Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-12-09
SECRETARY HOLDS GOVERNMENT
CANNOT ADVANTAGEOuSLY
GIVE UP SITE.
TWO MORE BATTLESHIPs OF ALL
BIG GUNS TYPE REC
OMMENDED.
OPPOSES SHIP CONSTRUCTION
Ely NATlON-ENCOURAGE
PRIVATE CONCERNS.

spite the agitation to close some of
the navy yards along the southern
coast, Secretary of the Navy Meyer
will oppose any such step for the
present. This much was made plain
in his annual report submitted to
President Taft yesterday.
Secretary Meyer says that he is
not entirely convinced that the gov
eminent can advantageousIy give up
sites. in which large expenditures
have been made, until after the open
ing Of the Panama canal when it
definitely can be demonstrated which
are likely to be of the greatest value.
Tt is not unknown in the history
Of the government" says the secre-
taTy, that national reservations have
been given up and later were brought
back at increased cost" Again in
discussing the same subject, he says
that the completion of the Panama
canal, the development of trade in
the Gulf of Mexico and the whole
Caribbean region, and the probable
increase of the naval establishment
to meet our national possibilities
in that, area will probably call for sup
ply stations, in part for the heavy
feet, but principally for the torpedo
craft and submarines and the smaller
vessels needed there"
He urges the extreme desirabiIity"
of developing the naval station partly
established at Guantanamo, Cuba.
with the opening Of the Panama ca
nal. the Caribbean sea will become the
scene Of the great commercial activ-
ity, and our responsibility as to the
police and maintenance call for an
adequate naval repair base in that To-
caIity."
The secretary reviews in detail his
proposed plan for the reorganization
of the navy, and in addition makes
many recommendations for the con-
duct Of affairs in his department.
Two more battleships of the all-b1g
sun type are recommended to be
constructed but, on account of the
desire to keep down the expenditures,
he asks only for a repair ship in al
dition to these two proposed giants
of the sea.
The completion of the big drydock
at the Brooklyn navy yard is urged,
and furthermore the secretary says
that cit is clear that one dock on the
Atlantic coast for docking our larg
est battleships, is not sufficient since
that one might be injured" In this
connection, he points out that pro
visions for docking of heavy vessels |
injured Or damaged in action or by
stTanding are almost entirely lack
ing, and that but few navy-yards ex-
list on either coast which have suffi-
cient water to deck an injured battle
ship draing to feet more than it's
ordinary draft.
Ship construction at the navy yards
of the United States is opposed as a
principle by the secretary. Only occa~
siOnalIy, as a check on costs of par
ticular types, does he believe that the
United States should build a ship.
Shipbuilding concerns should be en-
cOuraged, in his opinion, so that the
government can profit by their eX-
perience and resources, and also be-
cause ordinarily the work is done
more economically by them than at
navy yards.
Furthermore, Secretary Meyer is OPP
posed to congress restricting the con-
struction by one shipbuiIding com
pany to one battleship, or to requiring
one battIeship to be constructed at
navy yard, or on one coast or the
other.
Estimates for the coming fiscal
year were included in the report.
They are c-o,011,0OO less than the
total amount appropriated for the
present fiscal year.
The senior officers of the navy
are too old, according to the secre-
tary. He announces in his report
that he soon will send to the presi-
dent some recommendation as to new
legislation for remedying this de-
feet. THE senior officers of our
navy are too old for the responsible |
ties and arduOus duty required in the
modern battleship," says the secre-
tary. 'They are much older than
similar officers in the other principal |
navies of the world. Not only is this |
the case, but flag officers arrive at
the grade of rear-admiraI so late that
even those Of longest possible serv-
lice do not get adequate training as
subordinate flag officers before assum- (
ing the chief command"
Recommendation for the legal es-
Enlistment of q naval reserve of Of
fcers and men and in regard to the .
development of a naval militia are
also promised