The Washington herald., 1914-12-24
DID not FANCY
SUBMARINE TYPE
Letters Of Daniels Said to
Show He Had No Faith
IN Them.
STIRLING GOT IN BAD
Neglect of Department" Given BY
Him in Reports as to Reason Flo
lila Is Unprepared for War.
STIRLING COT m BAD

Evidence that the Navy Department Il
self has discouraged DEVELOPMENT Of the
submarine as Q weapon Of warfare il
contained In ccrrespondence transmitted
TO the House Committee on Naval Az
fairs by Secretary Daniels. This cor
respondence embraces q series Of letters
exchanged by Secretary Daniels and other
departemnt officials on the one hand and
BY Yates Stirling, commander Of the At
lantic fiotilla OF submarines. on the other.
It discloses that Commander Stirling
was sharply rebuked by the Secretary
OF the Navy for hling q report with the
Department showing the precise state Of
unpreparedness Of the. vessels In the At
lantic hotilla- Complying with instruc-
tons sent him by the Secretary Of the
Navy Commander Stirling reported that
the seventeen submarines In his care
were absolutely unit for war.
why They Are Unht.
In the department instructions Com
mander Stirling was requested to advise
his superiors why the submarines were
unnt and make Recommendations as to
what he would do to increase their ef-
nciency. he replied that the submarines
were unit because Of the neglect of the
department" and he suggested that an
Improvement Of conditions in the hotilIa
could be brought about only by closer CO.
ordination.
Commander Strings report was
phrased In language that gave offense to
Secretary Daniels and some Of his aides.
For example, Capt. Winterhalter. aide for
material. was angered at some OF the
observations OF Commander Stirling II
appears that Commander Stirling sent
at least one Of his letters direct to the
department instead Of through Rear Ad-
miral Badger, commander OF the Atlantic
feet. Rear Admiral Badger reproved
Commander Stirling for this alleged
breach Of etiquette and Capt. Winter
halter expressed resentment over Stir
lings references 70 the work within the
department
Members Of the Naval Committee who
have examined the correspondence say
that II shows beyond doubt that until
the outbreak Of the war in Europe
neither Secretary Daniels nor his aides
had very much faith in submarines They
point out that Commander Stirling on
four different occasions Informed the de-
partment that the boats of the Atlantic
notilla were unit for war service. but
that no attention was paid to these rep
reservations until several months there
after
1t was learned yesterday that an EFFORT
may be made In the House Naval Com
mittee to modify the building program
submitted to Congress by the
Secretary Of the Navy. Secretary DAN
lels recommended the authorization Ct
two battleships, six destroyers, eight or
more submarines. one oiler, and one re-
pair ship. Representative Roberts. wiz
has great faith in submarines, contem-
D.ates suggesting one battleship, sixteen
Dr. more submarines, and more OF the
ships recommended by the Sec
retary Of the Navy. Mr.. Roberts is Of
he opinion that II the twenty-one CAPT. |
al warships Of the United States navy |
Ire TO be brought up to the highest state !
" efficiency as agencies OF war, they |
must be supported by an adequate num- |
'er OF submarines. In this regard Mr.. |
Roberts regards the navy as deficient.