The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-19
Plan Means Expenditure of Billion Dollars on Army and Navy Within Next Six Years
HALF BILLION FOR THE NAVY WITHIN
 FIVE YEARS TIME
Proposed Continental Army to Require Expenditure of $156,000,000 During Six Year Period

''"ShihS tohs otiobtl io.--A nHtlOHti defense programme that probably means an expenditure on the army and navy of upward of billion dollars in the next six years will be laid be- fore the people by President Wilson November 1, when he goes to New York to make his first public address since the scope of the policy on which his administration has embarked be- came known. He will speak before the Manhattan club of New York on na- tional defense and the reasons which have impelled him to approve plans which would almost double the navy and quadruple the trained fighting forces ashore within few years.
 With the estimates of the war and navy departments submitted for the coming year, the breadth of the ad- ministrations policy as to preparedness is being realized. It shapes up in to- tals as follows:
 Schedule
 Navy: For new ships and increased personnel in five years, $500. O0O, 900.
 Army: For reserve material tarms and ammunition) within four years S105, 000,0
 For new coast defenses and modern ization of old forts within four years sS1,000, 0O0.
 For the new continental army and the proposed increase in the regular army. s26,000,000. (This amount prob ably will be a continuing and if any thing increasing appropriation through the first six-year period which would 10 bot time s156,0O0, ,000.)
 The grand total expenditure thus &C., tually planned would be $S42. 900, OO0
 According to plans laid out by navy and war department experts these ex- penditures would produce by 1925 a first line of dreadnaughts and battle cruisers numbering 43; fleet of coast defense submarines that would fringe the Atlantic and Pacific coasts with an almost solid line of interior defense against attack; a fleet of nearly 175 destroyers and squadrons of huge sea going fleet submarines to operate with the battle squadrons at great distances from shore.
 For the army there would be at the end of six years trained force of 100000 men, including a regular army of 10000 and the proposed continental army and reserves, a ring of fully manned coast defenses, equipped with the largest and most powerful guns yet built and a vast reserve of field guns. machine guns howltzers and big gun ammunition. In addition the enormous ly increased capacity of private muni- ton plants would give assurances of ample supplies of small arms and field gun ammunition.
 Ship Contracts Let
 A definite step toward enlarging the tal<qn tpdaV W cf were awarded for 22 of the fighting craft authorized by the last Congress- They are six big cruiser destroyers. 30- knot boats, each to carry 12 torpedo tubes, finch guns and two 3-inch anti-aircraft guns; and 16 coast de- fense submarines, each dispacing more than $50 tons and each equipped with a 3-inch disappearing rife for surface fighting The day set new record for the department in the number of con- tracts awarded.
 Neither war nor navy department es- inmates for the coming year have been made public as yet in detail It was learned today, however. that of the $72,000,000 increase over last years bill to be asked by the war department $46.000,000 would go toward reserve material and coast defense works. the remaining $26,000,000 to be used in building up the new armies regular and continental. Part of the 5000, 600 would go into building and arming the new forces which will guard the en- trance to Chesapeake bay.
 It is proposed to spend more of the money in building new forts to guard New York San Francisco and other great harbors from attack.
 Gigantic 16-inch rifles will be mounted in all these defenses of the first class, where enemy craft with modern guns would be dangerous from great distance
 Another expenditure contemplated is for fitting the present 12 and i4-inch rifles with carriages that will give them great range. Much already has been accomp- lished in that way and the work will be carried on until every fort IS modernized Sixteen-inch rifles will be installed in place of smaller guns, however. 1t Is said, because to make all the changes in hosts, machinery and the like would be more expensive and less satis- factory than to build new empacements for these huge weapons.
 The navy department has still to award contracts for the major portion of the building programme authorized by the last Congress. Contracts will be awarded next month for four fleet submarines, big ger. faster and more powerful than any submarine craft ever designed. The Schley, now building. will displace 1000 tons and make 20 knots on the surface The new boats will displace 1900 tons and make 25 knots. Next month also con- tracts will be let for two 32.000-ton super ships which will carry round dozen 14-inch rifles each and which will have new protection against sub marine attack, sthe nature of which is being closely guarded.
 Of the $6S,O00.000 increase to be asked
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