The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-03-30
ENGLAND DENIES
INCREASING RANGE
London Answers Statement
Made BY Hughes
u. S. SECRETARY EXPLAINS
}. s. Program May Stand--Plan To
"Modernize" American Navy
Unlikely To Be Modified
BY Incident.

Washington. Public statements
made by officials of-the United States
Government to the effect that sub
stantial alterations had been effected
in British capital ships to increase
their battle range and defensive arm
ament we're formally corrected by
both the State and Navy Depart
ments.
Acting on the assurance of the Brit
ash Government that their information
was inaccurate, Secretary Hughes re-
called the reference he had made to
the British naval notifications in his
speech at New Haven last December,
and Acting Secretary Roosevelt took
similar action with respect to state
ments he had made before Congress
sional committees.
At both departments it was indi-
Gated that the corrections had been
made after the British Government
had called attention to the effect in
Great Britain of repeated references
by high public officials in the United
States to changes in the status Of
the British treaty fleet"
Secretary Hughes in a formal state
ment. announced that Great Britain
had advised the State Department
that no alteration has been made in
the elevation of the turret guns Of
any British capital ship since they
were first placed in commission" and
further that no additional deck pro-
lection had been provided"
st gives me pleasure" said Mr..
Hughes. ito make this correction, as
It is desired that there should be no
public misapprehension."
The Secretary of State explained
that his remarks at New Haven were
based on specific information fur
nished him by the Navy Department,
which believed It to be entirely trust
worthy.
The announcement from the State
Department was supplemented by one
from the Navy Department.
Mr.. Roosevelt, in reply to questions
as to the source of the Departments
information, would only say that no
officer could be held culpable be-
cause Of an erroneous report in this
connection A canvas Of Naval
officers who were on duty with the
British Navy during the war re-
suited in the unanimous declaration
that high British officers were them
selves authority for the statement
that the elevation of their capital
ship turret guns had been increased
from $4,000 to. 10000 yards. Further
evidence, they said. was given by an
annual British naval publication
which has enjoyed practically official
status for decades.
In the hearings on the proposed
appropriation of $6,5O0,O00 to mod
ernize" the American battle fleet
emphasis was placed by Naval
officers on the disparity between the
remodeled British fleet and the
American first-line ships.
Even in their original status, naval
experts declared, the British main tur-
ret guns outranged those of American
ships by about two miles, and the nee
essity for alterations upon United
States ships was not conceived by Off
cials here to have been altered by the
British denial of recent improvements.
Secretary Roosevelt declined to say
whether the departments undermining
program would be affected by Great
Britain's denial that similar work had
been completed upon the British fleet.
"The program is still under consid-
Grafton" he said. sit had never been
otflcially approved in detail"
Ex-DRY CHIEF TO FACE JURY.