Evening star., 1925-03-15
j. S. LEADS WORLD
IN NAVAL AVIATION
Rear Admiral Jones Tells
Engineers BattIeship Is
| "FinaI Arbiter."


Aviation in the United States Navy
was declared last night by Rear Al
miral Hilary Z. Jones. president oil
the general board of the Navy, to
stand well ahead of the rest of the
naval world
At a banquet of the American So
ciety of Naval Engineers, at the WI
lard Hotel attended by secretary OF
the Navy Wilbur, one OF the speakers
officers OF allied branches of defense
and members of Congress, Admiral
Jones upheld the battleshtp as the
final arbiter in sea warfare and re-
ferred to the recent controversy over
the relative value Of airplanes and
battleshipS
Senator Oddte OF Nevada injected
the controversy pointedly into the
discussion Of the evening by his de-
Tense of the Navy and the battle
ship, declaring that the shells fired
at the battleship' by the opposition
were mostly filed with 'misinforma-
ton" and were causing the American
people to begin TO "sneer' at the
Navy Other speakers included Dr.
Michael ]. Pupin. president of the
National Academy of Sciences; Rear
Admiral Leigh c. Palmer, president
of the Emergency Fleet Corporation; ;
Rear Admiral j. X. Robson, enGi-
neer-in- chief of the Navy; Rear Ad-
miral F.. c. Billiard, commandant or
the United States Coast Guard, and
Admiral l.. w Eberle, chief of naval
operations.
Secretary Wilbur outlined the his
tory of the Navy from an engineering
Viewpoint and declared that the
American Navy could be considered
practically 100000 horsepower
machine almost without counting the
strength of the airplanes now on hand
and building, estimated at over l,0Oo,-
600 horsepower.
Equal to World Best.
Admiral Jones presented in great
detail and a. length his views on the
airplane as a contributors" element
in defense, and in this connection
took occasion to comment on the rela-
tive position of the United States as
regards naval aviation.
Reporting that there were installed
on battleships and light cruisers a
total of 30 efficient catapults and
As planes that are being operated
from the catapults," and that in ad-
dition there were 81 planes operating
with the feet from shore bases, the
airplane carrier Langley and tenders,
he said: "AlI of these planes are of
the latest approved, tested and &C
cepted designs"
Il believe" he continued, that 1t
is not beyond the bounds of truth to
say that aviation in our Navy now
stands well ahead of the rest of the
naval world. l do not make this
statement in any boastful spirit nor
without warrant, as it is the testi-
mony of many eminent experts and
builders that such is the case"
Admiral Jones said that the opin-
Ion of the best scientists and en-
gineers seemed agreed that there
are inherent limitations to the per-
formance of heavier-thsn- air craft"
and that go per cent increase over
present performance is the best that
can be hoped for within an in
definite time" Principal advantages
of the airplane to the feet, the
speaker said, were in increasing the
offensive power and range, by the
ability of the airplane to deliver
bombs and torpedoes, in assisting
and reporting the fall of shot, by
scouting and by gas warfare.
Functions of the "lighter-than- air
ship such as the Shenandoah" the
admiral said, were still in the inves-
tigation stage"
Urges Building Program.
In making recomme ndations con-
cerning the feet, and aiTplanes, Ad-
miral Jones declared the fleet should
be built up to the 5-5-S ratio allowed
under the arms conference treaties,
and that progressive and adequate
airplane building and developing pro-
gram be adopted to insure a complete
outfit of up-to date planes, with so per
cent requirements in reserve
Admiral Jones asked the public not
to be deceived by such dreamers
of Fantastic and impossible dreams
of giant airplanes carrying tons of
explosives and poisonous gases over
thousands of miles and destroying
whole fleets and cities in a moment,
as unfortunately seem to have caught
the public imagination and are mis-
leading the people. With their ap-
pealing slogans of economy TO the ef-
feet that thousand of such giant
airplanes can be built at the cost of
one battleship they are seriously en-
dangering our national security
Secretary Wilbur, referring to the
service of some officers of the Navy
who had served through the age of
sailing, steam, electricity, and now
aircraft, declared that the "Ameri-
can people owe a debt of gratitude
to these men which they can never
repay"
Gun Power Still High.
The total gun power of the Navy
today, Secretary Wilbur said was 81
per cent of what it. was in 1921, not
withstanding the scrapping of ships
under the arms confe renee treaties.
The gun power of the Navy. he said,
was at the present time about
1000 fold over what it was during
the Revolutionary war. and 20 fold
over what it was during the Civil
War
The program was opened by Rear
Admiral c. f. Hughes, president of
the society, who introduced the toast
master, Capt. w. r Cluverius An
elaborate and excellent musical pro-
gram was given by the United States
Navy Band Orchestra, under Lieut..
Charles Benter, director.
The dinner committee for the So
ciety consisted of Capt. r. w. Nc
Neely, u. s. N, chairman; Commander
H. S. Howard &C. c., L. S. N; Com
mander C. s. Rost, U. S. Coast Guard ;
Commander Bryson Bruce, u S. N;
Lieut.. Comma nder II. B. Hird, L. 9. n