Norwich bulletin., 1913-12-01

time. In It's recommendation it 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.
 One Dreadnaught to Cost $14,o44, ,oo0.
 In endorsing a naval holiday, the Secretary says:
 ''The growing cost of dreadnaughts, of powder and of everything that makes an efficient Navy gives reason for pause This heavy expense com mands national and international con sideration. The naval appropriation has doubled in 13 years and yet this country has not joined the expensive competition and race for over-larEe navies to the same extent as have som other great nations. Ten years ago our largest battIeshfp cost $5,3S2- 900. The next dreadnaught will. cost $14, 4,044, ,0000. When is this accelerating expenditure to be reduced?
 Naval programs, announced by the nations already having the largest na- vies, and the entrance into the build ing of dreadnaughts by nations which have not hitherto burciened their people with the expense of large bat tIeships, indicates that the end is not yet No single nation, with large in tereSts, can safely take a vacation in ~L the OI DaELfESnlpA lUaE [ to be desired vacation must come through concerted action. If it is not hastened by appeals for the peaceful settlement of national differences the day is not far distant when the grow ing burden of taxation for excessive war and naval expenditures will call g. halt.
 New Permanent Policy Needed
 ''The suggestion of a vacation for one year in battleshtp building has
 met with hearty approval and I ven~ ture the earnest hope that this will bear fruit in a. we1-considered plan by navy building nations not to let the unnecessary competition go to further l lengths. 1t fs manifestRy not possible for the proposed cessation fin baktleship construction to be declared at once. IL is not a vacation we need. bat a per
 raanent policy to guard against eStrav- agant and needless expansions. Any vacation proposed would. of course. ] take into account the conditions tn Government navy yards and in rsF3~ vate establishments where batt1eshtpS are built under contract. The whole force is at present concentrated in building ships for which material has been purchased, Time should be given for shipbuilders to obtain commercial orders so as. not to ask ShipbHkiders to
 incur loss"
 Recommends a ConforeneA.
 "T venture to reccornend that tha war and navy officials and other rep resentattves of all nations be invited to hold 8 conference to discuss whether | they can not agree upon a plan for lesssnfng the cost of preparation for war. 1t is recognized that the desired end of competitive buildings. carried on under whip and spur, could not be effective without agreement between great nations, It ought not to be difta- cult to secure an agreement by which naVies will be adequate without being oveFgFoWn and without imposing heavy eveFheayy taxation upon the in dustry of 8 nation. [ trust the tenta-
 tive suggestion for naval holiday by the strongest of the powers win be de- bated and the matter seriously con- sideFed by an international conference looking to reduction of the arnbitiouS and costly plans for navy increase.