Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-02
NEEDS OF THE NAVY
CHAIRMAN Fos$ OF THE HOUSE
COMMITTEE TALKS.
Shortage Of Officers the Most Impor-
tant Question: An Adequate
Navy Required.

The question of tgfestest Importance to
be confronted by the naval committee at
this session is the shortage of naval Off
GERS T-sH5
These were the words of Chairman Foss
or the House naval committee this morn
ing.
Mr.. Foss had an extended conference
with Secretary Moody yesterday, at which
every detail in the Secretary,s report was
discussed.
This report, which Is the first to be sub
mitted by Secretary Moody, has impressed
me very much" continued Mr.. Foss. ut
contains fuH explanation of the condition
OF the navy. and shows sthat Mr. Moody
not only has the inclination and capacity
to; get at, the bottom OF naval matters. but
that that m, ne believes in discussing these mat
ters with Congress most freely and frank
ly-a policy which win undoubtedly be
most beneficial and satisfactory. 80.
Inc secretary recognizes the lack of ma
val ohcers as perhaps the most important
question, and the committee will give this
matter serious consideration.
May Double Number of Cadets.
ut is not unlikely that the proposition to
| double the appointments to the Naval
Academy at Annapolis will be the remedy
most feasible. The appointments are now
| made every four years. and the new propo-
sition may be to make the same number Of
appointments every two years
"The course is four years at the academy
and two years at sea. But this course
should not be shortened, in my opinion.
AN additional appointment was given to
each senator at the last session, and this
VIII help out to some extent, but Will not
be sufficient e. $500 :.
Another question which the Secretary
regards as important is the appointment Of
a congressional committee to make a thor
ough inspection OF the naval stations Of the
United States and OF other countries Also
with view to providing at an early date a
naval station in the Philippines and another
in the West Indies. The Philippine station
will have to be fully equipped in every par
ticular, with capacity to handle the larg-
est battle ship. A floating steel dry dock
was ordered for the Philippines last year,
but has not yet been constructed -
Favors an Adequate Navy.
On the subject Of naval construction, MT
Foss remarked that he wanted to be quoted
as enphatically In favor of building an ade-
quate navy.
What is the maximum size of an ade-
quate navy?" was asked. . 80 '-..Y-
We'll, that is a relative term. If we con-
tinue to build ships at the rate we are do
Ing now for ten years longer. perhaps that
might suffice. But the whole question Is
one likely to change as to necessities at any
time" -Js.,f,yr,y
"Win any new shipsube authorized at this
session. - a.
Heretofore, sinQelwer have been building,
the plan has beenb to, authorize new con-
struction only once every two years. How
the committee will look on this question
this session caPnot tel, and would not
like to say that there, MOULD or would not
be new constructien Authorized.
The secretary Eepnrts that we are be-
hind from one to typ gsars on some of the
ships under way. This delay is said to be
due to delay in setting Structural construc-'
tion." ~