The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-16

"' iif NdlIltlllcl ~. lSneT,
commandant Of the Brooklyn navy yard.
was n guest at the second Saturday
luncheon of the Republican Club yester-
day when news of the explosion on the
submarine E-2 was brought to him. lie
LETT at once. A discussion OF "TN,e Navy
How Rapidly and How Far Should 1t
Be E~nglarged?" had just begun. Only a
few persons IN the room became aware
of the accident. the speakers made no
allusion to 1t and the audience which
listened TO them for moro than three
hours did not know OF the explosion.
1'ne discussion was led by Congress-
man Lernuel =. Padgett OF Tennessee.
VINO u chairman OF the House COMMITTEES
on Naval Affairs. The other speakers
were congressman Patrick X. Kelley of
Michigan. q member of the same COM
mittee DR.. L. ii. Baekeland, member Of
the Naval Advisory Board, who Is a
chemist OF distinction. and u native of
Belgium, but now a naturalized Ameri-
can citizen. and Henry A. Wise Wood.
VINO resigned from the naval consulting
board when Secretary of the Navy
Lsa1nieis held back the shipbuildlng pro-
srammc OF the Navy General Board.
Congressman Padgctt said that there
Was no politics nor s~ectionalism in the
House Committee on Naval Affairs. He
read the roll OF the navy as IL would be
AZ the completion of ships building and
authorized. and said " comprised seven
Teen d~readnoughts, thirteen battleships
OF the second line, nine battleshipa OF
the third line, three harbor defence
oattieships. twenty-one scout ships, fifty
ersht d~estroyers. three fleet submarines
seVenty~two coast defence submarines
ana many supply ships and other vessels.
Navy, says Padsctt.
y wish TO say that. ship for shin. we
nave the best navy in the world Mr..
Padgett declared. This is not nv un-
supported statement. l have the opinion
OF rear Admiral Fletcher. conma din
the Atlantic fleet. hat the ships COM
posing our fleet are the highest, product
OF American ship designing and are be-
iieved TO be superior to vessels in any
other navy"
lie referred TO the growth OF the navy
from 1l.15o enlisted men In 1895 TO NOR.
than $1,000 In 1915. and from 3.lOS
officers in 1918 TO 3,sO3 officers in 1915,
and quoted Admiral Fletcher as aging :
The personnel of our navy is very salts
Factory. We have n fine set OF well
trained young men"
There has been much said about a
shortage Of men, said Mr.. Padgett. ION
November II. 1914. the Navy General
Board recommended that legislation be
asked for a personnel to keep IN active
service all ships under fifteen years OF
& That called for 1879 men, and we
had a year later $1,000. We have a
personnel sufficient to meet the pollcy
and requirements OF the General Board
as laid down."
Better Manned Than Britain's.
Mr.. Padgett gave certain percentages
TO show that our ships are better mannel
han Britain's.
II 10 not believe his criticism nj, over
the country IL well founded" said the
Congr es sman. because I do believe that
eeventy-nine officers and men on an
American battleship are the equal of
sixty-fve officers and men IN n British
w%arh!p." He said that the battleship
New York has 975 men and the Arkan-
sas 9SI. TO about 900 men on equivalent
British craft.
Quoting Rear Admiral Strauss. chief
OF the ordnance bureau o fthc navy. Mr..
fadgett said that the powder situa-
ton IL excellent"
Remember too" warned Mr.. Padgctt.
that In this country We can make the
following quantities Of shells in one
year. 5000. 900 3 inch. l.S92. 600 4 inch.
$4,000 . inch and 3Oj 5000 { inch.
Where a few years ago torpcducs had
n range OF about 1000 yards. we are now
making torpedoes with "A range that |
am not at liberty TO sive-I will merely
say that II Is more than 10000 yards"
Mr.. Padgett then turned his attention
to the criticism that this coun,ry pays
more and gets less for It's naval OK
penditures than any ono else. He read
figures TO show that in 1918 Germany
appropriated s41 900. 900 less than this
COUNTRY for her navy. hut said that Ger
many was building ships while We were