Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-12-04
Secretary Says Government Should
Hold Yards in South Until After
Canal is Finished.
MAY NEED THEM BADLY
Then it Might Have to Buy Them
Back at Big Price.
FOR TWO BIG BATTLESHIPs
Fighting Machines of the All-Gun
Glass Recommended
SENIOR OFFICERS ARE TOO OLD
Plan Favored TO Have Men Reach
Higher Ranks Early I'm Life
Estimates Reduced Ten
Millions.
Machines of the All-Gun
Glass Recommended.
SENIOR OFFICERS ARE TOO OIL

buy them back at an increased cost, Sec
retary Meyer Of the Navy department in
his annual report to the president today,
recommended the retention for the present
Of all the navy yards owned by the gov
I ernment. He would have the government
wait until the completion Of the Panama
canal before closing any Of the yards on
the southern coast.
Two big battleships Of the all-big-gun
class are recommended by the secretary, |
as well as a repair ship. He makes II
plain in his report that he is opposed, ex
cept occasionally as a check on cost to
the construction of battleships at govern
ment yards and to the Limitation OF the
construction Of only one battleship by any
one shipbullding concern.
Estimates for the coming fiscal year were
included I'm the report. They are more
than S1O,0OO,OOO less than the total amount
appropriated for the present fiscal year.
The secretary says that the senior Off |
GERS OF the navy are too old. He wants |
some new legislation on the subject. He
says that he is preparing recommendations
on the matter and will submit it to the
president shortly.
Recommendations for the legal establish |
ment of naval reserve Of officers and
men will also be submitted to President
Taft soon. Recommendation in regard to
the development Of a naval militia are also
promised.
Secretary Meyer reviews and explains in
detail his proposed plan for the reorganiza-
tlon OF the May department and navy
yards and asks for such legislation as may
be needed to carry 1t into effect
Naval Yards in south.
Secretary Meyer says that he is not en-
tirely convinced that the government can
advantageously give up navy yard sites, in
which large expenditures have been made,
until after the opening of the Panama
canal. when It definitely can be demon
strated which are likely to be Of the great
est value.
1T is not unknown in the history OF the
government" says the secretary, that ma
tional reservations have been given up
and later were bought back at increased
cost" Again in discussing the same sub
ject he says that the completion Of the
Panama canal, the development of trade
in the Gulf of Mexico and the whole Carb-
bean region, and the probable increase of
I The naval establishment to meet our
national responsibilities in that area Will
probably call for supply stations, in part
for the heavy fleet, but principally for the
torpedo craft and submarines and the
smaller Vessels neeueu luSIes
Naval station in Cuba.
He urges the extreme desirability" of
developing the naval station partly es alb
lished at Guantanamo, Cuba. with the
opening Of the Panama canal, the Carib-
bean sea will become the scene of the
greatest commercial activity and our re-
spdDability as to TIE police and main
ten4nce call for an adequate naval re-
pair base In that locality"
The secretary reviews in detail his pro-
posed plah for the reorganization OF the
navy and In addition makes many recon-
Y menda l!ons for the conduct of affairs In
his department
Two more batteships of the all-b.g-gun
type are recommended to be construc ed
but on account of the desire to keep down
the expenditures, he asks only for a repair
ship IN addition TO these two proposed
giants of the sea.
The completion of the big dry dock al
ithe Brooklyn navy yard is urged and
furthermore the secretary says, cit is
clear that one dock on the Atlantic coast,
for docking our largest battleshlps. 10
not sufficient since that one might be in
jured." In this connection, ne points out
that provisions for docking or heavy ves-
sells injured or damaged in action or by
stranding are almost entirely lacking and
that but few navy yards exist on either
coast which have sufficient water to dock
an injured battleship drawing four or five
feet more than its ordinary draft.
Ship construction at the navy yards OF
the United States is opposed a prin-
cplo by the secretary. only Occasionally.
as a check in costs Of particular types,
does he believe that the United states
should build a ship. Shipbunding concerns
should be encouraged, in his opinion, so
that the government can profit by their
experience and resources, and also be-
cause ordinarily the work Is done more
economically by them than at navy yards
opposes Restrictions on Builders.
Furthermore. Secretary Meyer is op-
posed to congress restricting the con-
struetion by one shipbuildIng company 70
enc battleship, or 10 requiring one battle
fhp to be constructed at navy yard, OF
on one coast or the other
Estimates for the coming fiscal year
were included in the report. They are
$iGoll0o0 less than the total amount APP
pr0prlated for the present fiscal year.
The senior officers Of the navy are toe
old according TO The secretary. He an
nounees In his report that he soon will
send 70 the president sOane recommends
don as 10 new legislation for remedyinr
this defect The senior Officers OF oul
nalS are too old Tor the responsibilit e,
and srduous duty required in he modern
battleship, says the secretary. They
are much older than similar officers In In,
other principal navies Of the world. No
oni. Is tnis the case, but flag officers ar
Give al tae grade OF rear adm raj so lat,
nat even those ef longest possible seryic,
D., not get adequate training as subordi
nate flag officers before assuming IN
= chief command"
Recommendations for the legal estab
Rnt OF q naval reserve OF officers an,
"a and Ia regard TO the development o
. naval militia are also promised.