The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-19

largement Of this plant has been i'm
perative for the past six years, the
money was made available only on the
first of last July An effort effort will
Der OF 20-inch torpedoes for the new
naval construction.
All of the older type Of the vessels
have 18-tnch torpedoeS and the stock
will not be available for the new ves-
sells. It was stated, that there are in
sight twenty-six new torpedo tubes that
had to be provided. The means the
United States has Of furnishing this
material is the private concern at
Brooklyn and the torpedo plant at New
port. :, --a.a
Navy Enlistment Full.
The limit by hwaDf enliatments in
the navy is Isl ,5O0fman.s Officers who
have the record say that the limit has
been enlisted. They say that it will
require a strong pull to wake up higher
authorities to tell congress fatty that
congress must authorize more men and
not have a condition by which ten or
eleven battleships are lying up with
probably not more than one-third Of a
crew on board.
These officials say that the United
States has about $4,000 marines which,
however, would make a very thin line
to protect or to operate from the ports
on the Pacific, the terminals of the
Panama canal, the gulf and the At
lantic.
The navy is counting on some edify-
Ing reports and recommendations from
Amiral Dewey's board. Parts OF the
work of this board for this year on
which Secretary Of the Navy Daniels is
to base his annual report are already at
the navy department.
The main points Of the recommended
t1o1s, they say, are that congress
should authorize four battleships OF
the highest modern efficiency and
type, 33 per cent Increase at least in
submarines equipped in the light OF
recent invitations abroad and a large
number of gunboats and tropedo boats
The ordnance department of the navy
Will make recommendations as to
powder and projectiles which are Woe
fully lacking.
Army Is Busy.
On the army side they say they are
moving rapidly but secretly as to the
defenses of Hawaii. the canal and the
What should have been done in the
way OF forttfying these places with
the new 14-inch army guns have been
impressed only recently on the gov
eminent by the joint army and navy
board. It was intended a year ago to
have the 14-inch and the 16-inch guns
from Sandy Hook actually at the
canal. but all that can be obtained
now Is that probably Hawaii, the Phil
tppines and the canaFwill be in good
shape by early spring. It is under
stood that the implacement for guns
have been ready for some time. at
Panama.
It is not expected that there will be
any recommendations by the secre-
tary OF war for an increase in the
! standing army Of the United States
Scarcely $4,000 OF the army are on
duty In the United States. For an in
crease in the army to $50, 200, which
experts consider reasonable enough.
there would be necessary the hasty
manufacture Of some 500 to 1000 field
guns and the manufacture is slow.
A fine point was put on the posi-
btltty OF manufacture of emergency
material here by an admiral who said
that Germany could build a subma-
rine in six months and send it in sec
tons to some point on the northern
coast OF Europe. He estimated that
1t would take Is months to build q
submarine in the United States.