Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1915-04-29
NOT SUCH A WEAK NAVY AFTER L

NOT SUCH A WEAK NAVY AFTER ALL
1t is interesting to note that while many of the so-saned leading
newspapers OF the country-notaby the Hearst strng-are ridiculng the
weakness of the American navy, the up-buildng of that adjunct of this
government goes steadily on, greater than " before, and the prospects
erred 70 he conclusion I draw tbt te Tinted states has n navy
worthy the name, its vessels are all or less obsolete, its guns are
OF aniquated design, torpedoes and shells have reached the stage Of
decadence and as for power there IS OF a sufficient quantity to furnisa
supply for a fitting Fourth OF July celebration. For these statements but
two main reasons al be supplied. either the papers mentioned are $.
blinded by prejudice against the Wilson administration that they cannot
give it credit for any good piece of work.. or they are subsidized servi-
tors OF the shp-bulding and powder trusts the latter fearing that i
Uncle Sam maintains his ultimate purpose OF building warcratt I'M nan
ufacturing powder they will soon have to sell out to the government
or & O ut of business.
But despite all their published statements and perverted facts the
United States is going right ahead with its navy and increasing its sup
ply Of W ar material as is best attested by a letter written by Secretary
OF War Daniels addressed by him to President Garfield of Williams
College and published in the Associated Press dispatches of April 18th.
In part the letter follows:
my Dear President Garfield: 1 am in receipt Of your recent favor
asking for an authoritative statement concerning the present status OF
the navy equipment OF the United States and take pleasure in complying
with your request as far as is compatible.
There ire o in active service, fully commissioned, 225 vessels of
all characters, which is thnty-six more than yer fully commissioned
~ resrys ~ ~ ordnsrv and r uneommissioned eanabie Of rend srn
service in war. VIZ have under construction and authorized seventy-seven
vessels nne dreadnaughts, twenty-three, destroyers, thrtyeight sub
marines and seven auxilaries), as compared with 6ftyfour vessels Give
dreadnaughts, fourteen destroyers twentythree submarines three gun
boats and nine auxiEares), which were under construction on March l.
1913.
"Al the vessels enumerated, those in active service and those in re-
serve are supplied with munitions OF war. No navy makes public the
quantity OF ammunition and torpedoes, mines and other implements Of
naval warfare which it keeps ready. 1t may be said, however, that with
in the last W years the quantity OF all has been steadily and greatly in
creased' For example We hve increase tn number OF MINES on han
and in process OF manufacture by 244 per cent With reference to tor
pedoes, the increase IN w years las been ~ pei cent. "
by the enlargement of the naval powder factory we shall soon be
able almost to double its former capacity, and like enlargement of the
torpedo works and the equipment OF a plant to construct mines will still
further increase, at decreased cost the quantity OF such stock, and the
possession OF these plants in times OF emergency will enable the depart
ment to be in a better state Of preparedness as regards, the supply OF
ammunition than ever before.
Tine personnel OF the navy is a present composed of ASS line,
staff and warrant officers and 5317l enlisted men. Increases in the num-
Der OF officers is dependent almost entirely upon the output of the
naval academy, admission to which is restricted by statute. The numoer
OF enlisted mn also is restricted, and the navy is today recruited Ito the
maximum strength allowed. There are with the colors 1924 more
men-ani increase OF II per cent-than there were on March /, 1914. < :
First as to ships: During the last two years of the Taft admins
traton congress authorized the construction OF two dreadnaughts to cost
about $13U00OO0 each. During the first TWO years of the Wilson admin
istnhon, upon my recommendation, congress authorized the construction
of five dreadnaughts to cst about S14OOOOOO each. Stated in dollars,
100000 to be spent on the chief fighting force OF the navy, as against
$26OOuOOo authorized during the last two years of Tafts; as stated in
effectiveness, the five dreadnaughts authorized under Wilson will mount
thirtv-ix more fourteen-nch that the two authorized under Mr.
Taft.
"As to submarines: These wonderful agencies of wal have aston
ished the world in the present European conflict. The sixtythrd con-
gress, elected with Mr.. Wilson, adopted by recommendation to give us
all the money it could for submarines. 1t ordered the construction Of
three sea-gong submarines, the largest V authorized by any country,
such fearful execution in the present ar. These submarines will cost
Sl62oo0U. Now what was done during the last two years under TAFT:
Twelve submarines, to cost s7,95s93o, we're authorized.
LAS TO torpedoes: 1t would OF be proper to make public the num-
Der OF torpedoes W e have o n hand, out this much may be said: For every
100 torpcdoes which the department had on hand in March, 1913, ninety
six more IRE completed OF in course Of manufacture. Therefore within
a few months the supply of torpedoes will be almost doubled. Upon
port X. l., more than trebhng its capacity and m u ufacuui
torpedoes has been reduced from $42O211 to $324572 each. Tine reduc-
ton has already effected a saving Of $4,000
LAS to guns: The bureau of ordnance has developed a fourteeninch
gun that will shoot farther, shoot straighter and hit harder than any gun
now in Sc or known to be designed by a foreign country. Based upon
former and current prices in contracts or guns and gun forgings, w
have saved $2S042533'
In conclusion Secretary Daniels statesth that he has answered Presi-
dent Garfelds letter because certain persons, ignorant OF their igno-
rance, and for selfish partisan reasons, have busted themselves with
misrepresenting the true condition of the navy, thereby causing some good
people to fear that the navy is not now, as in the past the strong efec-
tive right arm of the republic. All who would learn the truth may be
assured that the navy Of 1915 is larger, better equipped and in better
condition than in any previous year, and that the feet is becoming more
efficient with every passing month,