Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-17
Decided Increase in Size of
Navy Sure to Follow
Pacific Cruise
SHIPS HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED
Sixteen Fighting Vessels Are Now I'm
der Course of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
dent Writes of the Need Of Suitable
Men for tho Army-Those Wanted
Who Can Shoot.

Washington, July 17.-Within four
years, perhaps three years, the United
States will have another fleet ready for
service on the Atlantic coast almost as
powerful as the one which is now to
be sent to the Pacific coast. Within
that time all of the ships now author
lied will, 1t is believed, be completed.
The nucleus of such a fieea is almost
ready now
Admiral Evans will take fifteen bat
tleships to the Pacific coast, in adj
dition to other vessels. AT San Fran
cisco his fleet will be increased to six
teen by the new battleship Nebraska,
which was built at the yards of Moran
Brothers, at Seattle, and has just been
placed in commission. 1t also will be
Joined by the great new cruisers, Cali
fornia and South Dakota, which have
also just been commissioned for active
and Kansas, sister ships of the Mime
sofa, will join the Atlantic fleet before
1t starts around the horn. The YER
mont is in commission at Boston, and
the Kansas is at League Island, ready
to go into commission.
In addition to these, the United
States has seven powerful new battle
ships in sigh. They are under con-
struction in various yards. or are under
contract, and include the powerful new
20,000-ton ships OF the Delaware type.
which have just been contracted for
Many Vessels Building.
The vessels under construction, all
at yards on the Atlantic side, and their
percentage of completion on June l.,
are as follows:
Battleships-Mississi building by
the Cramps, STAT per cent completed:
Idaho, Cramps 1919 per cent; New
Hampshire New York Shipbuilding
company, 72.5 per cent; South Caro-
lima, Cramps. 1857 per cent; Michigan,
New York Shipbuilding company, 1874
per cent: Delaware, 10000 tons, just
contracted for. building by Newport
ship No. 80, 10000 tons, same type
as delaware, 10 De punt ny TOIe niNel
company.
Armored cruisers North Carolina,
Newport News company so.69 COM
plete; Montana. Newport News COM
pany, 74.89 complete.
Scout cruisers-Chest building at
Bath Iron works, 1876 complete; Biz
mingham at Fore River works, 1873
complete; Salem, at Fore Riter works,
II complete.
In addition four submarines. two
Golfers and two large naval tugs are
under construction.
Means Appropriation Fight.
Representative Tawney, chairman of
the house committee on appropriations,
said recently that the large surplus
up in the treasury during the last fiscal
year would undoubtedly lead to an at
tack upon the national pocketbook by
those he designated as treasury raid
ers." 1t is believed that congress will
be besieged this winter by anxious res
idents of Atlantic coast cities who will
ask for an increase in the navy. pre-
sumably for the protection of cities on
the east side of the continent. Mr..
Tawney will undoubtedly point to this
llSC Ol SLIPS DIS StIl SNlQellCG w
the intent of congress to provide am
pie naval defense for both coasts, but it
is believed that he will be opposed to
appropriations for any large increase
in the number of warships. On the
other hand it is believed that he will
not oppose an increase in the annual
expenditures for men to man the ships
already in commission.
The authorized strength of the navy
does not permit of all the vessels be-
longing to the government being in
commission at one time, and in recent
years it has been necessary to place
one or more of the older ships, not OBJ
solete by any means, in reserve so that
officers and crews could be provided
for the new ships when placed on the
active list. This happened within a
few weeks wnen two ships were placed
out of commission on the Atlantic
coast in order that the battleship Ne
braska and the cruiser South Dakota
might be manned. 1t is probable that
strong efforts will be made by advo-
Gates Of a bigger navy to have new
ships authorized as we'll as an increase
in the naval force, both officers and
enlisted men. The fight between them
and the, economists promises to be
lively.