured by the standards established
by the present war. there are battleships In the
service to-day that should be relegated to the
second line OF defence, and yet they have lately
been described as efficient units Of the first
line.
Only last May Rear Admiral Beatty com
manded the Red or enemy fleet In the naval
war game. and he OutmanPuvred and won n
victory over the Blue fleet defending our shores.
OF course. this was largely a theoretical achieve
ment but. nevertheless was ba sed upon some
indisputable facts. Speaking OF that mimic
war test, Rear Admiral Beatty said: This
alone proved that the coast is not adequately
protected. We landed. theoretically. 10000
men on the shores OF Lynnhaven Bay. when
could have been followed within four days oy
100. 900 additional troops" But since these
manGuvres another object lesson has been pre-
sented.
The Navy Department. feeling that perhaps
mere chance had turned the tables In favor OF
the makebelieve invaders, ordered q second war
game, which was carried out during the hrst
half OF October; but once more IT was Drougnt
home TO the authorities that our coast Is really
open to an aggressive and powerful foe. Inc
last game shifted the point OF attack the enemy
did not try to repeat his success In enectihg an
entrance into the Chesapeake and a landing
there, Instead Boston was the objective. ana
the aim was to capture that city by Stimulating
n main attack upOn the coast defences OF that
port while accomplishing a landing OF troops
elsewhere 10 that the city could he taken on the
fank and rear.
by reason Of his superior speed and the scout
ships at his disposal the Admiral Of the Reds
WAS able to elude the defending Blue aluadrOns
and to deceive the widely scattered force pos
sesSed by Admiral Frank F. Fletcher. Accord
lngly the enemy ships reached Boston before the
mobile defence could be hurried there for its
succor, and while engaging the forts with only
a part OF his capital ships the Admiral OF the
Reds covered with the rest OF his feet an imagi-
nary landing Of a large invading force to the
eastward Of the Massachusetts capital. Col. W.