The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-05-02
COMPARATIVELY FEW HAVE
REAL FIGHTING VALUE.
NAVAL PROGRAM FOR YEAR
Appropriation Bill Provides for Sc
lection Of Site for Station
on Great Lakes.

naval appropriation bill and the re-
port filed today by Chairman Foss of
the house naval committee, is one of
unusual interest. The report does not
take as optimistic a view Of our naval
progress as is generally held and Mr..
F'oss points out that comparatively
few of our ships have any real fight
ing value. He accompanies this with
a statement Of the enormous naval
armament and programs Of other
countries, particularly Germany. It
is shown by the report that the total
number Of vessels of our navy, built
and building, is 1873 and the total cost
will be $685., 8 ,2O9. This report adds:
while we have built and are build
ing, all told, 1873 ships, yet compare
lively few of them have any real fight
most entirely in our Is battleships,
8 armored cruisers and 81 protected
cruisers. The rest Of our ships would
cut but little figure in actual war.
Ships of the battle line practically
alone contain the naval strength OF the
nation"
Referring to the foreign naval pro-
grams, the report says:
"Of all the countries Germany has
been building during the last few
years faster than any Of the others.
Her ship building program started in
1898 and will be completed in 1908,
first planned. This program will give
her in all 38 battleships, IA large
cruisers, SO smaller cruisers and SO
torpedo boats. After the completion
of this program the plan contemplates
new constructions to replace ships
which, though still serviceable, may
have reached the prescribed age linn
it,
the report says:
1.-THE committee recommends that
for the purpose of further increasing
the naval establishment of the United
States, the president have constructed
two first-class battleships, carrying
the heaviest arm6r and most powerful
ordnance for vessels Of the class upon
a trial displacement Of about 10000
tons, and to have the highest practical
BILE speed and greatest radius of &C
ton and to cost, exclusive of armor
and armament, not exceeding $4,212,-
900 each; two first-class armored
cruisers of about 1880 tons displace-
ment, to cost, exclusive of armor and
armament, not exceeding $4,659, 900
each and two gunboats of about 1000
tons trial displacement. In view OF
the fact that there is some public sent
ment favorable to building ships in
our government navy yards, it has
been deemed advisable by the com
mittee to insert a provision in the ap-
preparation bill this year, leaving it
to the discretion of the secretary of
the navy to build any or all ships in
government yards, but making 1t
mandatory on him to construct at
least one b~attleship or n armored
cruiser in such navy yard as he may
designate, as an experiment, and it
is further provided that he shall keep
an accurate account Of all expendi.
lures for labor and material, in the in
spection and construction Of such
ships and report to congress at each
session, and on the completion OF
said ship, he shall make a detailed
report showing the relative cost OF one
built by the government and one
built by contract. It is believed by
your committee that nothing short OF
an experiment Of this kind will show
whether private contractors have beer
reasonable in their bids, and serve
for the future guidance in the con
~struction of our navy. An appropria
ton Of $175,O0O is recommended TO
each yard in which a ship is built.
"The complete cost Of two first-clas:
%battleships, two f1rst-class armored
cruisers and two gunboats, with
proximate $29, 5OO.OOO."
total tonnage Of $4,000 tons, will ap
Other interesting features of tn
bill are provisions for a board of nawa
officers to recommend a site for a ma
val station at some point on the grea
laks; an increase of the enlisted fore
Of the navy by 5000 men,; provision
for a new ration as reported by
naval board; an increase in the mum
Der Of cadets at the naval academy b,
500.
The detailed statement shows tina
the appropriation bill carries ST
659, 1886, which is slightly below tn
apnronriaffon made last year.