Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-09

Fletcher thought not, adding tnat
Judging by its great wealth, the Unit
cd States could well afford to give its
interests the same protection that oth-
or nations thought necessary.
Docs Not Lend 10 War.
Representative lIensley asked II a
race in building warships or in any
other military preparation between the
two nations had not invariably led to
war admiral Fletcher said no, and
expressed the opinion that failure to
prepare was merely making certain
that nation must surrender liz
rights.
representative Galloway asked If it
was not reasonable TO assume that the
European war would end within n
year or a year ana half at most. Adj
mira Fletcher thought il would, and
added that he believed the close of the
war would see the greatest opportun-
lily in history for the success of an in
ternational disarmament or limitation
of armament agreement He insisted,
however, that the United States could
not afford to put off its navy building
on that account
why not put all our energies into
completing ships already authorized,
Representative Galloway asked, land
so far as new building is concerned,
await the conclusion of the war;
Admiral Fletcher repeated his state
ment that the hope of a disarmament
agreement was too vague to build
upon.
No New High Explosives.
Representative Oliver asked if any
thing had developed within the last
two years to shake Admiral Fletchers
faith in heavy armored ships as The
main strength Of a navy. He asked
particularly if high explosive shells
had made armor less trustworthy,
There has been no development n
high explosive shells worth mentioning
in that time" Rear Admiral Fletcher
replied.
Representative Galloway took the
witness through a number of hypothet-
zeal naval engGgements to support his
contention that battleships in the pres
enco OF submarines, mines and torne-
does, no longer can fight in fleets. Nd
mral Fletcher disagreed and resorted
to paper and pencil to map out the OPP
eratinns Of two hostile fleets under
The conditions set.
After Admiral Fletcher concluded
his testimony, Rear Admiral Taylor,
chief of the bureau of construction,
and Admiral Griffin, chief of steam
engineering, explained to the commit
tee that the situation as to the two
fleet submarines authorized last year.
Secretary Daniels has submitted the
decision of this problem TO congress,
bids ON the two big submersiblcs au-
thorized not having fallen within the
requirements of the act.
Admiral Taylor said one bidder
would guarantee nineteen Knots speed,
bnt not the twenty knots specified IN
the act. Both he and Admiral griffin
recommended that the ninetecn-knot
proposal be accepted if the boats
could not he made to do better.
Both admirals disagreed with Rear
Admiral Grant and other officers OF
the submarine flotilla as TO the desira-
ibiity of abandoning all other types OF
Isubmelsiblcs for m S00-ton boat SINH
liar to those used in the German navy.
They believed it impossible that the
ireduirements as to speed, endurance,
and habitabilty required by Admiral
/ Grant could be met.
Admiral Taylor recommended, how
ever, that three S00-ton boats be or
idored as experiments, ordinary condi-
itions of construction to be set ASIDE 70
produce them in the shortest possible
thine. If the result of this experiment
twas to bear out Admiral Grants state
ments, he said it was desirable TO es-
tablish the fact as soon MS possible.
The committee reported no decision
ION the question