The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-12-04
Meyer Opposes Closing
The Southern Navy Yards
Continues From First Pauel

CcontTnued From First PaueO
tional responsibilities in that area will
probably call for supply stations, in
part for the heavy feet, but princi-
pally for the torpedo craft and sub
marines 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
canal, the Caribbean Sea will become
the scene of the great commercial &C
tiyity. and our responsibility as 10 the
police and maintenance call for an
adequate naval repair base in that To-
cality."
REORGANIZATION OF NAVY.
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 alI-big-
gun type are recommended to be con-
stTucted, 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 drydock
at the Brooklyn navy yard is urged,
and furthermore the secretary saws
that III is clear that one dock on the
Atlantic coast, for docking our largest
battleships, is not sufficient since that
one might be injured In this con-
nection, he points out that provisions
for docking of heavy vessels 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 t
or feet more than it's ordinary draft.
SHIP CONSTRUCTION.
Ship construction at the navy yards
of the United States is opposed as a
principle by the secretary Only oc-
casfOEally, as a check on costs of par
ucular 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 expe-
rience and resources, and also because
ordinarily the work is done more
economically by them than at navy
yards
furthermore, Secretary Meyer is Op-
posed to congress restricting the con
structiOn by one shipbuiIdinE company
70 one battleShlp, or TO requiring one
battleship to be constructed at d navy
yard. or on one coast or the other.
ESTIMATES $1o,o11 600 LESS.
Estimates for the coming fiscal wear
were included in the report They are
SlO,011,000 less than the total amount
appropriated for the present fiscal
year.
The senior officers OF the navy are
too old. according to the secretary. He
announces in his report that he soon
Will send to the president some
recommendation as TO new IesisEa-
ton for remedying this effect. The
senior officers of our navy are too old
for the responsibilities and arduOus
duty required IN the modern battle
ship says the secretary. 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
admiral so late that even those of
longest possible service do not get
adequate training as subordinate fag
officers before assuming the chief
command
Recommendation for the IcCaI
establishment of q naval reserve Of
ohcers and men and in regard 10 the
development Of a naval militia are
also promised.