The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-29
OUR VESSELS
Are vALUELESS
Many of Them, Says Chairman
Foss. No Good as Fighters.
NAVAL PROGRAMME FOR 1908
con,empIa.es Building of Largest War
Vessels Vet Authorized by Congress.
One Must Be Built at a Gov
eminent Navy Yard.
NAVAL PROGRAMME FOR 1908
fBy Associated Press. }

tBy Associated Prcss)
WASHINGTON, April 2s.-The naval
programme for 1908. as presented in the
naval appropriation bill, and accom-
panying report filed to-day b. Chairman
Foss of the Naval Committee of the
House. IS one of unusual interest. The
report does not take as optimistic a view
Of our naval prowess as is generally held
and MIR Foss points out that compare
lively few Of our ships have any real
fighting value He accompanies this
with q statement Of the enormous naval
armament and programmes oil other coun-
tries, particularly Germany.
1T is shown by the report that the total
number OF vessels of our navy, built and
building is 1SS and the total cost will be
S2so 0s2 209 The report adds: While
we have built and are building all told,
1Ss ships, yet comparatively few Of them
have any real fighting value. Our naval
prowess lies almost entirely il our eigh-
teen battleships, eight almcred cruisers
and twenty-one protected cruisers The
,est of our ships would cut but little fig
ure in actual war. Ships Of the battle
line practically alone determine the naval
strength Of a nation.
Referring to the foreign naval program
me. the report says:
of all OF the countries. Germany has
been building during the last few years
faster than any Of the others. Her ship
building programme started in 1898 ana
will be Completed by 1905, possibly in 1901.
INSTEAD of 1916 as first planned. rms
programme will give her in all thirty
eight battleships, il large cruisers, IS small
Ter cruisers and Sc torpedo boats. After
the completion OF this programme, the
plan conte,nplates new constructions to
replace ships, which. though still ser
yiceabie. may have reached the prescribed
age limit"
NEW SHIPS.
Concerning new ships for our navy. the
renort saws: The committee recon-
n,ended that for the purpose of further
Increasing the naval establishment of the
United States, the President have con-
st.,tcted two fTst-class battleships, car
rying the heaviest armor and most pow
erfu1 ordnance for vessels Of their class,
upon a trial displacement CT about lb.op'
tons and to have the highest practicable
rpecd md greatest radius Of action; and
10 cost exclusive Of arInCr ana arlna-
ment. not exceeding s4,2l2,oeo each; two
frst-class arnored cruisers CT about l4,5oo
tons trial displacement, to cost, exclusive
Of arnoor and a,Inement rot exceeding
s4.,;5a, 900 each. and two sunboats of about
aol1 tons trial displacement, to COST,
exclusive Of armament. not exceeding
SSS2, 900 each.
..ln view of the fact that there is pub
Ii, sentiment favorable to building ships
an cur Government navy=yards. 1T has
e,{eenT deemed advisable by the committee
ITO insert a provision in the appropriation
bin of this year leaving 1t IN the dlscre-
ton Of the Secretary Of the Navy to
build any or all ships in Government
ards. but making it mandatory on him
to construct at least one battleship or
ore armored cruiser in such naTy-Nard
rs he may designate as an experiment,
and ii is further provided that he shall
kee;, an accurate account of all cXpendi-
lures for labor and material In the in
s1,cction and construction OF such snip
and report to Congress at each session
and upon the completion CT said he shall
make detailed report showing the reia-
tivc cost of one built by the Government
and one by contract. An appropriation
iof st75 900 is recommended for each yard
ih which ship is built.
WILL BE BIG ONES.
The complete cost of the two 1irst-
class battleships two tirst-class alinored
cruisers. and two gunboats with total
tonnage of $4,000 tons viii approximate
fSe9 500 opD These battleships and cruisers
vii: be larger than any heretofore au-
ihurized by Congress, and the recon-
ntended by the Board of Contract have
already excited the favorable comments
of naval authorities abroad.
Cthcr interesting features Of the bill
AR. provisions for a board of naval Of
iiccr.; to recommend a site for naval
ft.atning station at some point on the
Great Lakes an increase of the enlisted
force of the navy by 5000 men; provisions
Tor new navy station. as reported by
a naval board. an increase of the number
of cadets at the Naval Academy by 500.
The detailed statement shows that the
:upropriation bill carries S7,659.5S6. which
is slightly below the appropriation made
last year
For armor and armament the bill pro
,ldes $4,000, 600 This is considerably above
the estimates, owing to the rapidly with
which the armor-makerS are turning out
their products.
ssl4 900 FOR NORFOLK.
Tie Navy Department made estimates
for naval station at San Juan. Porto
L,co. to cost S2,6l30oo. but the commit
tee thought ii would not be wise to pro-
Vide for any naval station in the West
Indies until we have more definite knowl-
edge as TO the best location for one. For
the completion of the four dry-dockS at
Portsmouth Boston. League Island and
Mare Island Sl,o5o.Ooo is appropriated.
Other public work is Norfolk. SSl4,Ne
The United States Naval Academy re-
ceives s5on,Oe9 to carry on the plan Of i'm
movement. The committee calls atten-
ton to the lack OF officers sufficient TO
The new ships and they met this will SNe
additional cadets at the Academy. IL, each
year during the next years. Eacn sena,
tor. member and delegate of the House
OF Representatives is TO have the appoint
,mcnt of one and the President "a, these
being during the period OF four Years.
An additional sum Of S229.96 is pro-