New-York tribune., 1916-07-17
EAST FIGHTERS HELD
BATTLESHIPS BACK
r,ne Thus Given for British
Grand Fleet TO Reach Scene
of Action.

IL. Naval War OoNege, IN TWO letters
=. secretary Daniels. made public at
-. Navy Department to-day Al
a,ueh three Of the British battle
..ri.srs were lost in the engagement,
,s~;rs knight believes that it was
s.. % engaging the German battle
-. .bs. Admiral Jellicoe was enabled
=, 90, his main feet into action. This
=. ,ossible q conclusive British vic
..-y which was prevented only by the
.,,tipe in Of thick weather.
ADMIRAL Knigh, urged the construc-
49,. Of bsttlc-cruisers at hearings
80 the House Committee on Naval
.4,irs last February. saying then that
,bs construction of dreadnoughts
.bould be postponed for year. while
-sw plans for torpedo defence we're
bsirr perfected. The apparent weak
as, Of the battle-oruisers in the Jut-
land battle led the House committee
~ ask Admiral Knight If he would care
e., revise has opinion Of their value
.,5 substitute a recommendation for
more dreadnoushts.
Sees Battle-Cruiser Need.
Far from revising his opinion, how
ever Admiral Knight now declares
.sa. he is more convinced than ever
~ -be need OF battle-cruisers. partic-
a,srly in view Of the greater field of
opera,ions which an American fleet
would have IN conflict. as compared
with the restricted area Of the Euro
-sar way zone. He adds that as the
-ea-s o. torpedo defence 10 which
te referred last February has now
tfer perfected. there is no longer any
.es.on FOR Tostponing their construc-
Instead Of an all-battle-cruiser pro-
c-smme therefore, he recommends
mixed rrocramme. similar 10 that
rrorosed bv the Senate committee. The
Senate committee has decided on eight
csri,al ships. four OF each type. as
s-sirst The five battle-cruisers voted
tv the House. Admiral Knight ap-
r.oves the Senate proportion.
z. however. the House cuts down the
Senate bin 10 six ships. he believes
GRO should be dreadnoughts and the
,ss. battle-cruisers.
Admiral knights letters, in part,
follow. -,
"rn nv oninion. neither Admiral Jel-
fcoe's report nor any other source OF
formation az present available al
sords a basis for definite judgment as
90 Che actual results Of the battle The
nost significant fact thus far estao-
rshcd is that three British battle
cruisers were sunk. 1t is not clear by
What ships Of the enemy feet they were
sunk. nor 10 how heavy FIRE they were
subjected; nor is 1t known whether
they were destroyed by gunhre alone
OF by the explosion Of their magazines
Doing Battleships' Work.
But this one fact is clear. and in it
Les the whole explanation OF the mel
dert-the battle-cruisers were dong
.he work Of battleshlps, for which they
were not designed, and they paid
penalty which was more or less IN
sytab.e They were not only engaging
tz,,leships, but they were engaging
hem al short range. II is claimed that
they were doing this for purpose
which made IL worth while 10 sacrlhce
themselves: that they were seeking 70
hold the enemy feet until Admiral JeI-
coe could come up, and that they ac-
complished this. Admiral Jel!lcoe
claims that as direct result OF Al
miral Beatty's action the British grand
feet was enabled 10 engage the enemy
feet. and would have destroyed 1t but
ior the fact that thick weather set IN
and made il impossible TO MAINTAIN
contact
Had the success which Admiral Jel-
heoe claims 10 have had almost wlthln
his grasp been actually attained u
would have been entirely due TO the
bstt!e-cruisers. and the loss OF three
Of these would have been a small price
70 pav for such a result. In other
words the battle of Jutland, so far
from discrediting the battle-crulser,
has added 4 new area TO its possible
field Of usefulness, and we may now
say Of IL that. in addition to its use
for scouting and screening and tor
operating as a fast wing against the
ssnks Of an enemy's feet, It may be
used for holding an enemy fleet until
our own main fleet can come up. mat
u may be subject TO heavy losses IN &C
complishing this task does not make
The task less useful or less brilliant
Change in His Views.
"The development in battleship de-
sign has advanced so rapidly that 1t is
possible 70 introduce this year the
Improvement which / had in mind as
likely 20 be ready for next year; and
Tor this reason ! am glad of the oppor-
unity 70 make one change IN my rec
ommendation, as follows:
III the number Of capital ships to be
provided for this year is four, l recon-
mend that all be battle cruisers.
II the number is six, | recommend
Tour battle cruisers and two dread
noughts.
III the number is eight, / recommend
lour battle cruisers and four dread
nOughts.
If the number is ten, | recommend
SIX battle cruisers and four dread
noughts.
i desire 20 invite attention TO the
marked difference between conditions
under which the British and German
essyies have been operating in the North
sea and the conditions under which the
United States navy would operate IN
case Of war with an enemy beyond the
seas
The North Sea is only about $50
miles wide and the same distance IN
,,ength. Practically its whole area can
Oe Kept under constant observation py
scouting craft Of various types, supple
ppented by Zeppelins and aeroplanes'
tast ships can pass from the British TO
the German coast between daylight and
Value Of Battle Cruisers.
=, II results from the above conditions
snAt there is no such demand IN tne
present war for vessels of the battle
Iuiser type as would exist in war on
the ATLANTIC or Pacific nor is there any