Arizona republican., 1915-12-15
CALIFORNIA Is
 LAST WORD IN
 OREADNAUGHTS
SupcrdrcaGnaught> Dis placing 32,00O Tons, De clarcd to Represent Linn if Iu Size of American Fighting Machines
IRepubnoan A. p. Leased wirel

lRePubican A. p. Leased Wirel
 WASHINGTON Dee. 14.-Super- areadnausbts of the California class Hspluln@ P ooo Ions. .,r,. declared to represent the hi@h >,ater mark in the size at American battIe~hips in a statement presented To congress h., Seorer'rE Daniels today outlining the lessons oL che European was as ta the nest type ur ship for war
 |. would he unWise. the. statement seNs. ,r build dreadnaught~ ~o large Tha, they could eo, ea~ih mss ,hrough The Panama canal. |, k also believed tha, in view of the increa s,~i efficiency a- tuv toroedo. tho. very ,>- ."n~iN" use vt mines una the s.mbS from air craft i- is de,fGral, better !" increase che fIEhcnE units in mum ncrs rather than n size rh,. higr water mark iu size hly.ug been reached !. vessels er the rarforria sIoS~
 The statement was submitted .r re- -poHSe ra a requirement. of tHr last naval apurorriatinn Hill -rl- congress D" furnished Nltu 8 report -uu build }uE four WtrShiu~ al the type power and speed which in his ,tht ~ecre- faIN sI judgment. aased on Knowledge gained from The prevailing war in Europe. and are best suited Toy War on the sea.
 In his reply. Mir. Daniels apparently hrineS ro ;l close the debate which has been aGitating the navy depart ment for many weeks aS to the gen eral characteristics of the first battle ships to be recommended under the administration five year building ulau Tentative plans for a 36.000 ton ship. armed with It-inch or perhaps IT. inch guns have been discussed. Many officers believe the present 14-inch 70 caIiber weapons of the Pennsyi- Fania and California class ships to be ample, since the ships will carry u dozen each of these ;tI against eight or ten at most larger weapons with out radical increase in displacement There are other navy officers and of ficials. however, who believe the 1G- inch rifle completed and tested last year with satisfactory results should go ou the new ships and still others who argued for a I7-inch gun.
 In 4-ansWering the question pro pounded by congress the secretary de ylareS for the superdreadnaught as
 
 ship. in any navy.
 He serves warning. however. that a fleet composed exclusively of dread- paughts must meet defeat at the hands of better balance orSaniza tion properly equipped with battle cruisers. scouting craft and sub marines
 The prime military characteristics to be determined the statement says, are the offensive power If a ship. as represented h4 guns. toTpedoes, etc; and defensive power. expressed in terms of armOr and cruising radius.
 Much If the departments informa- tion,- continues the statement. in re- gard to the details affecting the cf- ficiencv of heiligerent ships is in the form of confidential rights which it would be contrary to the public in terests To make public in any way. There are however. several conclu- eions which can be laid down.
 The first and most important les son is thSit the British grand fleet. composed not only of dreaduaughts and superdreadnaughts but also of battle cruisers. light cruisers, de stroyers. submarines and auNiliaries, has to date maintained command of the sea thereby. assuring to Great lSllfGln with all parts of the world and req sonabty safe Over-sea transport for her military forces and supplies, at the same time denying similar advan- tages to her adversaries. It is fur ther known that despite the efforts of i submarines and other minor craft, the losses of this fleet have not been serious.
 Another notable fact was brought ont by the statement of the first lord of the admiralty to parliament in November. 1914. that by the end of 1915. there would have been added to the fleet fifteen capital ships. toGeth- CT with a corresponding and adequate number of vessels of other types
 All of this indicates Conclusively 1 that the command of the sea with the ! attendant security of the shores of q | country exercising that command rests with the power possessing ships which | in the aggregate have preponderauce l in the prime military characteristics enumerated above.
 "Of present and practicable types of vessels the so-called dreadnaught 1 most nearly approaches the ideal aimed at in the clause of the last naval appropriation act. It is neces- Sary to qualify this answer however for it cannot he said. and it is not l believed that the prevailing war in l Europe has demonstrated that fleet | composed of any other single type of | vessel of practicable dimensions would 1 or could be successful against q l properly balanced fleet"
 Congress asked also for a report on | the naval value of aircraft and after 1 d long discussion setting forth the ! need of battle cruisers in the navy l the secretary says of aeroplanes. dir igibles and balloons:
 My conclusions are that all these i types of aircraft. each in it particu- | lar field. have demonstrated their un- l doubted value for observation and l scouting purposes. IL is regretted that 1 in this as in other subjects. pertain 1 ing to the lessons of the prevailing ! European war the great part of the | (lepartment's information as in the ! form of confidential reports.
 Have you bought any