New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-17

made ready to go to sea IN aDou. w.
weeks and to enter the battle line III
about six months.
"A ship out of commission has only
caretakers aboard, only the parrels u
her guns. She has been practicaily
stripped of everything. If her machln-
cry is in good shape, requiring no
pairs of a major character, ana WIN
brand new crew and officers, she wouio
be ready to 60 to sea IN from one 70
three months, according TO the eoId ~
ton of her engines, and it would De
nine months or year before she WAS
ready for battle" .bo
The status of the battle feet at the
present time was given by Mr.. koose-
welt as follows: ~. :,
Battleships in commission, Il; IN
commission in reserve, 8; IN conlmiS
sion in ordinary, 6; out Oh conhnh'S
From the ideal standpoint he eX,
planned. ait would be well to nave an
the ships of the feet in full eommls-
sion all the time. Failing IN TINS; now
ever, we should keep all possible: =
He thus expressed the conditioh u
the personnel: A., ,,x,
"The immediate needs OF tne haEy
arc satisfied in the following tashIos
in the matter of personnel: we ha.e
ten dreadnoughts in commission WI" wv
crews approximating 5000 men. we
have eight other battleships OF the pre-
dreadnought classes in commission, re-,
ouirine about 5000 men. To place all
the other fifteen battleships in CONF
mission would require a total OF lO.OOO
men. or in al $4,000 men. For war
/ there should be added to this NUMBER
/ 10 per cent, or $500 men. That means
| that the requirement of the navy IN
war for the battle fleet alone would De
/ 81 500 men. With a need for the EN-
/ nlovment of about 10000 men for shore
/ dutv. that leaves for all the other
branches of the floating forces only
about 10000 men,"
"Are we. in view Of the present war
! in Europe. less prepared for war our
/ selves 2" asked Mr.. Gray, OF lndla
Comparatively so, yes" replied the
/ Secretary. ave are less prepared than
/ any of the nations at war IN some re,
| spccts. Other nations have taken all
, kinds of measures directed toward war
IN its realities, measures that we nave
( not taken, and for that reason they are
much better prepared than we possibly
could be. Our navy is just as eihclehO
now as last year VI llc ySoA pSA"' -
( save that because of certain interna-
/ tional relations this year we did not
have the usual target practice.
! Mr. Roosevelt explained table
worked out some months ago by the
Navy Department, according to well
/ known formula, showing the strength
IN armored fighting craft of various
navies in points" 1t placed the three
| leading powers as follows: England,
/ 1858; Germany, 1878; United States
/ 1862.
! Representative Witherspoon suggest
I ed that these figures might be changed
/ by to-day's events in the North Sea.
and Mr.. Roosevelt agreed that they
might be very materially changed be-
/ fore morning.
From confidential reports" he add
ed, 81 am certain other nations have
very greatly increased their subma-
rine strength, a fact which Congress
sho7i consider in framing the naval
bill
Rear Admiral Fisk, chief Of the
bureau % operations, will testify to-
morrow, and Representative Gardner.
Of Massachusetts,, will have a hearing
/ Friday.