Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-02
The NAVY,
Secretary Meyer Submits
His Report TO Congress.
Makes Plea for No Decrease
In Effective Strength.
Regards Reserve Fleet Most Import
ant Development Of Year.

Washington, Dec With a plea that
there shall be no decrease in the effec
tive strength Of the United states Navy,
George Won H. Meyer Secretary of the
Navy, in his annual report to Congress,
declares that while seeking peace and
playing a leading part in the movement
for general arbitration treaties the world
must understand that America ''is pre-
pared for war
The short life of a warship for first
or second line of approximately
20 years-has caused the Secretary to ask
more ships this year, not to increase the
navy, but TO maintain it at its existing
strength. This strength, he says, is be-
ing diminished by the elimination from
active service of the battleships first con
structed for the new navy"
THE recommendation, he says, for
a continuing naval policy which will
give us the fleet desired is made with
due regard for the almost worldwide
movement for the settlement of interna-
tionaI disputes by arbitration. in which
movement our country has taken fore
most part. History of all kinds, includ-
ing the present, shows the futility and
danger of trusting to the good will and
fair dealing, or even to the most sol
emily binding treaties between nations
for the protection of a nation's sovereign
rights and interests, and without doubt,
the time is remote when comparatively
unarmed and helpless nation may be
reasonably safe from attack by ambi-
tious, well armed powers, especially in a
commercial age such as the present. The
economical system Of great CONNER
cial nation is 50 delicatey balanced
that even a threat Of war is very dis
turbing and harmful while d war with
any other great power would cause meal
cuable damage, and It is more neees-
sary now than ever before that we should
be fully prepared and that every other
power should understand that. while
seeking peace, we are prepared for war.
The United States, Secretary Meyer
says. is far in the rear Of the leading
naval powers in projected naval con-
struetion, even on the basis of two new
battle ships a year.
Mr. Meyer submits estimates for two
battle ships and two golfers only This
is in line with the policy of several
years standing of building two battle
ships a year. In addition to this, the
Secretary indicates that the navy would
welcome one Of the new type of battle
ship cruisers. such as Great Britain
Germany and Japan are building lie
further points out that there Is great
deficiency in the number of cruisers.
scouts, destroyers. submarines and auxil-
iaries for the maintenance and protec-
ton of the battle fleet.
He suggests that all Of these auxil-
iaries need not be ordered at once. but
that the appropriation could be stretched
over number of years Disturbances
in Asia and Central America. necessitat-
ing the protection of interests of this
country, also have shown the need for
more light draft gunboats fer river use.
The Secretary declares that ships 20
years old are obsolete and worthless even
for the second line or reserve His list
shows the famous old Oregon and her
sister battleships Indiana and Massacbu-
sets as having reached the fatal period
and should be replaced Immediately as
well the Iowa. In fact Secretary
Meyer names twelve battleships that can
no longer be regarded as available for
the first line of battle and which should
be replaced by 1920. Aside from those al
ready indicated they are the Kearsarge,
kentucky, Aidhdna, Hilhols, WISCONSIN,
Maine. Ohio and Missouri. The young
est of these has turned II years
"a total of 10 battleships with a pro-
portional number of other fighting and
auxiliar vessels, is the least that will
place our country on safe basis in rela-
ton with other world powers. says the
Secretary.
The Secretary regards the creation of
the reserve fleet as n most important de-
yelopment of the year since it will insure
the readiness for war of practically every
vessel of military value.
The report touches sparingly on the
subject of the eight hour law. reciting
the experience Of the department during