The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-01
Two Dreadnoughts and
Eight Destroyers Ask
ed Of Congress.
PROGRAM, HE SAYS,
is PROGRESSIVE
It Will Meet Demand to Go For.
ward in Continuation of Ade-
quate and Well Proportioned
N avy-Indorses Winston
Churchilrs Proposed
Holiday" in Building.

=
three submarines. is the yearly naval
building program Secretary Danials
recommends in his first annual report
to President Wilson While such n
program is somewhat less than recon
tnended by the Navy General Board.
principally because Mr.. Daniels be =
lieveH Il is NJ heavy az tho reve-
nues of the government will permit.
Inc believes IL IL progressive one
which will meet the demand 10 go for
ward in the continuation Of an ado
quate ANA wcll-proportioncd navy.
Second, only in interest TO the Sec
retary's building program, is an in
dors"lnent Of Winston Churchilrs pro
posed Naval Holiday" with a recon
rnendation that the United States take
the initiative, and that President Will
son ask Congress 10 authorize him to
invite all the powers to a conference to
discuss the project.
Regarding his building program.
Secretary Daniels says:
Seeks Golden Means.
The wise naval policy for tho
united states at this time is 10 find
the golden mean. II cannot wisely bS.
Itself reduce the construction of dread J.
houshts or compete with other great
powers in burdcning taXpaycrs 10
hasten I'll" construction OF a navy
larger than our conditions demand. The
estimates OF the Navy Department show
decrease In the ordinary cxpendi-
iurcs The program OF the department
may b" summed uD Ia the phrase: More
money nfoat and less ashore I.
therefore, recommend tho authorization
by the present Congress Of the fol-
lowing building program:
Two Drcadnoughts
Eight dcstroycrs
Three submarines
i, This is-iQt. II VIII De oosesved. 4
large program. but it is n progressive
one. II meets tho demand to go for
ward in the continuation Of AN adc-
quate and wc1l-Droportioned navy We
have now under construction SIX bat
t!esh!ps Of tho largest and most ap-
proved type.
Steady BuiIdinC Program
With tho authorization OF two OF
the largest batticships ever construct
ed. before the close of the present ad :
m!nistration. tho United States viii
have enough ships TO have always ..
crcditable and capable feet IN both tho
Pacific ana the Atlantic Oceans These.
together with tho smaller ships under
construction, VIII make the America n
Navy ono of strength and power, ready
Tor III. protection OF American shores
and American interests. \ steady
building program OF advancement from
year 10 wear VIII be necessary to give
US AN adequate navy the goal Of
IF the present Congress authorizes
TIE two preadnoughts eight destroy
ers aud three submarines recommends
ed. the country Will have q .well-pro-
porlioned navy. ana future additions
can be made year by year. TO add to the
effectiveness of the fleet or fleets Those
who bid us stand still in construction
VIII not approve this conservative pro-
gram Those who wish to hasten more
rapidly In construction VIII not give IL
their approval 1t has been recon :
inended. after mature consideration, as
Il middle course OF wisdom
II is condition and not n theory
That confronts us The revenues OF
the country do not permit as large AN
expansion in naval building az the de-
partncnt might desire TO enter upon at
TINS time. IN its recommendations IL
has Kept In View the probable revenues
and other demands and placed the new
construction at the very lowest pro
gram that could meet the needs Of the
country or carry out the pledges made
TO the voters.
budget Within Resources.
1T is not believed II is dealing hon
estly with Congress 10 make large esti-
mates IN the expectation that the ma
tional legislators will use the pruning
knife. have reduced the building pro-
posed by the general board, not he
cause OF opposition 10 the progressive
plans OF that able body OF naval states
men. but because il is deemed wise 10
suggest a budget that will ba within
the resources Of our government. Ii is
the duty OF the naval experts 10 make
such recommendations as their cxpe-
ricnce and training dictate. 1t If the
duty of the head of the department to
urge only such appropriations as ii is
believed Congress can ErantSwithin the
limits of its probable income. That has
been the controlling motive in all the
recommendation which are contained
in the estimates for tic Navy DEPART
mcnt.
Tho building program recommended
By tho general board contemplated con
struction of four battleshlps sixteen
dcstroyers and one destroyer tender.
eight submarines and one tender. two
oilers two gunboats. one transport. one
supply ship and one hospital ship"
IntlOrseS Naval Holiday.
In indorsing n naval holiday, tho sec
rctary said:
The growing cost OF Dreadnoughts
OF powder. and OF everything that
makes an efficient navy, give reason
for pause This heavy expense COM
mands national and international con-
sideration. The naval appropriation
has doubled in thirteen years, and yet
this country has not Joined the expen-
sive competition and race for over
large navies to the same extent rs have
some other great nations. Ton years
ago our largest battlcship cost S5,3S2,-
600. The next Dreadnought will cost
Sl4.044.000. When is this accelcrating
expenditure 10 be reduced?
Naval programs. announced by tho
nations already having the largest
navics, and the entrance into tho build
ing OF Dreaduoughts by nations which
have not hitherto burdencd their peo-
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