The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-26
MORE REAL FIGHTING SHIPS,
THE PRESIDENTS VIEWS on THE
INCREASE or THE NAVY,
He Thinks We should BuiId q SufY,cientIy
Large Fleet OF Itrst-(1ass Armor.
clads before increasing the Number
OF Smaller Vessels Of Various Types.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-A conference that
will probably have an important bearing
on the future naval policy OF the United
States was held at the White House to-day
between President Roosevelt. Rear Admiral
Taylor. Chief Of the Bureau of Navigation
and Rear Admiral Bowles. Chief of the
Bureau of Construction and Repair Adj
miral Taylor Is vice-ohairman of he General
. Board of the navy. which is devo,iDg its
Efforts 10 improving the efficiency of the
fleet. with a view 10 having it in thorough
state of preparation for any hostile elner-
grncy. Admiral Bowles il member Of
| tho Board on Construction, which makes
recommendations as to naval increase and
prepares plans for proposed vessels.
II" paTpo~o OF tue PRESIDENT IN sum
rnoning Admirals Taylor and Bpwlea 10
the White House wac 10 discuss with them
several scheme- proposed by the General
Board and by naval officers with whom
the President has talked in regard TO tho
types Of vessels needed for the navy II
was cNid mt from what the President said
In tie discussion that he is al Z lOus to adopt
immediately n general plan for the in.
erase of the fleet along lines cons s'en,
with the present conditions and future
possibilities. and 70 adhere TO this policy
until a sufficiently large force Of ships
to make III" United States one OF the fore
most naval powers has been obtair ed
The Presidents remarks showed that he
was alive To the Importance Of titis matter
and had ideas Of his own which could have
come only from devoting considerable
though, 10 the subject.
Wmlc the conference was not conclusive,
/, was made clear by the President that
he j. H. favor Of deyoting the resources
Of tho country TO the almost exclusive
construction of first class fighting Ne~-
-ci@, Instead of continuing the policy of
bulIdlug ships OF many Din creiIt types.
these other vessels, he believes, can wait
Until a sum ieuty large fee Of powerful
armoTrlld> have Ueel placed in commission.
Il developed during the confe eice ti,st
the General Board of the navy had recon-
m"nd"d the construction Of number ~
small UI' very fast cruisers. to b" used
1Cr S'Ou' Ing PURPOSES IN conjunction win
haj tlrsUip FORMATIONS in time Of war. The
board Suggested tina, each of these rr--
S'is he apou 2,sJC tOns. or 800 toa~ Slnllitr
even than the Denver class of fas, cruisers
NOW under construc ion. The President
had given some consideration TO til, recon-
mruddfiOG, and, W lie he apparently ar
rived a. IN" conclusion thai II was ha-ei
on sound ludgmeat, h" was not will. <
hattler.ip feet had been grearIy aug
'nr.dsi
The cons' fuCtion Of scayuing battle
ships of great range ci action ard cdpaOe
ri giving a good account of them elves in
an action with the best arnorciads OF any
foreign navy i, what the President wants
lie l. not 30 par, ,',.gr about tie sped
of these "cs-el- a. he = about their amor
ana arm IN M, md " Ha' no regard a. lLi'e
- impor,-.t, their atllty to leav' the
= t,...
for long distances, II required 10 do 50,
for d considerable hen :th Of lin" hrfor"
being forced To roflrn to a ba-n To secure
coal and other suppI'-. From what was
said 10y the Pr.slden. in this part iCu.tr
It is believed that he will advocate in las
annual message. or in other ways make
known biz views ou the subject 10 Congress,
that authority j." given for tie init lat ton ~
a naval building programme, which viii
hay" ( r it, object the Con-'rlIC'ibu OF a
large uuinher of fir -Clas- hattlcship- of
H." general characteristics outlined by
him TODAY.
H. H., course II thu sr'lsson the Prc=i-
Il tm.rtiI,d that II had l"rr. rcpr,S ,iod
hlu 'h.' the tcl. q Icy OF IN" lavalau,hor-
III VS. 20 build la''Ioslirs which were
too large add uhNioldy liz waited -
H ow If smaller v,-r'l- 'hln the turccti-
cut ~ q IA" Low ,I,Ld. r,C,l tly auth 'riZcd,
which viii each have displacement ot
5000 tol.S, would lot To- q'atr as ofccti,"
&. ut-f'noc, however, was ned l.tdl aid
rs ..t,l u. a mere oNcla' g. of views
AIo'hrr matter bruugi' forward by
the r., - d Ia was tn tod iCv OF tho
America. naval s,rategis'S 10 advocate tie
s,rICti II Of many lpply I.d repair
e,i, 70 BE- attach q the feet IL lime
II war. On. this inject tn Pr, sd ~
had decid d views lis showed that hc
hcu I'D that l. vs. n nliS.dk" tn hamper
Il Il yhtug fore by a crowd Of n,u-com-
hatai.t ships which would have To bee taken
ear" at ~ all times Bait si;rs, ~ The
Pr, sdan Option, should bc au" To take
care Of themselves for co siderable
lci 9Th of tim. and lot b" depeI dent upu,,
auXiiarice that We're useless H. aC "a AID
a drad yllt on Tho efficiency Of Ga" hght-
Il. & craft at all times.
While the President j. Of the opinion
that the question Of increasing the numpor
Of Comnis toned Off crs IN the navy
Is of the greatest importance, he evidently
does not share the view OF most '4vpl
officers that it should take pre- edcnce
NJ this time Of tho desire TO iuCreaS ne
feet Persol ne, increase and material
iaC rrase. he th..ks, should coma togeth r,
aud it is believed that he will devo,c his
ehor to that end.
Adm'rals Taylor and Bowles took with
them 10 ne White House plans Of vessels
under Cons'ri tiol A. - hers about to be
oo'lrlctei for, and the A were examined
with intcrc-. ny ,nr :, 81 lent