New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-04

the China station. served young Of
fcer. then a lieutenant, W. 5. Sims,
row a captain, who reported time and
again that our shooting could be i'm
proved
"Sims as last resort appealed di-
rectly 10 Roosevelt as President Soon
Roosevelt ordered Lieutenant Sims's re
ports 10 be printed and distributed 20
all the ships in service.
IAN Official test was made and five
battleships Of the North Atlantic feet
sent 10 sea for target practice. Shoot
ing al a condemned lightship with the
fleet firing all their broadsides resul led
in three hits. These three hits repre-
scented the fighting efficiency Of five Of
our battleships which had cost the
country S30.O00.000 One Of the bat
tleships' steamed alongside the light
ship. blew her full Of holes and sent
her to the bottom IN order that the
Navy Department should escape public
criticism for this remarkable hasco as
the material evidence Of our inferior
ity. In 1901 one year previous the
British cruiser Terrible had, all alone,
hit the target ia times. Further com
ment became unnecessary.
Big Stick Swung on Navy.
AS President Roosevelt recognized
at once from this demonstration that
the navy possessed no real fighting
power. and that its condition invited
disaster and humiliation The big
suck ovorcame continuous resistance TO
criticism by the bureaus. The modern
system was inaugurated on a basis
"nich fxed personal responsibility.
ne president established the prizes
snd the gun pointers received extra nav
upon qualifying as experts. Money
vas gwen TO the crews Of the best guns.
END target practice was transformed
INTO snort and a gun crew into a
football team.
he effect was instantaneous. The
oflcers and the men tackled the new
system with vim and enthusiasm. Re
suit. % per cent Of hits during the first
practice. This was at Pensacola I'm
fair.
Roosevelt gave the order that all
guns should he fitted with new sights.
Nhen the new sights were finished the
hrst long range practice established
me superiority Of our pointers In
1900 the Wisconsin fired with her 49,
men guns IS shots and made IS hits at
loOO yards. At the time of the Span
lsh war five minutes between the
rounds Of heavy gun was considered
standard work. Seven wears later 30
seconds marked the time between the
shots of l2-inch gun.
"Perdicaris alive. or RaussouI dead"
was Theodore Roosevelt's slogan in for
elgn affairs. An American abroad was
always safe and "pussyfooting" was an
unknown word. Under him the Amer
lean feet became an instrument for
peace. and its chief function was TO
maintain the honor Of the American
nation. When certain European
power threatened the Monroe Doctrine
no notes" came from the White House
The ambassador of this power was
quietly but terscly told by Roosevelt
that with a superior American fleet in
the West Indies no foreign naval force
could strategically or tactically exist
IL could not maintain communications
or guard its flank in case of war. The
ambassador of this foreign power knew
that our feet was second in the world.
His sovereign was allowed to back
down with grace.
Likewise, had the American feet
cen modified upon the outbreak Of
the European war and been sent TO
conveniently cruise in the Atlantic as
q notice to the world of hands off," it
would have meant that the great United
States intended championing the rights
of neutrals and also protect its own
citizens abroad. There might then have
been no Lusitania. no Fallaba, no out
RACES"