Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-12-04
Secretary Meyer of the Navy
Makes Annual Report to
President Taft.
NATION NOW STANDS
THIRD IN STRENGTH
Secretary Asks For Two More Battle
Ships of the Dreadnaught Type to
Keep Pace With the Progress of
other Big Powers-PacifiC Coast
Needs Are Many.
[uN1rnn pRnss LEASED VIM. !

Washington, Dec. 4.---That the be-
lief still prevails among the nations
that the manner in which peace is
to be maintained is by the 'all-big-
gun battleship" may be drawn from
the annual report of Secretary of
the Navy George Won l.. Meyer, SUBJ
mitted to the president today. He
says the United States holds third
place today among the ranking nav
al nations.
The secretary, in the course of his
battleship is growing in popularity,
and is the most prominent type of
vessel now being built by all the
leading naval powers. He asks for
two such big war craft. The displace-
ments continues to increase with
each new design laid down, and high
er speed is the aim. Mr. Meyer says:
Torpedo craft and submarines are
being built in large numbers. Eng
land and Germany have appropriated
large sums of money for the con-
struction of and experiments with
submarines. AS regards the latter
type, the French naval programme
this year is exceptional in that it
does not provide for additional sub
marines
Germany is now second among the
principal naval powers in warship
tonnage built and building, having
taken the place of France, which now
occupies fourth place. The United
States is third.
In reference to the Pacific Coast
needs, Mr.. Meyer says:
"Our docking and repair facilities
on the Pacific Coast are now scarcely
adequate for the naval force there.
The Pacific ocean Is growing in i'm
| portance and with the opening Of
| the Panama canal will become the
scene of greater commercial and nav
al activity. An increase in facilities
on the Pacific Coast for coaling, dock
ing and the repair OF naval vessels
| is, therefore, matter requiring ac-
! tion in the near future"
The total personnel of the navies
of the five big nations is as follows:
! England, 128,522; United States,
! 55,548; France, 54,174; Germany,
! 54,067; Japan, 46,485
Secretary Answers Critics.
In answer to the agitation to
close some of the navyyards along
the southern coast, Mr.. Meyer says
that he is not entirely convinced that
| the government can advantageously
give up sites. In which large expen-
! ditures have been made, until after
| the opening of the Panama canal,
when 1t definitely can be demon
strated which are likely to be of
the greatest value.
He urges the extreme desirabil-
ity' of developing the naval station
| partly established at Guantanamo
! Cuba. with the opening of the
| Panamn canal, the Caribbean sea
will become the scene of the great
commercial activity, and our respon-
sibility as to the police and mainten-
ance call for an adequate naval re-
pair base In that locality"
! Navy Yard Construction TabOOed.
Ship construction al the navy yards
of the United States is opposed as a
principle by the secretary. Only Oc-
casionnlly, as a check on costs OF
particular types, does he believe that
the United States should build ship
Shipbuilding concerns should be en-
couraged, In his opinion. so tha. the
government can profit by their ex-
perlence and resources, and also be-
cause ordinarily thework Is done
more economically by them than at
navy yards.
Furthermore. Mr.. Meyer Is op-
posed TO congress restricting the CON
struction by one shipbuilding COM
Dany TO one battleship, or TO requir-
Ing one battleship 10 be constructed
az navy yard, or on one coast or
the other,
Estimates for the coming fiscal
year yere included in the report. The
are S10,Ol1,O00 less than The total
!