The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-02-10
NEW BATTLESRIPS
TO Be MONSTERS
Meyer Considering TWO Of 30,-
600 Tons, With Twelve
i4-lnch Guns.

WASHINGTON, January 81. - Two
giant battieships, larger than any here.
tofore authorized, are included in the
building program for the navy agreed
upon today by the house committee on
naval affairs
BY a vote OF fourteen 10 two, the
committee agreed TO report in favor
Of two battleships, to be of not less
than $1,000 tons displacement, but il is
left within the discretion Of the secre
tary Of the navy to determine their ex.
act size. He has informed the com.
mittee that he is planning an armament
of twelve fourteen-ineh guns, in four
triple gun turrets, which probably win
necessitate a displacement Of 10000
tons.
The greatest number of fourteen-inch
guns heretofore planned for any United
States naval vessel is ten. The addi-
ton of two of these monster weapons
will, it is estimated, increase the fight
ing power of the ships in much greater
proportion than it will their size. No
other nation has triple gun turret in
use, but several others are planning for
them.
Urged Three New Battleships.
Representative Richmond Pearson
Hobson of Alabama moved in the com
mittee that three new battleships be
recommended, but he was voted down
by fourteen to two, the only member
standing with him being Representative
Talbot of Maryland. Another propo-
sition offered by Representative Pad
gett of Tennessee, who probably will be
the new Democratic chairman of the
committee, to report in favor Of only
one new battleship was defeated by
twelverto four.
The two new sea monsters will cost
approximately $12,sOO00O each. The
appropriation bill this year win fix the
limit of the cost of their hulls and
machinery at 100000 for each ship.
Probably next in Importance to this
is that the committee approved the
Recommendation of Mr.. Meyer for an
appropriation of 5000 for aero
nautical experiments. The money is to
be expended at the discretion of the
secretary Of the navy. This action,
following closely upon that of the
house in appropriating $4,000 for
aeroplanes in the army appropriation
bill, demonstrates that congress has
been aroused at last to the fact that
foreign powers are making extraordi-
nary strides in military aviation.
The recommendation of Mr.. Meyer
was the direct result or aeronautical
experiments held by the navy at Hamp-
ton Roads early in November when
Eugene Ely flew from the deck of the
scout cruiser Birmingham to shore. That
his recommendation was justified was
shown by the recent flight of Mr.. Ely
from the deck of the cruiser Pennsyl-
vania off the California coast to the
shore and back to the Pennsylvania
without mishap. aty ID
The remainder of the building pro-
gram, as agreed upon by the committee,
is for two golfers at a cost of $1,000
900 each, eight torpedo boat destroyers
at a. cost of about $S25,000 each and
four submarine torpedo boats at cost
of 100000 each.
Mr. Meyers RED Lamentations for
one ordinary gunboat, one river gun
boat, two seagoing tugs and one sub
marine tender were disapproved.
S630Oo, 900 Cost of Program.
The total cost of the building pro.
gram of the committee will be about
500 100000 when every ship is complet-
ed. Of this amount about $l5,o00,00O
will be appropriated in this year. bill
The committee will recommend to the
house, on the ground of economy, the
repeal of the provision in the last naval
appropriation bill extending the eight
hour law to the construction of battle
sLips. 1t also will make a. strong fight
to permit the secretary of the navy to
build the battleship New York, author
lied last year, by private contract in
stead of in the New York Navy Yard
ON the same plea. Mr.. Meyer has rec
commended both of these things.
The limit of.-eost on the hull an6
machinery of the New York is $4,000,
600. Mr.. Meyer has informed the com
mittee that it will cost at least 81,
100000 in the New York Navy Yard
whore it was at first proposed to builC
it. The sistership of the New York
to be called the Texas, is being bull
by the Newport News Shipbuildini
Company for approximately $5,700,O00
New York members of congress, with
out regard to party lines, will oppos'
with all their might the plan to remOvi
the New York from the New York yard
The naval committee, following rec
concentrations by Mr.. Meyer, decided il
favor of permitting the removal O
floating dry docks from place to plae'
as the exigencies of the service requir
and of an appropriation of $4,000 70
a crypt in which to put the bones o
John Paul Jones at Annapolis.
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