Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-10-26
MORE SAILORS FOR THE NAVY
SUBJECT DISCUSSED At THE
CABINET MEETfNC
Secretary MefczIf Tells Freshest Asosf
Needs Of szsx psrarlnsat

Secretzry - the Sarv Nsgca1f belL
the centre 81 the stz-a a. tle re<ular
meeting % sbe Ca1inst yssseEdzv- IS
vas the FIRST Cabinet session slnee
President Roosevelt wert e. tfysre<
LAY. and while there wers lEaEv eE1er
things 70 talk over. the interest IL na-
gaI affairs. with p1rtieular rsteFsnea
- the contemplated ine-easss - lie
feet and the persornel- wzs SO -re4f
that most - the meeEln- uAs laseu uEF
II listening to an exul11ariaz ffuus
Nr. MetcaIf ~ the estimates 81 anux1-
priations which were regarded a. 1se-
essary for the c0ndact of the naval es-
tabIisbmens in the Gseal year e. eegir
on July !. 1895
TIE estimates Of 4ppEopriAlzgus pre-
vide for 4 c0nsiderabls igcreaSe ever
the aggregate of the estimate fer the
current fiscal wear. which wwre great
IL in excess Of tiIe amounE allowed ~
Congress. Just how mgeh viii Be-
asked for by Secretary NetealT has
not been known but the prineiual
items OF interest are foT tae work un-
der the bureaus ~ ori-anee. yards
and docks and equipment and Tor t1e
pay Of enlisted men The Navy De-
partmeuE will ssk Congress To Increase
the present enlisted strength ~ aeto.
SO that enough nan wiiI be available
for the warships which wili be ccm-
pleted shortly. and about Eve million
dollars In addition 20 the amount ask
Ell for last year viii b. requested 20
pay them More guns. more dry
docks ard provision for the uew ere
control system on battlssbips ard
armored cruisers will help swell the
estimates. Last year the estimates
were $I1j. Al. $50. but Congress eut
this total down TO sIo2, 9sl.010-
The estimates submitted 90 the Pzes-
ident and the Cabinet yesterday BY
Secretary Metcalf did uOE inelu4s
provision for any increase in the hseE-
No decision has been reached - the
President and the Secretary u the
Navy as to the number and the char
acter of the vessels for the e0us-Eue-
tion Of which Congress viii be asked
to appropriate. The desire Of the Ad-
ministratiOn is 10 obtain authority 60
make a substantial increase IN the
number OF battleships. bat cous1derA-
ton Of the advisiahility of asking for
more than Congress would probaol y
be willing TO allow has resulted in a
decision to give longer thought 90 the
subject
Varying opinions as 80 the numoeE
Of battIeships that should se included
in the recommendations Of the Secretary
of the Navy have been expressed oy
those Immediately concerned who IN
clude President Roosevelt. SECRETARY
Metcalf, the members u the General
Board Of the Navy and high r4uking
naval officers some are IN favor 81
asking for two baftleships ard otbers
for three. while there j. advocacy also
Of urging that authority 90 construct
four battlesbips be given.
In the course Cf the discussion ~ tbs
Cabinet meeting some attention 50.
devoted 20 the subject II pruEisls1e
more adequate docking facilities fvi
large vessels Of var 10 places oD t1e
Pacific Coast. This subject has ae
Come prominent IN 0fhciAl circles ~
/ account Of the decision to send the
baftIeship heef 10 the PaeiGe and ~
knowledge that The present. dcek1u-
facilities are wholly Inadequate >ar
Diego, where the navy has a eoalin-
station, Was regarded as the pl4cs
| for the establishment Of another Arg
naval base. but No axteZpt to setz4a
/ the matter was mzlle- A. the Genera
Beard viii take up the e1tire Eszesraor
Of additional navy yards On 1he Pa
cifc Coast and viii make an advisory
report 10 the Secretary - War