The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1915-12-11
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
FOR GREATER NAVY.
Always Looked TO IL as Our First and
Chief Line of Defense.

Chief Line of Defense.
The program which will be laid be
fore you by the secretary Of the navy
is similarly conceived. 1t involves only
a shortening OF the time within which
plans long matured shall be carried
out. but II does make definite and ex-
plicit program which has heretOfOre
been only implicit, held In the minds Of
he committees ON naval affairs and
disclosed in the debates OF the two
houses. but nowhere formulated or for
mally adopted. Ii seems TO me very
clear that 1t will be to the advantage
Of the country for the congress TO adopt
n comprehensive plan for putting the
lavy upon final footing Of strength
and efficiency and to press that plan
to completion within the next five
years. We have always looked TO the
navy of the country as our first and
chief line of defense; we have always
seen il to be our manifest course or
prudence to be strong ON the Seas.
Year by year we have been creating a
nA which now ranks very high In
deer among the navies OF the maritime
nations. We should now definitely de-
termine how we shall complete what
we have begun and how soon.
The program 10 be laid before you
contemplates the construction within
FIVE years of ten battleships. six battle
cruisers. ten scout cruisers. fifty de-
stroyers, fifteen feet submarines,
eighty-five coast submarines, four gun
boats. g r hospital ship. two ammuni-
ton Sips. two fuel oil ships and one
repair ship. 1t is proposed that OF this
number we shall the first year provide
for the construction of two battleships.
two battle cruisers, three scout cruisers.
fifteen deStroyers five feet submarines.
twenty-five coast submarines. two gun
boats and one hospital ship; the second
year two battleshps. one scout cruiser.
ten destroyerS. four fleet submarines,
fifteen coast submarines. one gunboat
and one fuel oil ship: the third year
two battleshps. one battle cruiser. two
scout cruisers five destrOyers. two fleet
submarines ard fifteen coast subma-
rines: the fourth year two battleships.
ten destroyers. two feer submarines,
fifteen coast submarines. one ammuni-
ton ship and one fuel oil ship. and
the fifth year two battlpships. one bat
tie cruiser. two scout cruisers. ten de-
strOvers. two feet submarines. iftPeU
coast submarines. one gunbOat. one am
munitiOn ship and or" repair ship
Tho ~ Of tho &c actyfnuw
Also for the immediate addition 10 the
personnel Of the navy of 1900 sailors,
2.5nO apprentice seamen md LOO ma
Fines This increase would be suff1-
ciPnt tO care for the ships which are
TO Ne completed within the fiscal year
1917 and also for the number Of men
which must be put in training to man
the ships which will be completed
early in 1918. II is also necessary that
the number Of midshipmen at the Ma
val academy at Annapolis should be
increased by at least 200 I'm order that
the force Of officers should be more
rapidly added 10. and authority IL ask
ed IN appoint. for engineering duties
only. approved graduates OF engineer
ing colleges. and for service In the avi-
alton corps q certain number Of men
taken from civil life
II this fuil program should be carried
ont We should have builf or building in
1927. according 10 the estimates Of sur
vival and stand8 rds Of classification
followed by the general hoard OF the