The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1910-12-06

knows y 20 th the 80 81 Ml4l4lis
ltaln the naysl
The yssteIl1 has l0SF been 3 band onect
ana 4 naval supply account ablist-
supply fund Of s.. IO0. 600 q now on de-
nosit In the treasury to the credit OF
the department. The secretary recon-
mends that the naval supply account
be made permanent by law and that
the s., TOO. 600 Of the naval supply fund
be covered Into the treasury as unnec.
essary, and ask for legislative au.
thority TO do this. This sum when
covered into the treasury VIII be real
IL a reduction In recorded naval cost
for this year.
The estimates OF the navy depart
ment are $SO0O.OOO less than the APP
| preparations for the same purpose last
year, and included IN this Is the build
ing program OF the same amount as
/ that submitted for your consideration
last year. 1t Is merely carrying out
the plan OF building two battleships a
year. with a few needed auxiliary yes
sells. / earnestly hope that this pro
gram viii be adopted.
Abolition of Navy Yards-
The secretary OF the navy has given
personal examination to every navy
yard and has studied the uses of the
navy yards with reference to the ne
cessities of our fleet With n heet con-
siderably less than half the, size Of
! that OF the British navy. we have
| shipyards more than double the num-
Der. anda there are several OF these
shipyards, extensively equipped with
modern machinery, which after inves-
| tigation the secretary of the navy be-
/ lieves to be entirely useless for naval
purposes. he asks authority to aban-
don certain of them and to move their
| machinery to other places whore It
can be made OF use.
In making these recommendation
| the secretary is following directly
along progressive lines which have
been adopted in our great commercial
E; and manufacturing consultations in
this country-that Is, of dismantling
unnecessary and inadequate plants
and disseminating their existence
where 1t has been demonstrated that
/ IT Is improbable to continue their
| maintenance at nm expense not com
mensurate TO their product.
The secretary points out that the
most important naval base In the West
Indies is Guantanamo, in the south
eastern part Of Cuba. Its geographical
| situation is admirably adapted to pro
tect the commercial paths to the Pan
anna canal, and he shows that by the
expenditure Of less than half a million
dollars. with the machinery which he
shall take from other navy yards, he
can create naval station Mt Guanta-
namo of sufficient size and equipment
TO serve the purpose of an emergency
naval base. earnestly join in the rec
ommendation that he be given the au-
thorIty which he asks
am quite aware that such action Is
likely to arouse local opposition, but
conceive II to he automatic that in leg
lslating IN the interest of the navy and
for the general protection OF the cOun-
try by the navy mere local pride or pc
cuniary Interest in the establishment
of a navy yard or station ought to play
no part. The recommendation OF the
secretary Is based upon the judgment
of impartial naval officers entirely I'M
Influenced by any geographical or Sec
tioual considerations.
l unite with the secretary in the rec
emancipation that an appropriation be
made to construct n suitable crypt Mt
Annapolis for the custody of the re-
mains OF John Paul Jones.
The complete success Of our country
in arctic exploration should not remain
mnoticed For centuries there has
been friendly rivalry in this field of
effort between the foremost nations
and between the brnvest and most nc
compIished men. Expeditions to the
unknown north have been encouraged
by enlightened governments, ana de-
served hpnors have been granted to
the daring men who have conducted
them.
The unparalleled achievement of
Peary in renchinE the north pole April
c. 1900, approved by critical exami-
nation of The most expert scientists,
has added to the distinction of our
navy. to which lie belongs, ana reflects
credit upon his country His unique
success has received generous ac-
acknowledgement from scientific bodies
and institutions of learning In Europe
and America. 1 recommend fitting
recognition by congress OF the great
achievement OF Robert Edwin Peary.