The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-03-03
THE FOREMOST
SEA POWER
is THE PLANS FOR THE
UNITED STATES BY
NAVY.
Propose Building of World Re-
cord Breaking Battleship in
Size.

Washington, Feb. 2S.-The
building of a world record break
ing battleship of no less than 3d.
900 tons displacement at a cost
OF approximately $1S.vJO,OOO and
the making of the United States,
the leading naval power OF the
world are planned by Secretary
of the Navy Meyer.
This is what Secretary Meyer
is said to have told the members
OF the house naval Committee to-
day was his ultimate plan, and
what he would ask congress to
authorize next year. The mem
bers of the committee said the
secretary's radical plans for ma
val advancement were favorably
received bv the committee.
At today's session OF the COM
mittee even the stenographer was
barred and the secretary discuss
ed freely with the members his
plans Sfor the navy.
Says We Should Lead.
He said it was his purpose that
the United States should not fol-
low in the wake of any other ma
ton in naval advancement, but
that in essential particulars it
should take the lead. The secre-
tary did not refer in this instance
particularly to naval strength in
number OF ships or armament but
to various features OF improve
ment OF the efficiency OF ships
and guns.
The giant battleship which
Secretary Meyer wants the Unit
ed States to build, waits until
next year only because the naval
experiments with fourteen-inch
guns have not been completed
and the department desires to
know the result of full expert
ments before the planning for the
armament of the giant dread
naught." Tentatively it is planned
to arm this great battleship with
battery of fourteen fourteen
inch guns OF the latest type.
Must Build New Docks.
The secretary said his plans Tor
the enlargement OF all the dry
docks of the country as outlined
TO the committee some weeks ago
were made in contemplation OF
the great enlargement OF the
battleships ana, he wanted the
docks built to accommodate ships
Of great size. The committee has
|already endorsed the secretary's
plans for dock enlargement and
he naval appropriation bill is eX-
pected TO carry the several mil
lion dollars necessary for that
purpose.
1t was tentatively agreed today
BY the committee that the naval
increase this year, based on the
Secretarys recommendations,
shall be as follows:
Two 27,O00 ton battleShips
equipped with either twelve or
fourteen-inch guns.
One repair ship.
Two Golfers.
Five submarines.
Fast Fleet of Divers
The submarines are for the Pa
cihc coast and are the first OF a
fast fleet OF these vessels which
will be provided within the next
few years The plan to place ter
additional submarines on The Pa,
cifc. coast next year was favor
ably considered
The Pacific coast congressional
delegation which told the com
mittee some weeks ago OF the
practically defenseless condition
of the western coast against
foreign men-of-war, appealed
strongly to the members and Tho
submarine feet has been decide
upon.
4 member of the committee
said that this government was il
possession of unofficial informa.
ton to the effect that Japan wa:
ALREADY laying the keep OF two
great battleships approaching tht
| % 00O tor, limit