The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-12-16
GREAT NAVY PLANS
TOLD BY DANIELS
ASK HALF BILLION
Secretary of Navy Recommends
Five-Year Program Asking
For Ships of All De-
s%cription.
TO ENCOURAGE AViATORS
Would Open Navy Aviation
Corps to Civilian Airmen-
Board Wants Large Pro
gram First Year.
TO ENCOURAGE AVlATORS

Of the $500, 600, 900 navy building pro-
gram under the five-year continuing
plan recommended to congress are con-
tanned in the annual report of Secre-
tary Daniels, made public last night.
The report shows that the first time
in the history of the department, the
secretary's recommendations increase
the expenditures proposed by the gen
eral board. In this connection the
secretary says:
My recommendation of a five-year
program embraces the same number as
proposed by the general board in the
distribution it made in the five-year
program of dreadnaughts. battle
cruisers, scouts and d~estroyers. l
where the general board recommends
nine, and | recommend IS coast sub
marines as against 5S recommended by
the general board. For additional re-
serve ammunition, my recommended
ton is S25,000, 900, whereas the general
board recommends S11,000.000. They
recommended something more for 9TH
or craft. My total for five years IS
$502,4S2.214. The general boards total
is S499, SIC, 1000, a very slight difference
recommendation for the first year is
very much larger thar the depart
ment's estimate"
The flve-year program for new ships
and completion of those already au-
thorized reaches a grand total of $780,
4S2, 214, with large appropriations Tor
reserve ammunition and aviation.
Differs From Board.
Secretary Daniels differed from the
general board in the one important
particular at least as to the program,
although the total number Of ships to
be constructed and the types recon-
mended are those proposed by the
hoard Tho cncrafo1.v ca af.. ##tH
THE general BOARD was called upon
for advice in this connection, and the
department has accepted its recon-
mendations as regards numbers of cap
ital ships. AS regards their distribu-
ton over a f~ive-year period, it was con-
cluded, in view of all the circumstances
that it would be best to make this as
nearly uniform as might be. This
course has obvious practical ad-
yantages, particularly in view of the
present ~congested condition of the
shipbuilding industry in this country.
Moreover, since the maximum rate of
expenditure upon the capital ships,
which take SOLE years to build in any
case, will not be reached Immediately,
it enables us to concentrate more at
first upon submarines and other quick
ly built craft, so. that we will get
earlier returns for our expenditures in
the shape of complete vessels"
1t is understood that the board rec
commended a particularly large program,
for the first year.
Favors Discussion.
The secretary calls attention to the
fact that he established a precedent
last year in making public the report
of the general board, which he will fol-
low this year at a later date. The re-
suit, he says, is certain to arouse o1S-
cussion as between the recommended
tons of the board and of the secretary,
but adds:
but discussion makes for knowledge
and a wise decision. The general board
is Influenced by it's professional views,
while the administration takes into
consideration the whole national policy
and does not overlook the question of
national revenues"
The Fleet of 1921.
Following will be the composition OF
the fleet in 1921, built or building, if
the program is carried out. according
to the general boards calculations, the
secretary says:
Bsttleship-, first o.
Battleships, second IS
Armored cruisers 10
Scout cruisers 12
Cruisers, first class 5
Cruisers, second 3
Cruisers. third 10
Fleet submarines. is
Coast submarines Isl
MoliLtols 10
Supply ships 4
Lucl Is
Transports 4
Tenders to torpedo vessels....."...... 9
Special types s
Ammunition ships 2
In addition the report includes the
following recommendations:
l. An increase of 1880 men in the
enlisted personnel of the navy and
marine corps; an adequate increase of
officers to be provided by charging the
force of nidshipmen at the naval acad-
envy to the full capacity of the ,insti-
tuition, by admitting to junior grades
and for engineering duty only gradu-
ates of technical schools, and by open
ing to civilian aviators the navy avia-
ton corps.
2. Extension of the navy reserve act
for the purpose of forming reserves of
power boats. aviators and radio opera
tors n increase the desirability OF
the reserve service to honorably dis
charge enlisted men of the regular
navy A detailed plan in this connec-
ton will be presented to congress at
a later date. The personnel of the
present naval auxiliary service should
be placed in the naval reserve, the re-
port says, and the lighthouse and coast
service me- and equipment also Should
be placed under navy jurisdiction and
training for use in event of war.
8. Increased naval militia appropri-
ations to include the construction of
suitable vessels for the Illinois and
Minnesota detachmeEts and supplying
aeroplanes for naval militia use in
training.
a. Construction of an adequate re-
search laboratory for the use of navy
engineering and scientific bureaus,
and the board of civilian scientists re-
Gently created under Thomas A Edi-
son, as chairman. The report states
that IS, 000.0 for this purpose was the
/ amount suggested by the civilian board
members, but Secretary Daniels makes
no specific recommendation, although
no includes a preliminary figure in his
estimates for the first years expendi-
ture.