Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-12
ished the world

ished the world ly " TO sink
cruisers and Other ,...., giving It's
severest and most al blows before
its pre.eaco }: @s.oyered. 1t may
be (, Ha sagcments later on
will teach lessons that will change eX-
pert opinion, but as long as the bulk
of the ablest naval officers believe
the increase of the navy should EN-
brace, In fair proportion, tho dread
naught, the destroyer and the sub
marine, the secretary would not feel
warranted in recommending a widely
| different program Of construction.
However, in view OF the demon
strated power OF the submarine, |
would impress upon congress the inn
! portance OF making a larger increase
| in the submarine craft, appropTiatinB
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 submarines will
/ be seen by a 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 navles the following
number Of submarines: England S4
France IS, United States 81, Germany
| 81, Japan II. This estimate was
made in July Of this year.
when the relative sizes of the
fleets Of the great nations enumerated
above are considered, 1t will be seen
that the United States has sub
marine floulla relatively and actually
very powerful Englands fleet is
more than twice as great as ours yet
she has but little more than half as
many more submarines. France has
a considerably larger submarine fleet
than ours, with a smaller navy, but
she has in the past taken the lead in
submarine building Some years ago
she abandoned the dreadnaught policy
to acquire large numbers OF submar-
ines. but In the last two or three years
! has made unusual exertions to repair
her deficiency in dresdnaughts. Eng
land has overcome this lead, and we
are on that road, having, in addition
to the 81 ships already mentioned,
eight more authorized by last years
bill, on which work will shortly COM
| mence, and We are asking for eight
or more this year, which will swell
| our total to at least 81 In the next
three years Germany, with a larger
fleet than ours, has less submarines.
and Japan. with a fleet 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 a di-
vision OF seagoing submarines in com
mission we will have added TO the
battleship fleet a strong fighting unit
which must be OF large Importance
in any oversee operations.
''As far as the submarines them
selves is concerned. 1t Is believed that
ours are on a par with any In the
world. In the appropriation made by
the last congress two types for the
first time were included-one OF high
surface speed, TO accompany the fleet
and one for coast and harbor defense.
In the building OF two such distinct
types we are in accord with what for
eign countries are doing, and sub
marine flotillas In the future will
probably be composed Of vessels OF
these two types.
or aviation the secretary saws:
Aircraft have demonstrated In the
present war In Europe that no mill.
tary arm Is complete which lacks
them. They will not replace vessels
of war, but will extend the field OF
operations to the air as we'll as on
the surface and underneath the water.
They provide the best means for dis
covering submarine mines and have