Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-02
MEYER FAYORS STRONG navy
World Must Understand America is
Prepared for War.
wARsHIP's LIFE TWENTY YEARS
New vessels Are Needed Every
Year TO Keep Navy st Present
strenath--Asks for Two
BnttIeshipa.

plea that there shall be no decrease In
tho effective strength Of the United
States Navy. George Won L. Meyer, Sec
rotary Of the Navy. In his annual re-
port 20 congress. declares that while
seeking peace and playing a leading
part In the movement for general arbl-
tration treaties the world must under
stand that America is prepared for
war"
The short life OF warship for first or
second line Of defense--a approximately
twenty years-has caused the Secretary
20 ask more ships this year. not to in
crease the navy, but to maintain II at
its existing strength. This strength, he
says, In being diminished by the clint
nation from active service OF the battle
ships FIRST constructed for the new
navy"
FavOrs ContinuinE Policy.
"The recommendation" he says, for
a continuing naval policy which will give
us the fleet desired; IL made with a due
regard for the almost worldwide move-
meut for the settlement Of international
disputes by arbitration. In which move
ment our country has taken a foremost
part. History OF ali kinds, including the
present. shows the futiiity and danger Of
trusting TO the good will and fair deal
Ing. or even to the most solemnIy bind
Inc treaties between nations for the pro-
lection Of n 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, well
armed powers, especially IN a CONNER
oial age such as the present The eco
non1ical system of a great commercial
nation is 80 delicately balanced that even
q threat Of war Is very disturbing and
harmful. while a war with any other
great power would cause incalculable
damage, and It 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"
United States Far I'm ReHr.
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
battleships a year.
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 battleships
year. In addition TO this. the secretary
indicates that the navy would welcome
one Of the new type OF battieship cruisers,
such as Great Britain. Germany and
Japan are building. He further points
out that there is a great deficiency in the
number OF cruisers, scouts. destroyers,
submarines and auxiiiaries for the main
tenanee and protection of the battle
fleet.
tTo suggests that all OF these anxiliaries
need not be ordered at once. but that
the appropriation could be stretched over
a number OF years. Disturbances In Asia
and Central America, necessitating the
protection OF interests of this country,
also have shown the need for more light
draft gunboats for river use.
The secretary declares that ships
twenty years old are obsolete and WORTH
less even for the second line or reserve.
Hts list shows the famous old Oregon
and her sister battleships Indiana and
Massachusetts as having reached the
fatal period and should be replaced i'm
medlately as well as the Iowa. In fact
Secretary Meyer names twelve battle
ships that can no longer be regarded as
available for the first line OF battle and
which should be replaced by 1870. Aside
from those already Indicated they are the
Kearsarge. Kentucky. Alabama. Illinois.
Wisconsin. Maine. Ohio and Missouri.
The youngest OF these has turned eleven
years.
Nintnaum for safety.
"A total OF forty battleships with a pro-
portional number OF other fighting and
auxiliary vessels, is the least that win
place our country on a safe basis In rela-
ton with other world powers" says the
secretary.
The secretary regards the creation of
the reserve fleet as a most important do
velopment OF the year since II will insure
the readiness for war Of practically every
vessel OF military value.
Eight-Hour Law.
The report touches sparingly on the
subject OF the eight hour law, reeltlng
the experience OF the department during
the last year in placing contracts for
ships ana winding up with the statement:
What the effect viii be on the bidding
for the battleships provided for by tho
last act Is problematical"
As to personnel, the report declares
that the aim OF all naval education and
training is to produce the sea officer
who is to command ships and fleets and
that all the combatant elements aboard
ships should belong to the line. Line Of
ficers hereafter should perform the duties
OF paymaster and while the present con-
struetion corps made up OF Naval acad.
envy graduates may continue 70 do special
work. the younger officers may hereafter
perform both line aud construction duty
The abandonment OF the turbine engine
In favor OF the old reciprocating type 4
declared 10 have followed an exhaustiv,
comparison OF the two kinds o
machinery. II was. found chat tn
reelprocating engine is about 30 per cen
more economical at cruising speeds thar
the turbine and OF about the sam,
economy at high spe IDS. AS one resul
Of the use OF oil burners instead Of Goa
furnaces the new hattleships Oklahoma
and Nevada will each have but on
smokeplpe. thus clearing the upper decl
and improving the arc OF train ef tn
turrets.
Al the close Of the last year twenty-nln