The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-22
The Navy Board SO States
in Its Annual
Report.
BODYBUILDING | B D PROGRAM
Lessons Of the Present War
as They are Seen by
Experts.
l(By Associated Press

(By Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20. = The
American navy should be equal to
the most powerful maintained by any
other nation OF tho world" not later
than 1925 In the opinion OF the Navy
General Board headed by Admiral
Dewey.
The annual report Of the board,
made public last night, discloses that
this naval policy was formulated by
the body In July last In answer to the
following propositions propounded by
Secretary Daniels when the Admins.
tration reached Its decision to. enter
upon a campaign Of national prepar-
edness:
What the Navy must be in the fu.
ture in order to stand upon an equal.
lily with the most efficient and most
practically serviceabie."
The boards conclusions follows:
.The Navy Of the United States
should ultimately be equal to the most
powerful maintained by any other ma.
ton of the world. 1t should be grad.
ually increased to this point by such
q rate of development year by year,
as may be permitted by the facilities
OF the country, but the limit above
defined should be attained not later
than 1925"
At.the same time the board present.
ed a building program for 1917 in
compliance with the Secretary's re-
quest for "a program formulated In
the definite terms planned for a
consistent and progressive develop.
ment OF the great defensive arm OF
the nation"
Details of the boards reply are not
revealed, as subsequently in October
OF this year, the Secretary asked the
board to prepare "a building program
for the Navy that will continue over
aspericd OF five years with an expen-
diture Of about s10O,ooo,000 each year
for five years on new construction
only Tho Administration plan for
the construction Of sixteen capital
ships within five years Is founded on
the, board, 8 answer.
AT the same time the board again
developed its idea OF the place the
American navy should hold in the
world In the following language:
1.-THE General Board believes that
the course OF the present war In Eu-
rope affords convincing reasons for
modifying the. opinion which 1t has
expressed for the past II years as to
the proper size Of the Navy. A navy
in firm control OF the seas from the
outbreak of war Is the prime essen.
Iaf4 - atf,
ated :as is the United States bordering
upon two great oceans. A 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 pro.
tect our sea. borne commerce and drive
thatSo the enemy from the sea. Tho
best way to accomplish oil those OBJ.
jects Is to find and defeat the hostile
feet or any OF its detachments at
distance from our coast sufficiently
great to prevent interruption Of our
normal course OF nataional life. The
current war has shown that navy
Of the sized recommended by this
board in previous years can no longer
bekconsidered as adequate to the de.
q.
Our present Navy Is not sufficient to
giveEdue weight TO the diplomatic re.
monstracess Of the United States In
peace nor to enforce its policies in
war"
The report lays stress upon the
boards proposal that seven OF the
sixteen new ships, four superdread.
naughts and three battle cruisers, be
authorized in 1916. Secretary Daniels
has recommended to Congress how
eye., that only two dreadnaughts ana
two battle cruisers be authorized ct
thisitime. Under the boards plan the
total expenditures for the flye years
Including 75,000,000 for the aviation
service and sl1,0o0,000 for reserve
ammunition and material would be
s499,S76,000, the last appropriations
forSwhich would be made in 1922; the
secretary's recommendations cali for
o total expenditure OF s602,4S2,214.
the last appropriations shown being
for 1921, and increases being made
over the boards estimates for subma-
rines and reserve ammunition. The
board program contemp!ates the. build.
ing of thirteen feet lauxiliaries while
the secretary recommends only six.
The board highly commends the
proposal to establish a continuing
building policy for the navy. saying
n will astabalize the warship building
industry in the country and tend to
reduce contract prices for new ships.
The board reviews the course Of the
European war SO far as It involved
naval actions. to reach this conclu.
sion:
eAsito types Of ships, the battieship
Ia still the principal reliance of m.
Sies, as ~ has been In the past"
Because of the great naval super.
iority of the entente allies, the report
says, their control of the seas has