The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-30
FRANK 3. HOWE, Editor and Publisher
Waste in the Navy.

Henry Reuterdahl has an article in
the December number of Pearsons
magazine in which he gives some Of
President Roosevelts views on the
navy.
This story gives President Roose-
velt's first public word on the navy
as told to Henry Reuterdahl He says
big, efficient fleet of ships in each
ocean is necessary to peace and pros
perity The navy is growing in eff
fectiyeness but will not be really eff
ficient until the public demand IT,
The public must demand all great re
forms and that means the press, which
should ask for the same efficiency in
the navy department that 1t does IN
other branches of the government
Mr.. Reuterdahl explains the Bureau
system of navy control The Bureau
system retards the navy's growth.
Millions of i'll spent dollars are yearly
appropriated for naval maintenance
and additions. In 1885 Secretary
Whitney declared trat since 1868 sew
enty millions had been wasted These
items show some of the things for
which the Bureau system is RESPONSE
BILE. Full details are given in the at
tached sheets
The navy yard at Portsmouth, New
| Hampshire, cost $l00O0,000 The
! first battleship was locked there less
than two months ago. Voters from
two states labor in this navy yard
Last year the pay roll was S79O,oOO
| The value of the work produced was
little over 100000.
Ten years ago the English under
water tube was adopted, yet today not
half of our ships are equipped with
underwater tubes.
Eleven years ago an officer was de
tailed to investigate and report upon
the possibility of using petroleum as
fuel. We are today still experiment
ing with oil
The Charleston, st. Louis and Nil.
waukee, new cruisers, costing three
million dollars each, are not fighters
and are too slow for scouting. The
Gillian O'Higgins, built seven years
earlier and of smaller tonnage carries
heavier armor and more powerful
guns.
In 1903 three small sailing ships
were authorized by congress, though
men are no longer trained on sailing
ships. One was built in New Hamp-
shire, one in California and one in
Massachusetts. Each state has a
senator on the naval committee. The
three ships cost about 100000 They
have never performed service and
are now tied to the dock perfectly use
less.
Repairs of useless and obsolete YES
sells run into millions. The gunboat
Vicksburg cost $240.00O II has been
proposed to spend in repairs on her
$4,000 although the sister OF the
ship has been loaned to the New York
Board of Education as a school ship.
The open turret was first criticized
in 1901. II took accidents on the Mis-
souri,, Kearsage and Georgia, In which
twenty-five men were killed and many
injured, before the Bureau of Ord
nance would move. II has now asked
for two millions to correct the error.
The Mare Island navy yard has cost
over Sl7,000,O0O yet our big ships can
not approach It in safety. The waters
In the vicinity are shoal-at low tide
twenty feet.
Ten thousand dollars was appropri-
ated last year for additional work on
the naval station at New Orleans.
Since 1900 more than $2.000.000 has
been spent there but as far back as
1876 Admiral David Porter recon-
mended that the station be abandon
ed
The board recommended that the ma
val station at Port Royal should be
discontinued. For years battle.
ship has not locked there The sta
ton was removed to Charleston few
years ago although the place had been
condemned.
Last year at the Key West station
I $9i,31S was expended for labor The
value Of the products turned out was
S7026. Yet congress voted $4,000 OF
additional money to be wasted on this
coral reef.
At the naval station at New Orleans
the pay roll last year was S1S,21i;
the total output was worth Sl.Oi6. a
senator from Louisiana Is a member
Of the naval committee.
The American officer and the Amer
/ lean sailor has no superior In the
/ world. President Roosevelt has sent
three messages to Congress recon-
mcnding reorganization Of the navy
/ department Four years ago Senator
Moody presented a bill to that effect
\ but the naval committee and the Bur.
! eau system control The president
SAYS that military organization and
| oWctonrv la tho navy can he secured