The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-10-08
NAVAL
POLICY CALLS FOR
3 NEW WARSH|PS
Will Ask $14S,OOO,0OO APP
preparation for Better
ment of Navy-Naval
Officers Encouraged

washington, October Three new bat
tleships and a proportionate number of
submarines and torpedo boat destroyers
is the aim of the Wilson administration
IN shaping its naval policy for the De-
cember session of Congress. 1t became
known today that in all probability Sec
i hetary Daniels of the navy department
would put into effect his principle of less
| money ashore and more afioat," and adj
Nocate the greater part or an appropria-
ton of si4S,oo,0D0 to build three powerful
| warships-one more than the usual an
nual quota. though only a single battle
ship was obtained after a stormy fight
In the last Congress.
with the addition of three first ella IS
battleships. naval officials hope the United
States will resume its place next to Great
Britain in naval fighting strength, passing
Germany, which took second place when
the United States dropped to third
Studying Question
Secretary Daniels declared today that
he was not yet ready 10 make any an
nouncements, as he was stiff studying the
question with heads OF the bureaus in
his department The plans of the admin
lstration are expected, however. to erys-
talize after President Wilson and Secre-
tary Daniels confer within the next few
days with heads of the congressional COM
nfttees on appropriations and naval af-
fairs, as the annual estimates for naval
construction are due to be filed for the
regular session of Congress by October
Is. While President Wilson never has
made any public declaration on the bat
tlesilip question, taking the attitude dur
ing campaign days that he ought not to
interfere at the time with the activities
of the democrats in Congress, it is un-
derstood he favors IAN adequate navy"
As the phrase is being used in adj
ministration circles it is taken to mean
that the policy of the general navy board
laid down nearly decade ago of pro-
viding two battleships annually will be
supported hereafter with extra ship
this time to make up for the loss of one
at the last session of Congress.
What particularly encourages naval Of
ficials to believe three battieships will be
forthcoming is report that in making
up its estimates of government expendi-
lures the trainers of the tariff bill cal
culated on $14S 900, 600 for naval construc-
ton, an increase of about $1,000 600 over
the last appropriation, when only one
Dattle5n1p ana a number OF submarines
and destreyers We're built.
The Present Plan
The plan that at present is being con-
sidered is to eXpend less money shore
stations, dock yards and other land equip
ment of the navy and even cut down the
number of small boats, thereby launching
three big and powerful men of war with
out increasing the naval appropriation ma
terially. If Congress should authorize the
construction of three battleships, they
would be of the same type No 30
which was last appropriated for and which
has net been named.
The object of the government naval ex
perts is planning to build the three new
| ships on the same dimensions as No. 81
is to secure blocks of four vessels, eacf
having the same speed and fighting abil-
ity, 50 as to permit of uniform division
maneuVers
The new ships like No 80 would be
equipped with 12-inch guns and with a
displacement of 5000 tons, and would be
of medium speed, compromise between
the battleship-cruiser type of the Brit
ish and Japanese nayies and the heavy
bulldog of low speed of German CON
strlrtion