Show HOBSON REVIEWS S NAVAL QUESTIN Merrimac Hero Replies to tc Recent Criticisms on Subject Subject FLEET NOT LARGE ENOUGH Battle Is Only True Test Showing Showing Showing Show Show- ing Efi Efficiency of Ships Ship o 0 4 4 M f 4 Mf 44 4 O 44 4 4 Washington Dec 21 4 Cap Cap Cap- f 4 tam tain Richmond Pearson Hobson Hotson f representative In congress from t i. 4 the sixth Alabama district has 5 prepared the following article f dealing with the recent 4 chums of the nav navy b by Henry HOnry Reu- Reu Reut t 4 and others others 4 As a n former constructor in 4 s tho the na navy who helped to design J f 4 some seine of the ships now upon the tite f tway way to the Pacific the opinions f 4 of Captain Hobson on are of or espe- espe 4 9 4 e clil hI 1 Iu value anti and RI significance o H 44 M 4 4 44 MM 44 44 4 4 H 4 4 O i iDY BY DY RICHMOND P. P IOD OX It I Is IR Important that the American people should be kept acquainted with wih the elements o of national d defense and should be bp Informed when nn any of these elements are inadequate or inefficient The rite element clement or of supreme Importance to lo America is her nav navy and I believe c bele that at this Juncture anti and generally the most Important criticism o of the n navy L that should b be made public Is its Insufficient size We Ve are arc able to lo assemble only one great feet fleet while we have have three oceans to defend With our fleet neet now In the Atlantic we are defenseless s In the Pa Pacific Pa- Pa eRic and when our fleet feet Is In tho the Pacific we are aro defenseless In the tho Atlantic and unable to guarantee th the enforcement of ot the Monroe doctrine America has in interests interests In- In and dangers In n all parts of ot the thue world The Flue only basis for a 3 true trUc and a adequate nile ade equate e- e quate national defense Is to have havo a u navy which will wil enable us to cope with an any fleet fet that might be sent a against us In tho the Atlantic or in the Pacific Pacific- Paci c. c It I Is also Important that the conditions In the navy that wc we have should bo 10 known leown Mr ahl and anti his contemporaneous contemporaneous con con- critics are doing the public pub pub- lie lic lc u ii 1 service In turning th the searchlights searchlights search search- lights upon the ie elements of ot efficiency Int and pointing pointing- out nil all J features that tat could be Improved or corrected The Tho question question- of ot main armor belt Is 19 essentially ya a technical one This armor protects z l a area upon which IL n Chips Chip's stability I I It IL I Is 11 tie de- to extend fur far enough above and andar ar mr enough below v water so 0 that when fmc ho the ship roll oUI in i a fighting sod sou II no no reach could ba m made that Hint Joti lot Jot lott i t t n t I th t l al nl wel hl l for armor Is in limited lillei or or as aH the tho th bolt boll bel t on ba n u IL given Riven ship la is 16 made Mer or It must ton be be made thiner thin thin- ur er anil for aTt-for for a n bolt belt to tl stand high Out of ot ho hn water walor it I must extent extend also under the tho water valor As Ati battleships ar are now noW buil built ho lc armor el decks ck across the ship it both th the upper tipper and lower edge of oC I armor belt A shot phot Flot passing ubo o tile holt bolt would have to pierce both armor docks clocks before It could reach the magazines Itc steering slot gear machinery or other vitals But lInt a shot passing below tilt tilt-t if armor belt tel would explode In the ot or tho tue vitals vials One such shell hel could destroy a ship but hut one such shell shel above the water waler In line lino would not destro destroy For Tor this reason hue tho hea heavy armor belt is IR carried the line than thun much further below water waltr lne 3 above I ov If I put pul to the test the heavy hn armor bel belt of or our battleships would bo bp found round foundas as is efficient as aR that of an any other nation naton The second criticism ri Is upon the tue lack lade of or free rree board hoard This question queston Is likewise a technical one anti anil depends upon tho thio individual ship or particular class claMs of or ships The criticism made would condemn the tho Oregon Oregon Oregon Ore Ore- gon class of ships as S fit ft only for or the scrap heap All Al the world knows that this class claSH of or ship was the best of or its is isda da day dav and generation AH All 1 of or our ships now no afloat have moro more mort fi-ec fi hoard titan than the Oregon Orgon class class Woeful lic-k ur of f Torpedoes Th The Tho lack of torpedoes and ancl of destroyers destroy destroy- ers 1 Is woeful We Vc have depended In vain oln upon private manufacture and have h been cn too late In preparing for their their manufacture by 13 the thE government government- nt When it il was vas wal learned learnell that we wc could not supply ourselves o and anti depended 11 on Europe Europe Eur Eur- ope for our supply a foreign power proceeded d to hu bli buy up lip the visible supply sup s ply anti and for many ninny months if Jf not years wo Wp will wil bo be short o of torpedoes The Flue criticism upon the age DSt o of our commissioned officers I iii only too well wl taken Th The They are old when th the they come com cometo cometo to command retired h by the iho time they become accustomed to command I agree agre with wih th the tho criticism that wo we should give e more encouragement to American inventors ln I believe toe e we we should have hav a fund und from which to try all al plausible devices no tatter matter mater b by whom submitted The reorganization of or the nn navy department de tie- e- e Is a n. difficult and complex problem 1 I e. belic belie that tho time lime has come como for certain changes but a sweeping sweeping sweep sweep- ing offhand condemnation of the whole plan llan I la Is hot warranted b by the facts In the thc last analysis the battle balte Is the only test 1 fully concur in the statement statement statement state state- I ment that lint battles are won lon long before tho they thov are aro fought rought b by weeks months years of ot tiring tring preparations but so far faras faras as my nw meager m aRor acquaintance and an knowledge knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- edge of our navy extends 1 believe If Ir IrIt It were put to the supreme test of battle bat bat- le tie tle it would give Si the tho same good ac account account account ac- ac count of or Itself IseI that It I gave o ga e in the tho wars of ot the past |