The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-02
MUST BEPREP AIRED
Strong NAVY
Talk of Peace No Reason
Why 1t Should Be
Neglected.
MORE WARsHIPs NEEDED
Secretary Meyer Asks That Sea
Fighting Strength BE
Maintained.
{ MORE WARsHIPs NEEDED

Washington, d. c., December Il
With plea that there shall he no de-
crease in the effective strength OF the
United States Navy, George Won l.
Meyer. Secretary of the Navy, in his
annual report to Congress. declares
that while seeking peace and playing
leading part in the movement for
general arbitration treaties. the world
must understand that America lis pre-
pared for war;"
The short life of warship for first
or second line of defense-approxi-
mately twenty years-has caused the
secretary to ask for more ships this
year. not to increase the navy. but to
maintain 1t at its existing strength.
This strength. he says, Is being dimin-
ished by the elimination from active
service of the bableships first con-
structed for the new navy"
Must BE Prepared.
THE recommendation" he says, "for
a continuing naval policy which Will
give us the fleet desired is made with
q due regard for the almost world
wide movement for the settlement of
international disputes by arbitration,
in which movement our country has
taken a foremost part. History of all
kinds. including the present, shows the
futility and danger of trusting to the
SOOG VIII ana lalT ueullnB OF even TO
the most solemnly binding treaties be-
tween nations for the protection of a
nations sovereign rights and interests,
and without doubt the time is remote
when comparatively unarmed and
helpless nation may be reasonably safe
from attack by ambitious, we'll armed
powers, especially in commercial nge
such as the present. The econaalical
system of a great commercial nation Is
- L., o l,1.
threat of war is very disturbing and
harmful, while n war with any other
great power would cause incalculable
damage, and 1t Is more necessary 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-
struction, even on .the basis of two new
battlcships years
Mr.. Meyer submits estimates for two
battleships and two golfers only. This
Is in line with the policy of several
years standing of building two battle
ships year. In addition to this the
secretary indicates that the navy would
welcome one of the new type of battle-
Germany and Japan are building lie
further points out that there Is great
deficiency in the number of cruisers,
scouts. destroyers. submarines and
auxiliaries for the maintenance and
protection of the battle fleet,
He suggests that all of these auSil-
inries need not be ordered at once, but
that the appropriation could be
stretched over number of years. Dis
turbances in Asia and Central America,
necessitating the protection of inter-
ests of this country also have shown
the need for more light draft gunboats
for river use.
worthless After Twenty YcarA.
The secretary declares that ships
twenty years old are obsolete and
worthless even for the second line or
reserve. His lists shows the famous old
Oregon and her sister battleships. In
diana and Massachusetts,, syahaving
reached the fatal period, and should be
replaced Immediately, MS well as the
Iowa. In fact, Secretary Meyer names
twelve battleships5 that can no longer
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