The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-27
DANIELS CALLS FOR
AN UP TO DATE NAVY
Secretary Urges Great Sub
marine Force and a Big
Aerial Fleet.
TALKS TO WAR COLLEGE

NEWPORT. June 2s.-secretary Daniels
stirred the war College to-day by an
address In which he favored a great
nnvi programme TO bring the United
Stats up to date in general efficiency.
in the development Submarines and
in the creation OF an adequate aerial
force.
He told the college that the sub
marines development and the airship's
utility have held England's great navy
behind landlocked barriers for the first
year OF the great world war.
Old things have passed away. he as
serted. and he called on h members
OF the college to find the new weapons
the greatest weapon OF offence n de-
fence in the world.
Those who heard his speech interpre-
ted 1t as a plea for great fleets OF sea-
going submarines and aerial craft.
Holding wisely to what is good in
the past said the Naval Secretary.
ito such principles only as stand the
acid test of this great war, do not fear
TO cast aside what have proved to be
mere shackles OF convention and dar-
ingly TO go forward"
Mr.. Daniels promised that 10 efforts
would be spared to increase the navy's
efficiency. The officers In attendance
were told that. while Congress is from
Missouri and must be shown" 1t will
appropriate all OF the money required
for defence II the college will Justify
the reasons. After praislng the work
Of the feet and the showing it mad
at the recent New York review the
speaker said
'1n personnel and material the navy
Is larger than ever before. Its men
are trained and ht. Its experts are
ready to remedy past defects and take
advantage OF all that has been learned
from the developments in Europe OF
actual war"
Mr.. Daniels declared that the nav,
would never be satisfied with what has
been accomplished. He said 1t was o
open minded" and no suggestions were
rejected.
The ideafst as well as the inventor
finds welcome on the mat. he asserted
when he comes to tell how improve.
nients can be made. The programme FOR
forty-eight battlesh!ps by 1919, he said
would ave been carried out II all Con
stresses had been as liberia! as the Sixty.
third. Mr.. Daniels expected the mex,
Coneress to make liberal appropriations
and further aid In the expansion Dy pro-
yiding funds for weapon not now in ex'
.stence.
las you look abroad" he said, you
see that old tactics, old strategles. ole
theories OF naval warfare. which have
stood unchalienged since the triremes OF
Carthage and Rome grappled tosether
arg disappearing overnight. Silent sub
marines elude great fleets, slip by i'm
p~regnable tortresses, thread safely mar
row straits sown thickly with mines, ano
in a moment transform great battleship'
into useless sunken iron and steel.
"in the air d!ricibles and aeroplLne'
threaten new dangers, add new prob
lens and upset old theories OF warfare
IL war upon the lane has reverted Il
the bayonet and the hand grenade, wal
upon the sea has leaped forward at {
single stride and broken almost ever!
shack,e OF ancient convention.
we have seen the main fleet OF the
greatest sea nation OF the world with
drawn from the seas to the seclusior
OF a harbor without having fired a
shot during the first year OF a might!
conflict. We have seen battles begun
at ranges believed TO be impossible ant
ships disabled by shots from guns still
invisible.
I'VE have been told that modern sea
fights would be determined in the first
ten minutes, yet We have seen tina
Il took six hours to decide one of TIT
greatest ocean battles OF the presen,
war. Ships OF shallow draught have
been used as fortresses on the Belgian
coast and submarines have glided un.
challenged past the i~mpregnable fortres.
Of Gibraltar
Every day some new thing arises ir
naval warfare. With what weapons. by
what strategy. shall we meet the terror
OF the submarine and the still unre
vealed possibilities of the airship'
1T Is you gentlemen who must supply
the answer. My earnest word. m,
solemn plea. liz TO urge you fearlass!y tC
discard worship OF all things that ar,
old and to adopt ously tina
which is new the moment some new de
velopment convinces you that the new
way Is tho path 10 victory"