Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-07

effect, both at home and abroad, ha.
not been wholly desirable, and tina
II appears In forcible contrast 1,
tle action OF at least one foreign
| government In dealing with III,
sumo sIbject-matter. 1t Is the uni
| "ersal desire OF the constraCtio.
department. In navles to keep thel
designs, as nearly Us possible. secret
| and, SO far AZ this Is the only ia
stance In which disapproval OF this
policy has been apparently indicated
by the Legislative branch OF all,
government.
Increase Of the Navy.
In my last annual report | stated
that THE aggregate Of our battle
ships, armored cruisers. and const-
defense vessels built. building. or
authorized, would seem. according to
present indications. sufficient to pro.
vide for any contingencies within the
limits or probability" When this
statement was made the facts seemed
to justify an assumption. at least
tentatively. that the foreign nayles
pare our own hand, IN general, reach
ed the limits OF extension imme.
tlately contemplated. and there ap
Eeared TO some persons IL fair pros.
poet that some reduction of naval
ornaments or, ut all events, some
Limitation to their indefinite In.
crease, might result from the COZ.
tnmpiated Hague conference.
without sharing the last-men
tened expectation. yet deelued
that. could then safely speak as
Old; but, without going into de.
tailed explanations. which are need.
less and might be Objectionable. 1t
Is my duty now TO report TO yoii
and to the congress that In my
Judgment, circumstances have so
.Rl changed as tu make provision
Tor moderate increase In til =
effective fighting strength of our
navy the part of patriotic foresight
AT licsent. | recommend, therefore.
that. as soon rs may be practicable
a. tlls session. the congress an.
thtri2e the construction of :. sstn.
ship to the one already authorized
and of which the plans are now
suhmitted; so TINT. by simply du-
plicating these plans and the further
detailed specifications and drawings
oy which they are to be supplem
ed, we cnn have two vessels OF this
class completed within the time
"hiSH "oulu olHcl " iSc De Uecueu
FOR the construction of only one.
Ii was my opinion, as expressed
In my last annual report, that tho
authorization OF two l6 000-ton BIZ
tlH ships OF the type of the South
Carolina and Michigan which, If
authorized. could have been com.
pleted simultaneously with the last
mentioned vessels, thus providing
us at once squadron of four homo
geneous ships, would have been the
most appropriate form In which to
prov,ie for the maintenance of the
strength of our navy at the last
session. For the same reason,
now think It highly advisable that
consort to the single vessel au-
thorized as II substitute for the two
recommended be authorized ut this
session, and, II possible, early In
the session, so that we may havs
greater benefit from the Increased
speed Of these larger ships, an al,
vantage in great part nullifed when
the swifter vessel Is the only onn
of her class In a fleet. The addl.
tional vessels which. think should
be authorized at this session are liz.
dictated later in this report
New Vessels.
The views OF the general board
and the board on constructor, with
regard to new vessels to be recon-
mended for authorization at the
present session OF congress are In
substantial harmony Deeming It
nv duty to give congress the bene-
MT OF the views OF both boards
In detail, and following the prece-
dent establishment last year, | sub.
nit them as follows:
General Board.
Approximate