The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-04
MEYER PLEADS FOR NO
DECREASE TN UNCLE SANS
FIGHTING POWER AT SEA

The youngest Of these has turned
eleven years.
"A total OF forty battleships with a
proportional number of other fighting
and auxiliary vessels. is the least that
will place our country on a safe basis
In relation with other world powers"
says the secretary.
The secretary regards the creation
Of the reserve fleet as most import
ant development of the year since it
win insure the readiness for war of
practically every vessel Of military
value.
The Eight Hour Law.
The report touches sparingly on the
subject OF the eight hour law. recit-
ing the experience of the department
during the past year in placing con-
tracts for ships and winds up with the
statement: What the effect will be
on the bidding for the battIeships
provided for by the last act is prob
lematical.
AS to personnel, the report declares
that the aim of all naval education
and training is to produce the sea Of
ficer who is to command ships and
fleets and that all the combatant ele-
ments aboard ships should belong to
the line. Line officers hereafter should
perform the duties of paymaster and
while the present construction corps
made UP of naval academy graduates
may continue to do special work. the
younger officers may hereafter per-
form both line and construction duty.
Abandon Turbine.
The abandonment or the turbine en-
CINE In favor of the old reciprocating
type is declared to have followed an
exhaustive comparison of the two
kinds OF machinery. 1t was found that
the reciprocating engine is about 30
per cent more economical at cruising
speeds than the turbine and of about
the same economy at high speeds. AS
one result of the use Of oil burners
instead of coal furnaces the new bat
tleships Oklahoma and Nevada will
each have but one smoke pipe, thus
clearing the upper deck and improv-
ing the arc Of train of the turrets.
At the close of last year twenty
nine ships, from battleships to coll
iers were tied up at navy yards un-
der repair. AS a result of the new
them will be ready for active service.
The secretary regards 1t as waste
of money to endeavor to improve old
ships and bring them up to date and
he cited a case Of the New York. now
the Saratoga, where 81 per cent Of her
original cost was spent on alteration
without making the ship equal in value
to a modern vessel of light type.
Aviation.
The report dweiIs at some length
upon the successful results attained
in experimental work for the develop
ment of aviation in the navy and es-
pecially in the direction of the produc-
ton of aeroplanes fitted for use from
shipboard. 1t is the purpose to issue
few of these machines to the fleet
as soon as they have been sufficiently
Dealing with foreign building pro-
grammes the report says that Eng
| land is laying down four battleships
and one armored cruiser, Germany
/ three battleships and one armored
cruiser and Japan four armored cruis-
ers and one battleship. All OF the
battleships are being increased in size
and so are the cruisers, destroyers and
1 SADAldiluGSs DGNESLdE1 meyer pro-
poses a new offlce-the director Of
navy yards. He makes a strong rec
ommendation for the creation of the
rank of vice admiral; the graded re-
tirement Of enlisted men, the increase
of the enlisted force by 1000, and the
commissioning of midshipmen- upon
their graduation from the academy.
Touching the abolition of navy
yards, Secretary Meyer promises to
present the whole matter afresh to
| congress when 1t receives the report
of the joint board Of the army and navy
next January. Meanwhile he sees no
reason to change his Views already
expressed as to the proprlety of clos
ing number Of yards or changing
their functions.
The secretary also directs attention
to the fact that some provision must
be made Immediately for accommodating
on the Isthmus Of Panama a sufficient
supply Of coal to meet the needs OF
the vessels using that waterway.
Try to reconcile yourself to those
fuzzy hats. They are not so bad as
| they look.