Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-05
To INCREASE THE NAVY
More Battle Ships to Be Au-
thorized This Session.
DOUBLE THE CADETS
PLAN AGREED ON BY THE HOUSE
COMMITTEE.
Representative Dayton Tells Why Such
Measures Should Be Adopted
Without Any Delay.
DOUBLE THE CADETS

II the program for naval increase, whlcf
has now been fully agreed upon so far a.
the leaders of the House are concerned, ant
in which President Roosevelt is understood
to have been the prime mover, Is carried
out, the result will be the authorization O
two battle ships and two armored cruiser!
and the doubling of the number of cadets
at Annapolis for the next twelve years a
the present session Of Congress.
| Heretofore since the construction Of wha
is termed the, new navy was begun, 4
has been the practice to authorize new
| ships only once in two years. If the nav1
appropriation bill which is to be reported tt
the House shortly conforms to the new de-
termination this precedent will have beer
| abandoned, a batch of fighting ships
were authorized at the last session. The
reason for the departure from this practice
is said to be the effect of the Venezuelan in.
| cident-the realization that the Unit ed
| States may be called upon at any time tc
enforce the Monroe doctrine with more
| strenuous measures than diplomacy.
Plan Of Increase.
The plan for increasing the number OF
| naval officers which has met the approval
Of the President, Secretary Moody and tho
i
affairs, and which will be carried on the
naval bill under authority of special rule
| from the committee on rules, provides that
| instead of appointing a cadet once in four
years, as at present, each senator and men,
Der shall appoint one once in two years for
| the next twelve years, when the number of
| appointments will be reduced to the present
| basis.
This doubling the numberof cadets it is
| believed, will make ample provision for
| hllil md
| to be authorized during that time. The
| facilities at the academy are declared to
| be adequate for the accommodation of the
| larger number Of cadets. or will be when
! the enlargement of buildings now going on
| is completed.
1t is understood that members of the
l House committee on rules have been con-
| suited on this plan, and have agreed to
| bring in rule when the naval bill is re-
ported, making it germane to consider
both the provision for ships and additional
cadets on the bill. Otherwise. these pro-
| visions would be subject to point of order
as new legislation" and could be stricken
from the bill by the objection of a single
| Before the adoption of this plan there
| was general discussion of the naval situa-
| tion between the President and members.
! In this discussion many features of the
| nations growth heretofore seemingly dis
| regarded were brought forward. In case
| of war. the necessity of fleets to defend
not only the eastern and western coasts
| was pointed out, but it was called to mind,
| also, that the United States navy would be
! looked to for the defense of the Philippines
| Hawaii. Porto Rico. and, when the con-
| struction of an isthmian canal begins for
| guarding both entrances to that waterway.
| With the exception of coast lines all of
| these points to be necessarily defended by
| the navy in the future in addition to
| the duty devoving upon this same navy
| a few years ago. For each point. also a
| fleet is required. Then, too when these de-
| fGnSiVe fleets all their tat
| should be an offensive naval fighting force
| adequate to meet the enemy
Representative Dayton's Views.
1t was pointed out in this connection by
| Representative Dayton today that in case
| the United States should be called upon to
| stand for the enforcement of the Monroe
doctrine against hostile foreign nation
| England could at best remain neutral
| Ihere is not. a single other European ma
| tion," he said. (which has a community of
| interests with the United States so far as
| the monroe doctrine goes, while on the
| other hand that doctrine may be said to be
| inimical to the interests of the whole of
| continental Europe. The ultimate strength
! of our navy. then, should be predicated on
| this view of the case.
| Then. there is the ever-recurring asser-
| tion and belief on the part of both naval
| and army officers and public men that
| somehow. some mewhere and some time we are
! going to get into trouble with GERMANY
! For this reason the strength of the German
navy Is always held up the objective
| Germany and the United States are at this
| time about equal in strength. However
| Germany has. perhaps. with the same
things in view. arranged for the doubling
| of her naval force in the next ten years 1t
| goes without saying that she will be unable
| to do this If. for no other reason. simply on
account of the lack of construction facili-
| sible, without doubt.
One Advantage Of the United States.
1.-THE United States possesses one advan-
tage in any naval warfare we may be
called upon to participate in. That is. we
| will be on the defensive. war between
the United States and any European power
would undoubtedly be fought in American
waters The navy of the European power
| would have to be at least one third stronger
| In order to be equally strong as the
| United States navy when her ships were so
| far away from the base of supplies. The
effect upon her men would also be to lessen
I their fighting efficiency in contest so far
| away from home and adjacent to hostile
| shore. Right here comes in the absolute
| necessity of the maintenance Of the Mon
| roe doctrine by this country-the necessity
of forever preventing the establishment Of
a base Of supply on the western hemisphere
| in her possession Of Canada, Bermuda, St
Lucia and Jamaica alone has such bases
| of supply. but the United States has in
finitely less to fear from England than any
| other country.
"Our possession Of the Philippines, Ha-
| wall and Porto Rico means that we have
got to defend them. This defense means
| necessarily a naval defense, and each de-
| Tense also means naval feet. Besides
! this, the construction of the isthmian canal
| is undoubtedly assured in the near future.
| This waterway will present two vulnerable
points of attack-the entrances-and two
| naval fleets would be required to defend 1t
| in case Of hostilities.
Only Argument for Delay.
These are few of the arguments pre-
| sented for the continuance of the constrvc-
| ton program Of the navy, which was be-
| gun something like ten years ago. The
only argument presented for delay was the
| Increased cost incident to the present pros
pertiy Of the country. This argument, how,
| ever. has two sides: There is not nail
not bolt, a spar, or piece OF armor plate
/ which goes into the construction Of one Of
/ our baftleships which is not made in this
1 country from raw material produced in this
country. and the increased cost. which 1t is