New-York tribune., 1902-04-29
THE NAVAL PROGRAMME.
FoUR BIG wARSHIPS AND MORE MEN
RECOMMENDED.
HOUSE COMMITTEE CALLS ATTENTION TO
THIS CoUNTRY's PRESENT NAVAL
fNFERIORITl

washington April 2s-The naval programme for
1908 as presented in the appropriation bill and ac-
eomparying report fled to-day by Chairman foss
OF the House Committee Naval Affairs. is OF
unusual interest. The report does not take as
optimistic a view of American naval prowess as is
generally he'd ana Mr.. Foss points out that COM
paratively few Of the ships have any real hshuis
value He accompanies this with statement OF
the enormous naval armament and programmes OF
other countries particularly Germany 1t Is shown
that the total number Of vessels Of the navy buht
and building I3S and the total cost Will be SZSa-
0s2. .ae. The report adds:
While We have built and building, all told lbs
ships yet comparatively few OF them have any
real fighting value Our naval proWess nes Amos
cruisers and twenty-one protecteo s,-. .n
rest OF ships would cut but Iittie nguIe Il,
alone determine the naval strength of a nation
Referring to foreign naval programmes the re-
port says:
OF all the countries. Germany has been build
Ing during the last few fasSe5 nen
ed in 1885 a viii be completed In lsS p9ssioiS p "a
rraInis sead % Ul Give I her as IN all thrtyeisht
ships. fourteen large cruisers thirty y-eight snlae
completion of this programme the plan conteTa-
plates new construction 10 replace shls %hign .h
prescribed age limit
Concerning ships the report says:
The committee recommend that for the E purpose Sc
of Of g & Pe 9assnf are
two first class battlesfi2s. carrying the neatless
mor & and most po"e1sI Ts 3paHsme Of about
1900 tons and to have the highest practca pie
elusive Of arrnor and armament not exceeding
&2l2o o1 each; two first class armoreo cruisers Oh
about 800 tons trial displacement 10 Cnsl.
elusive of armor and armament. not ekceeolne
ssssaese each. and two gunbonts Of about iea tons
In view OF the fast that there is some public
eminent navy yards. IL has been deemed adylsapIe
iatfn~ af- hfG
cretion OF the Secretary of the Navy 10 build any
snaatnrH a on IN him to Construct at least one bat
tieship armored cruiser in such navy Eara r.
further provided that he shall keep an an tra
aecopnt OF al tor of such ship
and report Congress at each session anu upon
tailed report showing the relative cost Of one built
by the government and one by contract l. Is Is. pc pc
experiment OF this kind will show whether private
contractors have been IN If IN the
continued CONSERVATION OF our navy an a paI6 IN
which ship is built. ,..,o
The complete cost Of the TWO first class battle
gunsoats, with total Tonnage of ss.eoo tons. will
approximate 500 500 eoo These battieshlps ana ers
hv Congress and the plans recommended by the
fs~oratie comment Of the naval authorities abroad.
The committee is of the opinion that IN recon-
te aDd sehy Of our navy and
one which viii meet everywhere with popular FAVOR
Other interesting features Of the blu are pro-
visions for a BOARD Of naval officers TO recommend
site for a naval training station at some point on
.fe great lakes an increase OF the enlisted force
of the navy by 5000 men; provisions for new
navy ration. as reported by a naval board. and an
increase of the number of cadets at the Naval
Academy by 800.
The detailed statement shows that the appropria-
ton bill carries se e5esse. which is slightly below
the appropriation made last year. Some OF the
chief items In this total the following: