New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-11
SUBMARINE OR
DREADNOUGHT IS
PROBLEM OF U. S.
Naval Programme Will Be
Drawn as Answer to
That Question.
SEEK TO DERIVE
LESSONS FROM WAR
Experts Get Little Information
from AbrOad-Sea Battles
Prove Little.

Washington, July 1O.-The naval pro-
gramme to be presented to Congress,
in the light of the lessons Of the Eu-
ropean War, has not been definitely
framed, Notwithstanding the fact that
Secretary Daniels and his advisers
have had the subject under consider
alton for months.
The building plans for the coming
year will rot be completed until the
last moment, when President Wilson
will have the final worI as to the
number and type Of sn;ps the Navy
Department will request. Meanwhile
Secretary Daniels hopes for more in
formation from the war zone.
So far little information has been
received to aid the naval constructors.
All the nelligcrcrts are maintaining
the strictest secrecy ~ - their plans
or the lessons they have drawn. Amer
lean naval attaches a. London, Paris
and Berlin have had little opportunity
20 furnish cnlightcnlng reports and
there have been no foreign obscry ors
aboard any Of the war fleets az sea.
II is said that the American attaChC
at Berlin has had opportunity to see
much Of the work going on in Ger
man yards. but, if so, he has been un-
der the sIricres- lnjunc:iohs not to
reveal what he has observed.
The Future of the Dreadnought.
The greatest question that hs5 come
out Of the war is considered by many
American naval officers to he the future
Of the dreadnought. SO far as is known,
not a single capital ship has been en-
gagged, and the value Of these enor-
mously expensive fighting machines IS
still as pl oblematical as II was when
England launched the first all-big-gun
ship. the Dreadnought. Englands
newest sIper-dreadnought, the Queen
Elizabeth, has bombarded the forts at
the Dardanelles. but, so far as Navy
Department advices 80, she Is the
only ship of her class to have fired
shot so far.
The reason, navy officers say, is the
full realization of predictions made
fo- submarines when the first under
sea boat was constructed. Against
those small and comparatively mex
pensive weapons no adequate means
Of defence has been found, and the
first line ships of the fighting navles
are behind mine felGs CT screens OF
torpedo boats and destrcyers, leaving
the active work Of the war to the Ole
er pre-dreadnought battleships, the
battle cruisers and lighter and less
expensive craft
Navy engineers now are engaged
with experiments looking to the dis
covery OF some practical defence
against submarine attack should
they find a solution Of the problem
the big ship programme will be VIM
dicated. While nothing las been re-
vealed Of their experiments, 1t IS as
sumed that questions OF greater SUB
division of hulls and stronger bulk
heads. of armor TO extend about the
midship sections Of battleships below
the waterline and capable OF resisting
the blow of a modern torpedo, ana
also the location % submarines at
considerable distance and their pur,,
suit by swift, light. easily handled
craft sucn as destroyers, are being
considered. The latter defence IS the
only practicel one which seems 10
have met with any success abr
Yet officers here point out that the
DESTROYER defence does not meet the
problem in anything ike an adequate
WaV