PACIFIC CRUISE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 December 1924, Page 5

PACIFIC CRUISE.

OFFICIALS QUESTIONED

IS TOUR TOO ARDUOUS?

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—tCOPYBIGHX' . / . WASHINGTON, Dec. 19. ’ . Regarding th,e ; controversy concerning the proposed Pacific, naval cruise and . manoeuvres, a rescript of further testimony by, Mr. Wilbur .(Secretary of the Navy) and Admiral 'Eberle before the- appropriations committee of the House has. been obtained by the Australian Press Association. -V . The .committee, in view of President . Coplidgels known opposition to the re cent Congressional endeavours to en- . courage extensive naval increases, plied officials with numerous .questions in order to determine the exact character of .the HaAvaiian manoeuvres and the exact /advantages to be ’gap.e'd ..ther'e :; from, and a Pear Avas even inferentially > * expressed concerning the deterioration resulting from naval yhits jimtlertaking ■ . such • a long trip. Emphasis was also . .. placed on the effect of the cruise upon . international opinion. ' ■ Representative French asked what wfiuld probably be the most, ambitious programme ever’ attempted bv the United States? , Admiral Eberle ‘ re : plied:- “ This;is somewhat the longest during the four years in Avhicli wediavo been having* manoeuvres. ”• ■ Mr. French then commented that Bri- . tain did not usually makesucli, extensive tests; ; r Admiral Eberle replied, citing the recent British Avorld tour,' , which was many times longer than the contemplated American voyage to Aus- . trali'a, and New Zealand; pointing out that the British thereby derived l wonderful results in training the creAvs. . Mr. French said: “Thai was the - thought in my mind, namely, the extent of the American cruise, and its advantages. Admiral Eberle countered, by pointing out that in the last three years the Pacific /fleet (luring manoeuvres ;was practically Under Avay . the same number of days'as projected for lfi2s, but the 1925 manoeuA 7 res im-plied-beneficial and continued straight aAvay cruising for all kinds of training, such as moving in formation, That are possible only in a long- straiglit-away cruise. Mr. French said: •*‘ln that same connection there, is this other thought; - There are benefits to /tlie personnel and i---; to the machinery, but is there a point beyond • which you /overdo -it, beyond which you are/ really wearing out? ships, machinery and so on. That avc should consider, or does this improve it?” Admiral Eberle' replied: 1 ‘ The machinery after one ,of these cruises is in better shape than.when the ships start. Long cruises give experience to the . personnel in running the machinery, economising the. fuel and operating under a. steady load day and night, as.vou Avould have to do in war time. You have a chance on a long cruise to straighten out the .Avrinkles and for steady' improyefiieht, Avhich you do not discover and/cannot have by , operating for short periods.” ' 6 Mr. /Wilbur then said: “I; am; going ' to ask the admiral Avhether the boilers are . deteriorated more by use that way.” ' Admiral Eberle replied: “I do not .'think so if the boilers are in good condition Avhen they start and are overhauled at regular intervals. I think steady steaming and keeping the' same steam pressure and getting the men Used /to maintaining this on a long cruise is better for the boilers than simply ,taking short spurts Avhen they want. tpl force them.”. Representative Taber then turned to Admiral ..Eberle and asked: “If you foHoAV;;that programme Avould not the fleet .be. manoeuvring almost six , months ?” .The; admiral /replied: “They sail from San Francisco in April and roturp home- in September. .Mr. French now asked Mr. Wilbur: “Does the question as it stands point to/, goodwill among nations and the friendly feeling of other nations towards the United States?” Mr. Wilbur said: U.Firet let me sav I have not ■. conferred with the State' Department in the matter at all. We haA 7 e had inquiries from the State Department whether we are going to Australia, and Ave replied that it depends upon the action of Congress in the matter of appropriations. There has been great interest in this proposed trip among the Australian .people. ‘ We got, that feeling through the newspaper requests for information and through their commercial agents.”