The Washington times., 1915-12-22
Unpublished July Report by
Board Recommended Ambi-
tious Ten-Year Policy.
BAGS OF DEFENSE PROGRAM
Urged Expenditure, However,
Double That Proposed Later
by Secretary Daniels.

Following publicat tion today Of the an
nuaI report Of the General Board Of
the Navy urging appropriation of slOo.-
NM, 900 a year FOR five years for naval
construction. it developed that the board
had made an earlier report the details
OF which were not made public.
In the earlier report. which was made
last July. the board recommended that
The navy of the United States should
ultimately he 2qual to the most power
ful maintained by any other nation of
the world 1t should be gradually in
creased to this point by such rate of
development, year by year. as may be
permitted by the facilities of the coun-
try, but the limit above defined should
be attained not later than 1925.
That paragraph is all the public has
been permitted 20 learn about the July
report of the general board, though
there have been persistent reports of
Of the existence Of a suppressed report
In October. Secretary Daniels directed
the board to prepare another report sub
hitting a program with an expenditure
of about 100000, 900 each year for five
years, on new construction only"
Basis of Defense Program.
This October document formed the
Secretary of the Navy Daniels recon-
mending ten dreadnaughts and six bat
tie cruisers. fifty destroyers. and 100
submarines during the fiNe-year period
at a cost of $50. 100. 900.
Secretary Daniels in his recent report
said that he had exceeded the aggregate
Of the recommendations for appropria =
lions made by the general board. 1t
WAS the recommendations OF the Octo-
ber report. however that were exceed
n IaH nf "a
ship building program submitted by the
hoard in the earlier report has not been
made public, but it is said TO have called
FOR the expenditure of more than double
the sum urged by Daniels in his report
to Congress.
Depend On Battleships.
The general board in its report given
out today, declares that the battleship
is still the principal reliance Of navies
rs it has been in the past"
AS in the case of subma rines," the
report adds. 80 in the case of battle
cruisers, the particular course of the
present war does not justify the prev
alent exaggerated IDEA of their impor-
lance"
Secretary Daniels and the general
board were at variance on the question
of submarines. the Secretary asking for
fifteen feet and, eighty-five coast sub
marines. while the board recommended
marines.
The deeds of the submarines" the
report says, have been so specta cular
that in default of enga gements between
the main fleets undue weight has been
attached to them
Allies Recent Loss Sights.
At the present time. says the report,
the allies have learned in great meas
ure how to protect their commerce as
they learned few months previously
how TO protect their navies from the
submarine menace.
Figures are given to show that in
eight months Of submarine warfare only
LIB merchant vessels and 175. trawIers
we're lost by the British of total ton
mage Of half a million, while the total
loss under other flags was more than
sooNoo tons. During the same time
l.So0 to 400 boats per week. or nearly
5o.oD in all, have arrived and departed
from British ports.
Control of Seas.
Presenting It's arguments. based on
experiences OF the European war as TO
the navys needs, the boards report
says:
"a navy in firm control OF the seas
at the outbreak of war is a prime essen
tia1 to the defense of Il country stu-
ated as is the United States, bordering
upon two great oceans, navy strong
enough only to defend our coast from
actual invasion will not suffice. De-
Tense from invasion is not the only
function OF the navy. 1t must protect
our seaborne commerce and drive that
uf the enemy from the sea. The best
way 10 accomplish all these objects is
Ia find and defeat the hostile fleet at a
distance from our coast sufficiently
great to prevent interruption of our
normal course of national life"
our present navy is not sufficient to
give due weight TO the diplomatic re-
monstrances of the United States in
peace nor to enforce its policies in war"