The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-04
INCREASE OF THE NAVY
Secretary Long to Determine the
Programme Soon.
Believed That he VIII Not Adopt
suggestions of Either the Board
on Construction General Eoarst
Policy of the Department to Ask
for No More Armorciads at Present

When Secretary Long returns to Wash
ington this week he will determine the
programme for the increase of the navy
to be recommended to Congress in his
annual report. The reports submitting
programmes one from the Board On Con-
struction and the other from the General
Board, are awaiting Mr.. Longs considera-
ton and a third report signed by Chief
Naval Constructor Richborn will be ready
by the time he returns. The two boards
mentioned have recommended extensive
constructive programmes. Admiral HIGH
born's views have not been fully declared
from the fact that he disagreed with the
conclusions OF the Construction Beard,
but it is supposed that he will not favor
the building of any considerable humber
of ships.
Information from high authority,
which is practically convincing, is to the
effect that the Secretary will not adopt
the suggestions of the Board Oh Cors rue
tion and the General Board. These two
advisory bodies have recommended the
building of battleships and armored
cruisers. II is understood that Mr. Long
is opposed to the construction of any ar
mcrclads. and in this he is supported by
several naval officers, members of the
boards. The Secretary believes that wi b
sixty vessels authorized and under con-
struction it would be foolish policy to
obtain au. alority to construct big ships
on which work could not be started for 4
very long time. and that with Con-
gressional embargo on the construction
of armored vessels until the armor con-
troversy has been settled to the salts
faction CT the Government, an indefinite
time must elapse before contracts for
the construction of armorclads au horized
at the last session of Congress cannot
be made The policy of the department
proper is to arrange at the next session
of Congress for the construction only OF
some Lighted gunboats fer use in the
Philippines and few necessary supply
ships and perhaps training ship or two.
The reports Of the General Board and
the Beard on Construction are therefore
likely to be disapproved, and the Secre-
tary's recommendation to Congress 10
include only gunboats and supply ships
The General Board G. the Navy, of
which Admiral Dewey is president, is COM
posed entirely of lire officers. Its duties
are to prepare plans for defending the
coasts and the operations of the fleet in
time of war. The greatest care was taken
by the department in organizing the board
to have its members understand that 1t
must not infringe on the duties of the Con-
etruction Board. The General Board, how
ever, submitted a building programme
which Secretary Long referred to the Con-
struction Board for its consideration. The
building programme provided for two bat
tleships, two armored cruisers, six gun
boats, two torpedo boat destroyers, three
forpedo-boats, one troop transport, and
two training ships The size OF the vessels
was not TO be prescribed by the General
Board.
After much consideration on the sub
iect of the increase of the navy, the Board
on Construction recommended compre-
hensive programme, including thirty YES
sells. to cost s42 COX, 900. This calls for
the construction of three battleships, OF
about 1880 tons each; three armored
cruisers, OF about $500 tons each; six
gunboats, composite of the Yorktown and
Marietta types. of about 1000 tons each;
six gunboats. of about 600 tons each; ten
gunboats of about 200 tons each; three
GOLFERS of about 1880 tons each; one
machinery repairing ship of about 1000
tons, and one troop transport, of about
7,6o0 TONS
Four members of the Construction Board
signed a memorandum containing these
recommendations, although it was apparent
that some of the members were opposed
to the construction Of any war vessels ex-
cept gunboats. The fifth member, Chief
Constructor Hichborn, declined to sign and
Is preparing separate memorandum.
The boards recommendations are the re-
suit of a compromise. Two of the four
members who signed the majority report
maintained that the United States should
keep pace with the increase of foreign ma
vies and pointed out Germany's extensive
building programme an example.
The two other members held that Ger
many, Russia, and the European countries
had much more to fear than did the United
States and that the building programme
OF the American Navy should be deter
mined solely with reference to American
needs and not dictated by the activity of
foreign naval establishments. Some mem
bers Of the board were in favor of building
battleships and armored cruisers. while
others held that with SO many armorclads
under construction it was necessary to pro-
vide only some additional gunboats of light
draft for use in the Philippines. Four of
the boards members finally compromised,
the suggestions Of each Of them being en-
bodied in the memorandum to the Secretary
OF the Navy.