The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-07
FOR TWO 10000 TON EARSHIpS
1SECY. BONAPARTE ASKS con-
.GRESS 70 Authorize THEM.
He Says Both Can DE Completed In the Time
Needed for the Construction OF one
-Other increases to the Navy Recon-
nlended For secrecy Of Naval Plans.


-Other increases TO the Navy ecOm
B,ended secrecy Of Naval Plans
WARRINGTON. Dec. 6.-The views OF
Secretary Of the Navy Bonapsrte on in
creasing the naval strength of the United
States have undergone a material change
since bis annual report q year ago, and In
his report of This year, just made public,
he recommends the construction OF one
more battleship Of the so-called 10000 ton
type. and because Of the unanimous and
emphatic recommendations of the experts
q the Navy Department ~"counsels" the
authorization by Congress Of two more
such vessels. In his report Of last year
Mr.. B~onaparte said that the aggregate OF
the b~attleships, armored cruisers and other
vessels built, building or authorized would
seem sufficient for any contingencies within
the limits of probability. The Secretary
now says in part:
1T lis my duty now to report to you the
PRESIDENT and 10 the Congress that, in my
Judgment, circumstances have 30 far
changed as TO make a moderate increase in
the defective fighting strength of our nvay
the part of patriotic foresight at present.
! recommend, therefore, that as soon as
may be practicable at this session the
Congress authorize the construction of a
sister ship to the one already authorized
and of which the plans are now submitted
80 that, by simply duplicating these plans
and the further detailed specifications and
drawings by which they are TO be supple
ments we can have two vessels Of this class
completed within the time which would
otherwise be needed for the construction of
only one"
With the report are transmitted the plans
for the new 20 $50 ton ship, the vessel that
Congress directed last session should be
the strongest in the world. The authorize
ton carried with IL the stipulation that be
fore the contract was let the plans should
be sent to Congress.
Mr.. Bonaparte also concurs in the recon-
mendarions of the general board and the
board Of construction for the increase in
the navy in so far as TO m the
authorization Of four destroyers, one gun
boat Of the Helena type for river work, two
shallow draught river gunboats. two small
Runboats and four ships motor torpedo
boats. Both the general board and the
board OF construction recommended two
additional battleships. Mr.. B~onaparte rec
commended only one but ~"counselled'
the other. He vetoed the Recommendation
mad by both Of the boards for two new
scout cruisers because Of the difference of
opinion between the two boards on the
question and the fact that the two scouts
now building are considered in a sense
experimental.
Onexparagraph in the report will proha-
bly, strike many naval officers as an ideal
statement Of the best naval policy. Mr..
Bonaparte mentions various schemes of
inventors for destroying fleets, and points
TO claims Of the automobile torpedo, then
Of torpedo craft, later Of submarines and
now Of airships and balloons. Mr.. Bona
parte says
Il feel that | ought TO place on record in
this connection the conviction of the De-
partment that the only Trustworthy safe
guard Of our country against injury from a
hostile battleship il TO have at least one
American battleship ready to deal with
her.
Because of a possible monopoly on armor
plate or the production Of 1t by a single
firm, thus placing the Government at the
mercy OF the monopoly or an individual,
Mr.. B~onaparte recommends that Congress
authorize the Government both TO make its
own armor plate and to buy it abroad if
necessary.
In another portion of the report the
Secretary voices his ~disapproval that Con-
Rress should force the Navy Department
to lay before it the plans for battleships.
lie says II II IN forclDle contrast with the
policy of at least one other nation with
respect TO the same subject.
The Secretary also strongly recommends
a very thorough reorganization Of the
Navy Department. The work, he saws,
AHCA ~ ~ AN'N AAAND AOuh OAN
under the Secretary, another under the
Assistant Secretary and the remaining two
under officers of flag rank.
One of the sections intrusted to the flag
officer would comprise the duties now i'm
posed upon the Bureau of Yards and Docks,
Equipment, CONSTRUCTION and Repair, steam
Engineering and Ordnance. The head of
the section should have as assistants the
chief constructor. the engineer in chief,
n two officers not designated by law, for
whom Mr.. Bonaparte suggests the titles
master Of ordnance and master of public
works, the last mentioned TO be a civil
engineer of the navy. The other chief of
section should have charge of the navy
as an organized fighting force, his province
being broader than that of the Chief Of the
Bureau of Navigation under the present
system, and he would have as assistants
the SuTgeon-General, the Paymaster-Gen-
eral, the C~ommandant Of the Marine Corps
and the Superintendent VI the Naval
Academy.
TO carry out this plan OF reorganization
Mr.. Bonaparte suggests that a commission,
consisting OF three or more ex-Secretaries
and two or more members OF the Naval
Committee of each House of Congress-,
under the presidency OF the secretasy OF
the Navy, be appointed to investigate and
report on the plan.
1t is also urged that il the recommended
tons OF the personnel board for the crea-
ton of three Vice-Admirals is not received
Nfavorably, at least two officers Of this rank
be added to the navy.