Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-12-09
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
FOR GREATER NAVY.
Always Looked to 1t as Our First and
Chief Line of Defense.

Chief Line of Defense.
The program which will be laid be-
fore you Uy the secretary of the navy
is similarly conceived. 1t involves only
a shortening Of the time within which
plans long matured shall be carried
out, but it does make definite and ex-
plicit q program which has heretofore
been only implicit, held in the minds of
the committees on naval affairs n
disclosed in the debates of the two
houses. but nowhere formulated or for
mally adopted. 1t seems to me very
clear that it will be to the advantage
of the country for the congress to adopt
a comprehensive plan for putting the
navy upon Il finaI footing of strength
and efficiency and to press that plan
to completion within the next five
years. We have always looked to the
navy Of the country as our first and
chief line Of defense; WI have always
seen it to be our manifest course of
prudence to be strong on the seas.
Year by year we have been creating a
navy which now ranks very high in
deed among the navies of the maritime
nations. We should now definitely de
termine how we shall complete what
we have begun and how soon.
The program to be laid before you
contemplates the construction within
FIVE years of ten battleships, six battle
cruisers. ten scout cruisers, fifty de
stroyers. fifteen feet submarines.
eighty-five coast submarines, Jour gun
boats, one hospital ship, two ammuni
ton ships, two fuel oil ships and n
repair ship. 1t is proposed that Of this
number we shall the first ear provide
for the construction of two battleships.
two battle cruisers, three scout cruisers,
fifteen destroyers, five feet submarines.
twenty-five coast submarines, two gun
boats and one hospital ship; the second
year two battleships, n scout cruiser,
ten destrOyers. four fleet submarines,
fifteen Goa submarines. n gunboat
and one fuel oil ship; the third year
W. battleships. one battle cruiser. two
scout cruisers. five destroyers. two fleet
submarines and fifteen coast subma-
rines; the fourth ear two battleships.
two battle cruisers. two scout cruisers.
ten ~destroyers. Two fleet submarines.
fifteen coast submarines. n ammuni-
ton ship and one fuel oil ship. and
the fifth year two battleShips. one bat
tie cruiser. two scout cruisers. ten de
stroyers. two fleet submarines. fifteen
coast submarines. one gunbOat. one am
munition ship and one repair ship.
The secretary Of the navy is asking
also for the immediate addition. to the
personnel of the navy of 1900 sailors
$500 apprentice seamen and 1.5OO ma
rfnes. This increase would be SUI
cient to care for the ships which are
to be completed within the fiscal year
1917 and also for the number Of men
which must be put in training to man
the ships which will be completed
early in 1918. 1t is also necessary that
the number of midshipmen at the Ma
val academy at Annapolis should be
increased 10y at least 300 in order that
the fore nf officers should be moro
rapidly adled ia. and authority is ask
ed to appoint. for engineering duties
only. a'",roved graduates Of engineer
ing COLLEGES. and for service in the avi
ntion ccrns II "ortain number Of men
aiken frs,",. civil life
If this fHII program should he carried
ut W" Sh0un Rave built or building ir
"2f, Grr"rf?ftt~ ~ tn" estimates OF sur
tvAl ani ~<'1niar1s nf classification
"n"rd Iv THE general board Of tn.