Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-22
REPORT NAVAL BILL
DEPARTMENTS Estimates Are
Cut $2,054,533.45.
FOR ONE SUBMARINE LESS
In Other Respects House Committee
Favors Building Program.
WANTS DRY DOCKS ENLARGED
Trial of Secretary Meyers Reorgan-
ization Plan for One Year
Is Recommended.

The naval appropriation bill was
reported to the House today from the
committee on naval affairs. 1t carries
s129,037, 7,602.ss, or s2.054,53S.45 less
than the estimates submitted by the
Navy Department.
The increased navy building program
is identical, except for a reduction of
one submarine, with that submitted by
the Secretary OF the Navy to the com
mittee, and provides for two first-class
battleships of $1,000 tons, one repair
ship, two fleet colliers and four suo-
marines, involving cost Of $2S.919,J0O.
OF this amount the committee recon-
smends that $14.844122 be appropriated
the first year
An increase of 100000 in the con-
tingent fund of the navy is recon-
mended, in order that a cost account
ing system may be installed in the
various navy yards and naval stations.
'1t is the opinion of the committee
the report says, 'that this cost accounting
system will tend to the greater econom-
ical administration of the navy yards and
naval stations in that comparative costs
~~--~~
extravaganza pointed out and economy
obtained. Under the system heretofore In
vogue it was impossible accurately to de-
termipe the cost of any particular piece
of work at any particular time N any
particular navy yard, and therefore no
comparison of cost could be made"
To Improve Guns.
An appropriation of $4,000 is allowed
for lining and hopping the muzzles Of
twelve eight-inch guns, which the
committee believes will restore them to
efficiency as great as that of any guns Of
this type now in use in the navy.
An appropriation Of $564.0U0 Is recon-
mended for undermining turrets Of ships
of the navy.
with reference to dry docks the report
says:
"A total OF $6.329,2J is distributed
among the navy yards. and the principal
recommendations of the committee re-
garding this appropriation have to do
with the enlarging of the principal dry
feet depth and 10 feet width, the width
OF the locks of the Panama canal. This
work is absolutely necessary in order that
docking facilities may be provided Tor the
largest ships Of our navy when completed.
Accordingly the committee recommends
an increase in the limit of cost of dry
dock No. 4, at New York, from l,50O,-
600 to 81 jOU,OOO: dry dock No. 3, at Nor
folk, S5JO,OOO: dry dock, at Puget sound.
from $2.OOO.OOO to $2,3O0.O0O. and Pearl
harbor dry dock, from 100000 to
81, 10000
Meyer Reorganization Plan.
With reference to the Meyer reorganiza-
ton plan, the details of the approval OF
which by the committee have been pub
lished, the report says:
"The committee recommends the adop-
ton of the following paragraph in the ma
val appropriation bill: The Secretary Of
the Navy Is authorized to use inter-
changeably among the several bureaus Of
the Navy Department the appropriations
made herein during the fiscal year 1911,
so far as such interchange may be nee
essary to consolidate the duties of said
bureaus. one with another. but nothing
herein shall be SO construed as to author
iZe the expenditure of any appropriation
for purposes other than those specifically
provided by the terms of said appropria-
tions, or the submission of estimates for
the naval establishment for the fiscal
year 1872 except in accordance with the
order and arrangement of the naval ap-
preparation act for 1910
"'rhis recommendation is made after
careful consideration of a. great mass of
testimony taken In the hearings before
the committee. The Secretary of the
Navy submitted a plan to the committee
foE the reorganization of the Navy De-
partment and reorganization in the ad-
ministration of navy yards and naval
stations, and. in accordance with said
plan, he likewise submitted revised esti-
mates for the naval establishment, sug
gesting many changes In the form of
the appropriation bill. Owing to the fact
that the plan was put into operation De-
cember /, but few days before Congress
convened, the committee felt that 1t
could not give legislative sanction to 1t.
The committee has not prepared plan
Of its own, nor is 1t prepared to submit
any plan at this time. Accordingly. the
committee recommends the trial of the
present plan for one year and therefore
recommends the adoption of this para
graph in the bill