The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-02-28
UNITED STATES
NAVAL POLICY
The Promotion System to be Re
modelled to Bring Higher
Grades Sooner.
ADMIRAL AND VICE ADMIRAL
President Taft Transmits Messages
to Congress Approving Plan
of Secretary Meyer.

ASSOCIATED Press Morning Service.)
WASHINGTON, February 27.-The
administration is pledged to a naval
policy which if carried out, will place
the United States at the very front
of the naval powers of the world. Bat
tleships which will form a class by
themselves, reorganization of the per-
sonnet so that young men will COM
mand Americas war eets, and in
creased rank for commanding officers
are among the naval reforms urged
by the administration.
Young blood in command of the
navy is the keynote of the message
which President Taft yesterday trans
mitted to Congress. The President
endorses the plan of Secretary Of the
Navy George Won L. Meyer which
would rearrange promotion so that
the grade of rear-admirals would be
reached at an average age of fifty
four years and the grade of captain at
an average age of forty-six.
In his message the President stated
that this arrangement does not pro-
vide for men in the higher ranks
young enough to be of the best SER
vice to the country but says that it
would be decided improvement over
the present state of affairs. The
President is firmly convinced that the
Meyer plan could be bettered by ar.
ranging to have men reach the high
Offices in the navy earlier in life than
is contemplated by the secretary OIL
the navy.
Admiral and Vice Admiral.
The President strongly recommends
retaining the grade of admiral and
creating the grade of vice admiral
Under the present law the grade Of
admiral becomes extinct upon the
death of Admiral Dewey while the
grade of vice admiral does not exist
| The President in his message, urgeC
that consideration of military eff
cheney and national dignity demand
that the fleets of the United States Dc
commanded by men with rank at least
equal to that born by officers holding
similar commands in foreign navies
GRaaferf Naval no,.a.
The President also urged the con
struction of two giant battIeships Of
a tonnage of $4,000 each and to cost
$51S,OOO,OOO apiece. This would make
the United States the leading nava
power of the world, a position which
the President believes that the coun
try should occupy.
The part of the Meyer plan laid be
fore the house committee on nava
affairs has been favorably received
and it looks as though the admins
tration could count upon the support
Of congress as far as It's naval plans
are concerned.
The government has received unoffi
cial information that Japan is laying
the keels of the two largest battle
ships in the world.
Dreadnoughts For Pacific.
1t has been tentatively agreed by
congress that the navai increase shall
include two battleshYps of $1,000 ton:
each, one repair ship, two GOLFERS anC
five submarines for the Pacific Coast
Not since the introduction of the
ironclad has there been such radica
tendency in the direction of naval i'm
provement noticeable IN congress. ant
the Administrations program will, II
is believed, meets with the pretty gen
eral approval of both the house anC
the senate.