Arizona republican., 1910-12-05
A Handkerchief Special Worth While

! tion, the secretary recommends the ! authorization of two battleships, one collier, one gunboat, one river gum boat, two sea going tugs. two sub marines and one submarine tender He strongly deprecates aRy break in ! the established policy because of it's evil effect on the ship yards of the cOluntry upon whose maintenance the navy must depend in time of war. The small cruisers and gunboats are ! becoming useless through age and while the department desires to min imize expenditures on such vessels of slight monetory value, certain mum Der are absolutely necessary for po- l lice duty. surveying and other work incidental to times of peace.
 Twenty years is about the effective life of battleship and even then the ten years of that period should be spent in the second line of defense. This short life is rather the result of evolution in ship design and ord nance than of actual decrease in ef- ficiency in the ship itself To make up for the retirement of these obsolete vessels. there must be authorized
 
 ships per year provided in the estab- lished program sufficient number of vessels to maintain the fleet at the minimum of twenty ships of the first line. As it will be necessary for at least five or six nations to maintain navies to enforce the decree of an international court. the secretary does not feel that we are very near the
  and the era of international peace and he declares that the delusion that nation with a large population. great wealth and resources is immune from attack has been dispolled by the history of war A formidable array of tables showing the enormous amount of naval construction now under way or authorized by foreign nations, is presented to justify the appeal for an adherence to the regular shipbuilding program in this country.
 Our flag officers are the oldest in the world and consequently retire with in a year or two after attaining that rank without developing their fullest efficiency Therefore, the seer etary urges strongly the passage of the per sonnel bill now pending before Con gress which will insure rapidity of promotion and the accession to the higher grades of the service of a linn ited number of officers qualified. He also requests the creation of grades above the present rear admirals so as to conform to foreign naval practice and sound administration.
 The troubles which have agitated the marine corps during the past years find their reflex in a recom- mendation that the appointment of the commandant of a corps (who should be a major generaD should be limited to four years instead of the present indefinite term. while the marines themselves should be sta toned in two principal posts. one on the Atlantic and one on the Pacif ic coasts, only small police details being assigned to the various navy yards.
 Secretary Meyer speaks with pride of the working the reorganization scheme inaugurated by himself and points to a saving of about $4.OOO.O0o in the estimates for the next fiscal year. Referring to the success Of Aviator Eugene Ely in his flight from the cruiser Birmingham. the secretary says that it appears to be practicable also for an aeroplane to board a