The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-05
WOULD ABOLISH
OLD NAVY YARDS
Continued from Page One.

finds the Bremerton yard at a disad
vantage through it's lack of railroad
communication and its distance from
any large supply of labor. But its
further development is regarded as a
necessity in view of the fact that the
feet at some time after the opening Of
the Panama canal may be based In the
Pacific ocean.
Mare Island Inaccessible.
The Mare Island navy yard is very
severely criticised for its inaccessibility,
both on account of it's great distance
from San Francisco and the shallow
ness of the channel. The muddy water
of the San Pablo bay is also said to
work havoc with the condensers of the
warships. No battleship injured in ac
tion could be taken to Mare Island
even for temporary repairs nor could
the yard be reached by number of
the heavy battleships or heavy cruis-
ers. even when uninjured. But as $l4,-
100000 already has been spent on this
yard, the secretary thinks that in or
der to avoid a total loss it would be
wise to utilize it for such vessels as
can reach it and for repair work.
1t will be necessary to establish a
ships on San Francisco bay in some
locality yet to be selected and mean
while the Pacific coast must depend
on Puget Sound.
Pearl Harbor will be made the prin-
cipal insular defense base in, the Pa
chc ocean; Olongapo, in the Philip
pines. is 10 be a small rel = station
and the station at Cavite is to be dis:
posed of. its tools being transported
to olongapo.
No International Peace.
The secretary recommends the author
zatiou of two battleships, one collier,
one gupboat, one river gunboat, two
seagoing tugs, two submarines and one
submarine tender. He strongly depre'
Gates any break in the established pol.
lcy of construction because of its evil
effect on the ship yards of the country,
upon whose maintenance the navy must
depend in time of war. The small cruis'
ers and gunboats are becoming useless
through age and a certain number are
absolutely necessary.
Twenty years is about the effective
life Of battleship, and even then the
last ten years of that period should
be spent in the second line of defense
There must be authorized after 1912
in addition to the two ships per yeaI
provided in the established programme
sufficient number of vessels to main
tain the feet at the minimum of twenty
ships of the first line. AS it will be
| necessary for At least FIVE or six ma
tions to maintain navies to enforce the
| decree of an international court, the
secretary does not feel that we are very
near the era of international peace
and be declares that the delusion thai
a nation with large population, grea
wealth and resources is immune from
attack has been dispelled by the his
tory of war,
Money for Airships
Our flag officers are the oldest IL
the world. and consequently retire with
in a year or two after attaining tha
rank without developing their fules
efficiency. Therefore, the secretary
urges strongly the passage of the per
sonnel bill now pending before con
gress. He also requests the creation o,
grades above the present rear admirals
Secretary Meyer points to saving O.
about S5,000,0 900 in the estimates for th
next fiscal year.
Referring TO the success of Aviato
Eugene Ely in his 6ight from tn
cruiser Birmingham, the secretary say
that it appears to be practicable als'
for an aeroplaue to board a ship. Blu
even if an aerial scout could not Ian,
| on Il sup ITOH ms deEODldne ne COOl(
be taken aboard from the water t.
make his report, and the loss of tn
aeroplane would be of no moment S.
be requests an appropriation Of S25 90
to continue the aeroplane experiments
Would Reward Peary.
The discovery of the North pole b,
Robert f. Peary after years of patien
and arduous endeavor is declared t.
be an event which has added to tn
honor and credit of our country. II
SAYS:
cit is fitting that the governmen
should recognize the value of his serv
ices and their successful termination
| recommend that Peary. the discovere
of the North pole, be given a commits
sion by legislation as rear admiral o
the corps of civil engineers of the navy
to date from April 6, 1909 the dat
Of bis discovery of the pole, and tha
he he retired as of that date with high
est retired pay Of that grade.