Evening star., 1915-02-21
WARSH|PS RUINED,
CHARGE OF OFFICER
Lieut.. Commander Richardson
Believes Steaming COMPETE
tions Are Wrong Policy.

tons Are wrong Policy.
Ability of the United States Navy to
meet any emergency was vouched for
last night by naval officers and men,
bers of Congress in the course of re-
marks at the annual banquet of the
American Society of Naval Engineers
at the Army and Navy Club. There
was one complaint, from an officer of
the service, and that was that the per-
sonnel of the navy today cannot take
care of the equipment as it should be
looked after, but, on the other hand,
abuses it. War College methods were
criticised, and the navy as it really
exists in the eyes of naval officers was
described
officers in the American navy today,
said Lieut.. Commander Louis C. Rich
ardson. U. S. N. in charge of material
at the New York navy yard. make
records and wrecks Of the navy. They
go out and do fine piece of steam
ing and make a record, but then their
ships are required to lose six or seven
months time while the engines are
being built all over again. he said.
He praised the sailor Officers of the
old navy. declaring that they knew
every part of the ship and it's materiel.
They knew everything-from the time
to slack OF the halyards to the stress
which the mast could stand. They were
masters of materieI from every point
of view. he said. Asking a question as
to what the line officers of the navy
today have done, he declared they have
failed to study machinery and to know
its limitations. and have failed to make
the ship self-sustaining
Wreck Machinery for Records.
Commander Richardson told Of great
ships coming into New York yard with
tempts to make records. He declared
that he had sent for chief engineers
and asked If they were proud of the
wrecking they had done and the
answer would be:
We'll. we made fine rum"
He urged competitions in engineering
which would keep the ships from
spending six or seven months at the
navy yards in undergoing repairs.
made necessary because the engines
enough money will be saved to build
several battleships, he said.
He attacked the methods of the
Naval War College. declaring that it
failed to teach sound strategy.
When you go to the college you are
given fleet of ships and told to work
out certain problems. Invariably the
ships are at the place wanted at the
problem time. but they never would
get there in actual service, because the
question of material is not taken into
consideration.
The very foundation of strategy is
MATERIAL he continued, "and what the
War College has got to do is to let
out. with every single unit and kind
of vessel"
Padgett Finds Suggestions.
Chairman Padgett of the House
naval affairs committee declared that
he believed the thoughts sowed at last
nights banquet would be the fruitful
seed for a rich harvest for the i'm
provement of the navy. The thoughts
dropped will carry suggestions for bet
ternent of the navy. he said.
After criticising the two extremists,
one who in an attempt to get a bigger
navy belittles it and the other who be-
leves that the navy is so large and
strong that no increase is needed he
said:
Our ships are as good if not better.
ship for ship. as any others in the
world. We are not ashamed to place our
ships against those Of any other nation.
do not excel. those of any other nation.
lido not say that We are perfect, be-
cause we are not But Congress has
not been negligent with regard to the
navy, and the navy itself has not been
derelict in its duty. The American navy
has more men per ton than either Eng
land or Germany. They say the person
mel is not large enough. Then there
ought to be a readJustment and some of
the officers and men taken of the ships
where there are too many"
At some length he reviewed the legis-
lation relating to the navy acted upon at
the last two sessions Of Congress, and de-
clared that he hoped to see In the near
future not only an organized naval militia,
but an organized naval reserve.
Congress Not Careless.
Senator johnson declared that he did
not believe Congress was careless about
the national defenses, declaring his be-
lief that the national legislative body is
at work on a liberal program. In some
particulars, he said, increases are needed,
and he hoped to see additions when the
naval appropriation bill returned from
conference. He reminded his audience
that Congress represented the public, and
told them that II bigger navy was
wanted you will have to get behind the
American people.
Others who spoke were Rear Admiral
Bradley A. Fiske. U. s. N, aid for op-
erations. Navy Department: Walter NJ
Mcfarland. Jack Armour Of New York
Assistant Secretary Byron r. Newton
of the Treasury Department and Rep
resentative Mann of Illinois.
An interesting part of the evenings
entertainment was the drinking of a
toast to Rear Admiral Charles e. Clark
U. S. N, retired. who commanded the
battleship Oregon on her recOrd-break-
ing, history-making run around the
Horn. from the Pacific to the Atlantic
The toast also was regarded as peculiar
ly fitting because the day had marked
the opening of the Panama Pacific ex-
position. When the toast was called
for there was a series of cheers a,
the admiral stood up. smiling.
Homer L. Ferguson was toastmaster