New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-27
Wants Compartment Vessels
That Can Make Port After
Two Attacks
Little Wooden Fleet
Useless, He Believes
Wants l5,000-Ton Boats to
Brave Perils of Sub
marine Zone
From The Tribune Bureau J

from Inc tribune Bbfeaul
Washington, May 26.-A ship which
can be torpedoed certainly two and
probably three times and still make
its way to port without great loss Of
cargo is the standard ship planned by
Major General Goethals, general man.
ager of the Shipping Corporation. This,
he has told Senators, is his solution of
the submarine problem, not the thou
sand little 3,500-ton wooden ships
each of which one torpedo would send
to the bottom.
Another big advantage of the ship
planned by the general is that it could
strike a mine and still get into port.
The ships would be about $4,000 tons
each. he SAID more than 500 feet long,
and constructed with water-tight COM
partments. Other details cannot be
given. The idea is that ship OF the
type discussed should develop suffcient
speed to run away from submarine
without sacrificing disproportionate
space to engine and boiler room. IL
could also be built at less cost, or at
the rate of Sl20 ton, compared with
sI53 a ton or more for even the 6,oOo-
ton steel ship and about s135 ton for
the wooden ship.
Still another advantage is that such
a sbin could be operated by the same
number of officers as small SNIP
which is important in view of the scar
city of trained marine ofhcers.
The great advantage Of the io,ooo-
ton shin. aside from speed and huge
carving capacity, is, of course, that,
owing to the compartments, 1t would
take at least three well placed tor
pedoes to sink one of the vessels. Inc
General feels sure that after the strlk-
inr of one torpedo, especially II the
day were clear, the ships defensive
Guns would either get the submarine II
Il attempted another sight, or else
through fear keep the submarine SUD
merged so that it could not dischargc
another torpedo.
Shonld such vessel strike miPe
the only effect probably would be the
aooding of one of her compartments
and a certain slowing down OF her
sneed. But she would be able to get
into some English port with her cargo
for the most part uninjured. and aiter
repairs. which could probably be made
verv ouickly. would again be running
the submarine blockade.
Wooden ships will be built. The lat,
est information is that the number VIII
range from $50 to 200 altogether, m
atsad of the 900 which the Shipping
Roard was talking about before Ieh,
eral Goethals was engaged. Generai
Coethals realizes the necessity or get
ting every possible ton of shipping on
the water. Small steel ships also VIII
ba built. mostly of the 1000 to o,0oo
ton variety. But General Goethals
nlaces his real reliance on the big com,
partment ship Just described. Steel
sL;ns be has also told Senator'S, can
he built not only with more rapidity
than the Shipping Board at frst
thomobt nossible. but actually, through
. standardized fabrication process.
thev can be delivered more quickly
than wooden ships. There are many
IDS which can make deliveries OF
steel ships in as short time as SIN
months. :.
Inc speech Of General GoethaIs in
New York last nlBhl clai iaS. ,|''.s ~
Shipping Boards wooden shlpDuildihg
nroeramme as hopeless aroused
cro9t deal of discussion in govern
r,ent circles to-day, in view OF recent
rumors of differences between General
Goethals and the board.
Members of the board declined 10
comment until after General Goethals's
,eturn to Washington Monday. In the
House Representative Harrison, dis
cussing the shipping amendment to the
Urcent Deficiency bill. said that
Chairman Denman of the board had
told him that both steel and wooden
ships would be built.
The Appropriations Committee to-
dav revised the Senate shipping
Smendments to the Urgent Deficiency
hill and struck out entirely an amend
men. authorizing the President to di-
yect the general manager of the Ship
min, Boards emergency fleet corpora
ZION TO exercise powers the bill vests
IN the Executive. General Goetfals
Is nc corporation's general manager.
TIE committee left the powers direct
Iv in the hands of the President to
use as he sees fit.