Arizona republican., 1916-07-17
BATTLE CRUISER REMAINS GOOD FIGHTING CHIP
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

WASHINGTON, July l6-In response to Q request by Secretary Daniels for an opinion of what lessons might be drawn for the naval expansion pro- gram from the Jutland battle between the British and German fleets, Rear Admiral Knight of the naval war col lege has replied that, far from discred- iting the battle cruiser although yes sels of that type bore the brunt of the losses in the engagement, the fight added a new era to the field of use fulness of the fast fighters.
 The battle has not changed the ad- miral's opinion that dreadnoughts are and will continue to be, the backbone Of any fighting fleet, but it has caused him to recommend that if congress de- cides to add only four capital ships to the first line. all should be battle cruisers.
 ''ln my opinion" wrote the admiral to the secretary neither Admiral Jel- licoe's report nor any other source of information at present available affords basis for definite jurdgment as to the actual results of the battle The most significant fact thus far available is that three British battle cruisers were sunk. IL is not clear by what ships of the enemy fleet they were sunk, nor to how heavy a fire they were subjected; nor is it known wheth- CT they were destroyed by gun fire alone. or by the explosion of their magazines
 But this one fact is clear. and in it lies the whole explanation of the inci- dent-the battle cruisers were doing the work of battleships for which they were not designed and they paid a pen alty which was more or less inevitable They were not only engaging battle 1 ships, but they were engaging them at | short range. It is claimed that they were doing this for purpose which i made it worth while to sacrifice them selves; that they were seeking to hold the enemy fleet until Admiral Jellicoe | could come up; and that they accom- ! plished this Admiral Jellicoe claims that. as direct result of Admiral Beat tvs action. the British grand fleet was | enabled to engage the enemy fleet and | would have destroyed it, but for the 1 fact that thick weather set in and made it impossible to maintain contact Had the success which Admiral Jel- licoe claims to have had almost within
 his grasp been actually attained. il
 would have been entirely due to the
 battel cruisers. and the loss of three ot
 these would have been a small price tc
 pay for such result. In other words
 the battle off Jutland, so far from dis. |, crediting the battle cruiser. has added
 new era to it's possible field of use.
 fulness and we can now say of it that in addition to use for scouting anC screening and for operating as a fas
 wing against the Hanks of an enemy.
 fleet, 1t may be used for holding ar
 enemy fleet until our own main flee
 can come up. That it may be subjec
 to heavy losses in accomplishing thi.
 task does not make the task less usefu
 or less brilliant.
 My reply is, then, that my view O
 the value of the battle cruiser has bee,
 somewhat enhanced by the results O ? the battle off Jutland, so far as thes results are known"
 At this point the admiral referred f. his testimony before the house maya committee in which he declared if hi
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