Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-29
Chittenden County
Trust Company
surIIaStsn, W.
suFIIRUiOn, VI

Partment has begun the manufacture
OF mines and in a short time will have
81 mines for every nine 1t had two
years ago, increasing our stock PA
per cent by manufacturing mines at
government station in lieu of pur-
chasng them saving of s17s,75O has
been effected
| BIGGER GUNS.
AS to guns: The Bureau of ord
nance have developed n 14-incb pun
that Will shoot farther, shoot straight
err and hit harder than any gun now
III use or known to be designed by a
foreign country. Based upon former
and current prices in contracts for
guns and gun forgings we have saved
s2s0.42533
AS TO powder. Upon my recon-
mendation, Congress increased the
capacity of the Navy Powder Factory
at Indian Head. When the extension
now under way is completed, the ca
lpacity VIII be nearly doubled The cost
| of manufacture has incidentally been
reduced 2.7 cents per pound, saving al
ready in the cost of powder since manu-
featured, $4,000.
AS to radio: Radio has at least
been successfully Installed on submar-
ines. and more than 75 other ships.
which either had no radio or whose
equipment was obsolete, have been sup
piled with modern equipment Three
entirely new shore stations have been
added to the chain: Balboa (canal
zone), Great Lakes, ILL.,, and Tutuila,
Samoa.
AMERICAN AIRCRAFT.
LAS to aircraft: The European war has
emphasized the value Of aircraft The
navy has Jagged behind in this instrum-
nent Of war. Last year l appointed a
board Of aviation. It recommended the
utilization Of the abandoned navy yard
at Pensacola as a training and repair
station for aviation, and an aviation
bureau in the department This has been
done. Upon my earnest recommendation,
Congress appropriated a million dollars
to begin, upon an elaborate PLAN the real
development of aviation in the navy
1t also approved my request to pay avia-
tors an increase Of 30 per cent. and we
are organizing a class of capable avia-
tors. To make Immediately effective this
feature, three new hydro-aeroplanes have
just been purchased. which is but the
beginning of the work OF aviation now
well advanced along the lines OF well
considered plan. ! regard this as one of
the most far-reaching steps taken by the
Wilson Administrations
ECONOMY EFFECTED.
LAS to savings effected: All this un-
precedented increase In the navy has
been secured too, without large increase
In appropriations. How? BY avoiding
unnecessary expenditure ashore, by re-
ducing the cost of work ashore while
maintaining its quality and reducing ap-
preparations for enlargement OF shore
stations, by securing real competition.
and by economy. During the four years
Of Taft. sl292S.572 was appropriated by
Congress for the public works alone of
shore stations Two naval bills have
been passed by the present administra-
tion and they carry together. for the
public works of shore stations, a total of
$392o,SSo We have greatly reduced ex-
penditures ashore and greatly increased !
them afoat and the above figures attest
the change for the better. When I be- !
came secretary. ships could be built in |
only two navy yards. We have equipped |
or are equipping five additional navy
yards for the construction of navy craft |
and this is being done while at the same !
time there is big decrease In appropria- |
tons ashore. BY securing competition, ! |
saved Sl,0T,2lO In one contract for pro- |
Jecticles. Up to date, ~ first rejecting |
all bids and demanding more reasonable !
figures, l have saved sl,11on0 in the |
purchase of armor plate. securing lower |
prices than my predecessor secured. In |
two other bureaus alone last year, 81, 500, =
600 was Saved-more than enough to en- |!
able Congress to Inappropriate one mill |
lion Of the savings for aviation and the |
balance for submarines. There has been |
the same character of savings in other
ways-too many items to enumerate
50 much for the material and prepar,
alton. OF course, we need constantly 10
increase the ships and armament. but the
increase In the past two years, larger !
than in any previous two years in the
history Of the country, Is an earnest Of
what will come In the regular and or
derby and necessary increase of naval !
equipment.
TRAINING OF MEN.
But of what worth is ship without !
well-trained men? What has the Wilson !
done as to personnel? 1t |
is a pleasure to tell you that for the /
first time in years the enlistment is up |
to the limit prescribed by law and part |
of the year We have had a waiting list !
Since | became secretary of the navy we I
nave Increased the enlistment 1884 men.
enabling us to commission fully 20 sub
four battleships, four destroy |
ers six gunboats, one battleship, six
cruisers and three monitors, increasing
the total number of commissioned YES
sells by Al over the number commissioned !
on March l. 1918. I regard this as a great |
achievement particularly since the navy
had not formerly been able to secure
enough men to fill the quota 1t has |
been secured, too. without letting down
the standard for admission. which has
been maintained. and even raised. For
every recruit accepted. five We're re-
jected because they did not come up to
our high standard To what Is the in
crease Of our enlistmentS attributed? The |
answer is easy: To the establishment |
of schools, opportunity to see the world,
and for promotion afforded enlisted men
hitherto denied them. In these two years
IL enlisted men have been appointed as
assistant paymasters; five as mldshp-
men at Annapolis. and II as ensigns.
1t is true that prior to the Wilson ad-
II was possible for an en-
listed man to he promoted to be ensign,
but In the four years of the Taft adj
miniSt ration only three Uera nrop,otad