The Washington times., 1903-07-12
PLANS FOR GREATER
NAVY DISCUSSED
More Battleships Needed to
Maintain Our Supremacy.
CONGRESSMAN DAYTON TALK
System for EnlaTging Navy Should Be
AdOpted-Probable Chairman of
Naval Committee.
CONGRESSMAN DAYTON TALK

Plans for a greater navy in the num-
Der and size Of the ships fiji the heads
OF nearly all the Representatives elect
who were members of the Naval Affairs
Committee OF the last House The plan
for the increase Of the navy Informally
agreed upon last winter by the com
mittee, does not come UP to the ideas
they now entertain.
Aston G. Dayton. Representative elect
from West Virginia, the real leader of
the committee last year. is the man in
whose brain the large notions as to
what We need in the way of navy
originated Just before starting on the
junket trip 10 inspect" the Northern
naval stations he expressed his views:
Should Adopt a System.
IF I could have my way he said.
Congress would treat the subject of in
creasing the navy in the same manner
as it treats all other questions OF great
public works 1 would have Il declare
for a definite project to be completed
in. say ten or twenty years Then the
next step would be to appropriate as
much money as the chiefs Of the Navy
Department thought they could spend
during the coming year in the further
ance of the project.
AT present We founder around. one
year saying We will build four battle
ships OF a tonnage that may be greater
or smaller than that of the ships built
the year before. In that way we have
got a collection of battleships Of as
sorted sizes. and. in a measure, justi-
fed the German taunt that we havn't
two ships that are alike in steaming ca
pacity or anything else and could not.
therefore. send TO sea a single homo
geneous squadron. Another year We de-
eide we will have no more battleships
but will place our reliance in torpedo
boats.
What the Navy Needs.
THE United States ought to build at
least five frst-class battleships every
year. and at least two armored cruls-
ers. My own idea IS that the number
ought 10 be ten and then we would not
have navy any TOO large to so amply
protect our interests that war would 5e
impossible.
''Of course. the construction Of I'VE
armored ships should not be the limit
OF the new work undertaken. In order
to send out squadrons and fleets that
viii work as units, and to the best ad-
vantage. it will be necessary to provide
Golfers. hospital ships and other auxili-
aries which are just as important in he
winning Of battles as are the heavy
fighting ships. II anything may be
neglected in the making OF such pro
gram. ii would be the auxiliaries be-
cause IL would be impossible. in case
OF war to imprOvise craft OF that kind
BY converting merchant ships. Our ex-
perienee in doing that. however. has not
been either profitable or satisfactory"
Next Congress Will Decide.
Tie question Of trying to get C,onvreee
to adopt a building program viii be dis
cussod during the picnic trip. So far as
the House members are concerned. the
question Is already settled. They are
all in favor Of doing SO but the NOM
bers OF tire Senate committee arc NET
fayorably disposed. Senator Hale the
chairman Of the Senate committee is
opposed to such large increases in the
nav.
The views Of Representative-eIect Day
ter are Of more weight than IL he were
taking as one member. If Speakcr-to-
( BE- Cannon can end he wav to do 81 he
viii make Dayton chairman OF the com
mittee. Cannon mas a poor opinion of
Representatives. elect Foss, who comes
from his own state. He has d very high
opinion OF Dayton. who has for years
been the real power in the committee