Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-12
NAVAL PROGRAM
Decided by House Com
mittee on Naval Affairs.
Two 26,0OO-ton BattIeships and
Smaller Craft $29,0O0,OO0.
Secretary Aewberry Favors Build
Ing Them In Private Yards.

Washington, Jan. 11.-An increase of
the navy appropriation to the extent of
s29000000 was agreed upon today by
the House committee on naval affairs.
The following naval program for .lp
preparations at this session was adopt
ed by the committee. Two battleships
of $4,000 tons displacement, $19,000,000
five torpedo boat deStroyerS, $4,000 O09;
three oilers. $3.600,000; four sub
marines s2.000,000; one sub-surface
boat, 100000
sTwo battleships are recommended by
the committee instead of four as esti-
mated Tor the navy department.
The estimate for destroyers was cut
in half. the navy department asking
for 10. An ammunition ship, a repair
ship and two mine laying ships, esti-
mated for by the navy department,
were refused by the committee. The
estimates for the three GOLFERS and the
four submarines We're agreed to except
that the committee added one sub
surface boat.
Only three members voted for. the
authorization of the construction of
four 26.000-ton battleships. The other
Is members voted for only two. The
committee otherwise cut down the es-
Inmates submitted by the navy depart
ment SO that instead of an authorize
ton of an increase OF the navy by an
appropriation of $63. ,0on. the in
crease will be only $29. 900 or $780,,
0G0 900 While it was estimated last
year that the two battleships Of 10000
tons displacement would cost S1O,0C0,000
each, the members of the committee
| have been led by navy department OIL
Gals to believe that it will probably
| IL possible to construct the big $4,000
| ships proposed now at less cost than
that estimated for the smaller vessels a
| year ago.
"Competition among the shipyards
accounts for the fact" explained Sec
rotary Newberry, that they will make
q bid without any profit in it, and ]
think I can prove to the satisfaction
of anybody who is interested, that they
are bidding on work row at less than
the cost of labor and material that
| goes into the ships"
The secretary estimated that the cost
OF each of the new battleships which
Admiral Pillsbury. chief OF the bureau
of navigation describes as the most
powerful ship in the world, would be
about 50, SEQ 900, but the members of the
committee anticipate that the cost vii
be $10,000,G00 before they are com
pleted.
The committee was almost unanmOu:
for the appropriation for the five tor
pedo boat destroyers, each to cost $500
600. The members voted for two scout
cruisers the navy department asking fol
five, to cost $2.5000O0 each. Chairman
Foss was the only member who opposed
the authorization of the construction O.
four submarines to cost 100000 each. The
committee was we'll united on the au
thorization of three Golfers at $1,000 0
each The authorization of the sub-sur'
face boat was made without much oppo
Sition.
If the committee heeds the advice Of
Secretary Newberly, neither of the big
ba ttleships will be constructed at a navy
yard He said that a collier the govern
ment is building at the Mare Island navy
yard is costing much more than the es-
timated cost of Golfers purchased from
private individuals. Il do not consider
it advisable" said the secretary, "tr
construct large vessels or battleships ir
navy yards except at rare intervals and
under peculiar conditions My belief Is
that our navy yards should be maintain
fcency of the fleet. We, have enough
| to keep our plants busy with the repair
of ships