The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-12-12
MORE DRY
DOCKS URGED
Secretary of Navy Would Have
More Than One in Atlantic
and Not Abandon Yards.
(Rv Associated Press.l

| navy Ydfus aiohS INT SoutnSAN No@'~'
Secretary of the Navy Meyer will OPP,
pose any such step for the present
This much was made plain in his an,
nual report submitted to President Taft
today.
Secretary Meyer says that he is not
entirely convinced that the government
can advantageously give up sites, in
which large expenditures have been
made, until after the opening of the
Panama Canal. when it definitely can
| be demonstrated which are likely to
be of the greatest value.
nsIt is not unknown in the history
| of the government, says the secre-
tarv. ssthat national reservations have
| been given up and later were bought
hack at increased cost" Again IN dis
cussinq the same subject, he says that
the completion of the Panama Canal,
the development Of trade in the CUR
Of Mexico and the whole Caribbean
region, and the probable increase Oh
the naval establishment to meet our
national responsibilities in that area
viii probably call for supply stations,
in part for the heavy fleet, but prin-
eipallv for the torpedo craft and SUB
marines and the smaller vessels needed
there =.
He urges the "extreme desirability -
of developing the naval station partly
established at Guantanamo, Cuba.
ssWith the opening of the Panama
Canal. the Caribbean Sea will become
the scene of the great commercial &C,
tivitv, and our responsibility as to the
police and maintenance call for an ade-
quate naval repair base in that local
ity.'
The secretary reviews in detail his
proposed plans for the reorganization
of the navy, and in addition makes
MANY recommendations for the conduct
of affairs in his department.
Two more battleships of the all-blg-
gun type are recommended to be con-
structed, but, on account of the desire
to keep down the expenditures, he asks
only for 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 says
that sit is clear that one dock on the
Atlantic Coast, for docking our largest
| battIeships, is not sufficient since that
one might be iniured.' 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 1
or feet more than its ordinary draft.
Ship construction at the navy yards
of the United States is opposed as a
principle by the secretary. Only oc'
casionally, as check on costs of par
| tieular types, does he believe that the
| United States should build a ship. Ship
| building concerns should be encouraged,
| in his opinion, so that the government
can profit by their experience and re.
| sources, and also because 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 shipbuilding company
to one battleship, or to requiring one
battleship to be constructed at a navy
| yard or on one coast or the other
Estimates for the coming fiscal year
were included in the report. They are
$10.0l1, 900 less than the total amount
appropriated for the present fiscal year
The senior officers of the navy are
too old, according to the secretary. Ht
ANNOUNCES in his report that he soon
will send to the President some recon-
mendation as to new legislation foI
remedying this defect. ''The senior
officers of our navy are too old for the
responsibilities and arduous duty re
quired in the modern battleship;' saws
the secretary. "They are much olde,
than similar officers in the other prin
| cipal navies of the world Not only il
this the ease, but flag officers arrive al
the grade of rear-admiral so late tina
even those of longest possible service
do not get adequate training as sub
ordinate flag officers before assuming
the chief commando
Recommendation for the legal estab
: lishment of naval reserve of officer
and men and in regard to the develop
ment of a naval militia are ais,
. promised.
Tappau Succeeds Young.
WASHINGTON, December eth
detachment of Capt Lueien Young a
captain of the navy yard at Mare Is