The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-12
DANIELS BEFORE
 NAVAL COMMITTEE Pacific Coast Not Adequate
 ly Protected CANAL OF BENEFIT
Atlantic Fleet Could Be Rushed to Rescue in Case of Emergency, Says the Secretary of
 the Navy

Washington, December 11.--Although the Pacific coast is not adequately pro- fected for war, the Atlantic fleet could be rushed through the Panama canal while any hostile fleet would be de- layed by the necessity of reducing Ma nila and Honolulu. in tho opinion of Secretary Daniels, who continued his testimony today before tho House na- val affairs committee. In the course of an all-day examination the secretary also discussed the difficulties of con- strueting satisfactory airships and sub marines, but expressed opposition to extravagant appropriations for either these branches of the service. He pre- dicted that ultimately the government must build it's own warships in navy yards.
 While MT. Daniels was before the committee the question of military pre- paredness was again under discussion on the floor of Congress, Senator Weeks of Massachusetts declaring In q speech in the Senate that there was too much publicity of military secrets. He pointed to the secrecy observed by the nations now at war as an object lesson.
 Secretary Daniels told the commit tee that there were no dreadnaughts or first class battleships on the Pacific coast The only battleship there, he said, was the oregon, 20-year- ves- sell The active naval strength on the Pacific he gave as nine cruisers, two gunboats. one transport, one torpedo
 
 three submarines and one tender. The reserve fleet, he added, comprised five armored cruisers, four torepdo-boat de- stroyers and two submarines
 Protection Not Adequate
 'Do you think these vessels are ade- quate protection to the Pacific coast for war;" asked Representative Stephens of California.
 ''No," replied the secretary.
 You would not commission the Ore gon as a first class battleship, would you?"
 No"
 You wouldn't consider the Pacific coast in any way provided sufficient ly for protection in so far as the naval arm of the government is concerned?"
 'T would not put it that strong. If
  ton we would send a fleet through the Panama canal"
 You do not think any very material damage could be done before the fleet could arrive on the Pacific coast from the Atlantic coast?''
 ''I think the odds are the other way. One of the reasons, perhaps a chief reas- on, why we built the Panama canal was to make it possible to have l. fleet to de- fend both coastS'
 Have we fleet sufficient to defend both coasts?
 ''Yes, sir. altogether sufficient to de. fend both coasts"
 But it cannot defend both coasts
 Not at the same time, but there is hardly a possibility of our being attacked on both sides al once.'
 An enemy" he added, "has got to run the gauntlet of our submarines in the Philippines and Hawaii and we could delay them a good deal with the fleet we have there now until the real large fleet comes. It would take about IS days roughly. for the fleet to go from New York to San Francisco. provided the canal is open and unobstructed.
 Do you think the submarines now 1T the Philippines would offer any serious hindrance to the navy in the Pacific ocean attacking us?'
 To Send More Over We are going to send more over there and we are asking for more now. The secretary made a yelled allusior to emergencies during the Vera Cruz oc. cupation which might have led to taking half of the men off the Atlantic fleet to join the army in proceeding to the Mex. lean capital In reply to a question as to the use of battleships where gunboats would suffice for the naval necessities oi the situation, he said:
 For instance. when the first Mexican trouble occurred in January, 1913, we sent