The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-05

Secretary Meyer Makes Recommends
ton In His Annual Report-Saving
Would Be $1,672,675 Annually.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dec. a
shock such as has seldom been felt
in naval circles following the publ
cation today OF the annual report Of
Secretary OF the Navy Meyer, In
which he proposed the abolition OF
the navy yards at New Orleans, Pen
sacola. San Juan, Port Royal New
London, Sackete's Harbor, Culeora
and Cavite BY the elimination OF
these seven yards, Mayer said, That
he removed an average annual ex-
pense for maintenance OF $lo12,6 10
He declared that during the last hVe
years very little useful WORK hau
been done in any Of the yards named.
one new navy yard is indefinitely
suggested for San Francisco bay.
Following a discussion of the hmita.
tons of the yards at Mare Island ana
Bremerton, Meyer said:
II conclude that II will be neces
sarv 10 establish docking and re-
pair station on san Francisco bay
in some localit wet to be selected.
Such repair station should include
one or more docks or the largest SIZE
for taking our largest existing ana
contemplated battle ships.
on the other hand Meyer recon-
mends the further development OF
the Bremerton yards and enlarge
ment OF the channel at Mare island
in view OF the fact that a fleet at
some time after the opening OF the
Panama Canal may be based In the
Pacific ocean.
Discussing navy yards in general
the secretary said
The United States has over twice
as many first-class home navy yards
as has Great Britain with navy n
least double the size OF ours ana We
have one more navy yard OF the sec
ond-class than Great Britain has. In
other words we have in all IL hrst
and secondclas navy yards In the
United States. while Great Britain
has but six OF the same kind. Ger
many has and France D.
The secretary recommends the
abandonment OF the yards at New Or
leans and Pensacola on the ground
that they are strategically unneccs-
sary. The Key West station. how
over. is TO be retained. owing to Us
geographical situation as base OF
supplv and the fact that it supple
ments the naval base al Guantanamo.
As TO the yards along the Atlantic
coast. Never declares the Port Roy i,
IS c.. dry dock, unapproachable Tor
battleships or cruisers. except az An
uniustifiable expense, and the
Charleston IS. c.. dock useless for
the same character OF vessels. owing
10 the rapidity with which II fills with
debris. Since the Portsmouth, Bos.
ION. New York. Philadelphia and Nor
folk yards have accessible dry docks
for battleships and efficient repair
facilities. Meyer believes IL hardy
advisable 10 give them up.
Recommendation is made for an
anurorrlaticn OF $4,000 with which
10 conduct experiments covering the
use OF the aeroplane for naval recon.
uoissance. Commenting on the flight
made by Eugene Ely from the dech
of the scout cruiser Birmingham,
Meyer said
This experiment and the advances
which have been made in aviation
seemed TO demonstrate that Inc
aeroplane is destined to perform
some part in the naval warfare o1
the future u appears likely mat
this will he limited TO scouting.
scout which is not strong enough to
picIce the enemys line can get IS
near as possible and then send an
aoroplane 80 o. so miles. obtain valu
able information and then return TO
the scout Even II the aviator did
not land on the scout he could be
brought OH board and deliver his In
formation. The loss OF an aeroplane
would be of no moment, as the ship
may easily carry others. The dis
tinct value of service OF this kind fDs
easily seen
The department contemplates
further experiments along these
lines with the belief thta Il will be-
necessary i'm the near future to equip
all scouts with one or more aero.
planes ~ increase the distance at