New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-12

enlightened consciousness OF solidarity
in devotion and sacrifice.'"
The Secretary delves into the prob
lem OF naval construction and develop
ment, in which he takes issue at once
with the General Board. lie recon-
mends the construction of two battle
ships during the ensuing fiscal year, in
spite of the recommendation of his ex-
pert advisers that the plan of 1903, the
official. plan Of naval development,
should be resumed and hereafter adj
hered 10. so that four battleships
would be annually added to the fight
ing forces. After enunciating his adj
herence 10 the plan for slower develop
ment the Secretary has this to say re-
garding the views Of the General
Board:
THE General Board reiterates the
opinion II has always held that com
mand of the sea can only be gained
and held by vessels that can take and
keep the sea in all times and in all
weathers and overcome the strongest
enemies that can be brought against
them II declares other types are
valuable and have their particular
uses but the backbone OF any navy
that can command the sea consists of
the strongest seagOing, sea-keeping
ships of its day, or, of its battleshps.'
"The opinion of the General Board
as given in their annual report Is en-
titled 10 great weight. The department
feels that IL is upon safe ground in
looking TO the board to prescribe the
character of the ships 10 be construct
ed The large increase in submarines
is most desirable. but nothing in the
present war has disproved their faith
in the modern dreadnought. The fact
that there has. been no encounter be-
tween these powerful ships does not
Justify the conclusion that their fur
Their construction should be discarded
in favor Of the smaller craft which
has astonished the world by its ability
70 sink cruisers and other craft, giving
it's severest and most fatal blows be-
fore it's presence is discovered. IL may
be that naval engagements later on
will teach lessons that will change eN-
pert opinion, but as long as the bulk
of the ablest naval officers believe the
increase of the navy should embrace,
in fair proportion. the dreadnought,
the destroyer and the submarine, the
Secretary would not feel warranted IN
recommending a widely different pro-
gramme Of construction.
However, in view of the demon
strated power Of the submarine, |
would impress upon Congress the i'm
portance Of making a larger Increase
in the submarine craft, appropriatlng
generously therefor without reducing
the appropriations for other craft. The
estimates for these were reduced to
the minimum. That our navy has not
neglected the construction of sub
marines will be seen by comparison
of our strength in this craft with that
of foreign navies. II is roughly esti-
mated that there are built or building
for the various navies the Following
number of submarines: England, "a;
France. rs: United States, 81; Ger
many. 81; Japan, IT. This estimate was
made in July of this year.
Satisfied with Submarines.
Secretary Daniels is convinced that
the position of the United States in
the matter Of its submarine fiotilla IS
wholly satisfactory when his recon-
mendations for the present increase
are considered. He urges an addition
of eight submarines of the sea-
going type and seven for coast defence
The General Board urges an increase
of three seagoing submarines and SIN
teen coast submarines. On this subject
the Secretary has this to say;
"When the relative sizes OF the fleets
of the great nations enumerated ABOVE
are considered, it will be seen that the
United States has submarine fiotllia
relatively and actually very powerful.
Eneland's feet is more than twice as
great as ours, yet she has but little
more than half as many more subma-
rines. France has a considerably larg-
err submarine feet than ours, with
smaller navy, but she has in the past
taken the lead in submarine building.
Some wears ago she abandoned the
dreadnought policy TO acquire large
numbers Of submarines, but IN the last
two or three years has made unusual
exertions TO repair her deficiency IN
dreadnoughts. England has overcome
this lead. and we are on that road, hay
ing in addition to the tifty-one ships
already mentioned eight or more au-
thcrized By last years bill, on when
work will shortly commence, and we
are asking for eight or more this year,
which will swell our total to at least
sixty-seyen in the next three years.
Germany. with larger fleet than ours,
has less submarines, and Japan, with
feet smaller than ours in strength,
only half as many submarines. what
we have done, however, in submarine
construction is but an earnest of what
must be done in the future. When we
shall have division of seagoing SUP
marines i'm commission, we will have
added IN the hattleshiD feet a strong