Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-13
SECRETARY RECOMMENDS
70 NEW WARSHlPS
Four eattIeships. 4 Scout Cruisers. 10
Destroyers, 4 Submarines, Col
iiers and 8 Other vessels.

the Anne rlcan ana Otner naNles lo'
mer Secretary Metcaf recommends
TO Congress to authorize. at Its pres
ent session, the construction OF 4 bat
tleships. 4 scout cruisers. 10 destroy
ers. 4 submarines. 3 golfers, repair
ship, | ammunition ship. and = mine
laying ships The mine-laying ships.
he suggests. may be converted from
cruisers now on the navy list.
The sea strength of other nations
Is shown in tabulated FORM including
vessels building or authorized. Ac-
complaining his recommendation Tor
the new vessels, the former secre-
tary says:
The battleships should be of the
heavy single caliber. all big-gun type
and 1t Is deemed desirable that, as
soon as practicable. a squadron OF
eight battleships of this type should
be completed. The North Dakota.
Delaware, Florida. and Utah will form
the first division Of this squadron. and
the four proposed vessels will form
the second division. All should have
the same tac.,cal qualities (speed
and turning circies).
THE number Of scout cruisers in
the navy should be one for each bat
iieship. In order to tTing the num-
Der of scout cruisers to this equality.
1t will be necessary to provide for
greater number than four for the
coming year. but recognizing econo-
mic reasons, 1t Is recommended that
only four scout cruisers be authorized
this year. This numDer, however.
lhould be regarded as the minimum.
Cites Foreign Policy.
ut Is considered that there should
be q ratio of four destroyers for each
battleship, and this opinion is in con-
formity with the practice and policy
of certain foreign navies. The de-
partment therefore recommends that
at least ten destroyers be authorized
each year until the above ratio shall
. have been reached.
"The three GOLFERS recommended
should be Of the same type as the II
knot large Golfers authorized at the
last session Of Congress. but should
have sustained sea speed Of II
knots.
Experience with repair ship in
the Atlantic fleet tPanther) has
shown ccnclusively the great value OF
this auxiliary, and the department Is
OF the opinion that this class o: yes
gel should be provided for The ship
should be Of not less than 10000 tons
displacement and capable OF q sus-
tained sea speed Of II knots.
THE ammunition ship should be OF
5000 tons cargo capacity. fitted to
carry In safety all classes OF anmuni-
ton, and capable Of sustaining sea
speed Of IA knots. The development
Of rapid firing and the consequent
speedy exhaustion OF ammunition in
action make ammunition supply
vital question"
Al Building eattIeships.
The report states that during the
past year the policy Of building bat
,tleships Of large displacement and
high speed has been universally con
tinued. and all navies are now en-
gagged in, or nave authorized. the con-
struction Of such vessels. the list In
GLIDING England. France. Germany.
Russia. Italy. Japan, Brazil. and the
Argentine Republic" They are also.
he announces. providing the other
type Of boats
Other features OF Mr.. Metcall re-
port are his illusions to the voyage
Of the battleship feet. whose purpose.
he declares. has been everywhere
understood and accepted. As II was in
tended. as the reaching cut Of a
strong hand in friendly greeting on
the part Of America the Newport
conference: dry dock improvements.
and the organization Of the navy de-
partment He also urges that the
navy be provided without delay. with
two vice-admirs.s saying:
The oficer in command OF the
American fiett nov In the Far East
holds the rank Of rear admiral only,
and 10 in a position Of suhord'natiOn
TO foreign naval officers. as foreign
powers have on important naval sta
, tions. representatives of the rank Of
vice admiral
Urges Larger Dock
Il is desirable. the secretary states.
TO lengthen the dry dock authorized
By Congress TO he Constructed n
Pearl Harbor. Hawaii. from $50 to
1.14o feet to render II capable of ac-
ccmmoiating two or more vessels at
once.
| Secretary Metcalf recommends that
the navy yards at New York. Phila.
delphia. Norfolk. pugef Sound and
Mare Island be developed TO their full
capacity for the repair and maintcn-
ance Of ships. bu; says IL IS not fer
ther d. sirable 10 develop other navy
yards. at least until that At Gusnta-
nanlo shall have been equipped. the
last-naraed station being rcgardef as
OF the frs, military importance and
as natural strategic base
II Is deemed highly desirable 10 ac.
duire =. purchase o. To construct
dTy dock in San Francisco harbor.
With The acquisition Of such a docs.
and brinsine M 10 high efficiency ~
the yards q, Brcmer;on and Mare Is