New-York tribune., 1922-09-28
Battle" Over.
But Naval Men
Argue Victory
Officers Observing Maneu-
vers Between Ships and
Airplanes Hold Diamet-
rically Opposite Views
One Vessel ''Desiroyed''
Seven Hits Register on the
Super Dreadnought Ar.
kansas Out of IL Shots

NORFOLK, Va, Sept. 27.Diamet-
rically opposite opinions developed
among observing officers as the result
of the maneuvers off the Virginia
Capes to-day, when squadron of
torpedo planes searched out three ships
OF the Atlantic Fleet and theoretically
destroyed one of them.
Seven hits were registered out of
seventeen torpcdoes discharged, all be-
ing on the Arkansas.
In the opinion of Rear Admiral w. A
Moffett, chief of the Naval Air Serv-
ice; Commander #. G. Ellyson, of the
Air Service, Navy Department, and
Colonel C. H. Danforth, Army Air Serv-
ice commandant~of Langley Field, Va,
the test was satisfactory in all re-
sspects, demonstrating, in their view,
that planes equipped with torpedoes
can successfully attack battleships
from the surface, especially il pro-
tected by smoke screen or fog.
Naval Men Differ
Naval officers of tho staff and line
attached to the battle feet, OF the
other hand, generally contend that to-
days experiments only proved that
the planes are effective within limited
radius from their base, and that the
wv SquduiOHS COulu nave Deen an
minated before coming within strik-
ing distance Of the dreadnought had
the battleships been protected by the
usual sc,cens OF destroyers.
They also contend that the second
airy batteries of the warships under
battle conditions could have blown to
atoms every plane before it had an
opportunity TO discharge its destruc-
tive cargo.
Eighteen planes participated in the
mimic battle, but one failed to dis
charge its missile. The test was
staged under ideal weather Conditions.
Promptly at 5 oclork the flagship
Wyoming, with Admiral j. c. McDon-
aid, commander in chief of the battle
ship force of the Atlantic feet, on
board, and the super thoughts
Arkansas and North Dakota got under
way and headed out to- sea. After
steaming three hours the fleet reached
the rendezvous, about fifty miles off
the capes, and awaited the attack.
At 9:20 the look-outs on the flagship
sighted the naval dirigible OF. which
was followed shortly afterward by a
f1otllla Of scout planes and others car
rylng observers.
Guns Trained on Enemy
At 10:1S the first SQUADRON of nine
torpedo planes appeared on the ho-
rizon, and the battleships put on
forced draft and began maneuvering
at full speed to keep the attacking
force astern. General quarters were
sounded on all the Ships, and they
were cleared for action, while the guns
were trained on the rapidly advancing
enemy" AS the second squadron of
torpedo-laden flyers drew near Admiral
Mcdonald so placed his ships as to
avoid the enemy force, keeping one
squadron ahead and the other astern.
The drcadnoughts went into battle
with the target ship Arkansas in the
center Of the line, the distance between
the three warships preventing a broad
side. Changing their tactics, the planes
attacked on the hanks of the fleet and
concentrated on the Arkansas, scoring
theirs tirsc hit on the starboard quar-
ter. The angle fire was kept on the