The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-12-07

OF tue Country iof the tonkftSs 10 udult
a comprehensive plan for putting the
navy upon n final footing % strength
and efficiency aud TO press that plan
60 completion within the next Ave
years We have always looked 10 the
navy OF the country M our FIRST aud
chief line OF defense; we have always
seen II TO be our manifest course %
prudence TO be strong on the seas.
Year by year we have been creating a
navy which now ranks very high In
deed among the unyies " She maritime
nations. We should now definitely de-
termiue how We shall complete what
we have begun and how soon.
The Navy Program.
The program 10 be- laid before you
contemplntes the construction within
ave years or zen battlcshlps, six bat.
tie cruisers, ten scout cruisers, nifty
destroyers, fifteen feet submarines,
cighty-nye vi submarines. four gun.
Boats. one hospital ship. two ammuni
ton ships. two fuel oil ships and one
repair ship. II Il proposed that OF this
number We shall the first year provide
for the construction Of two battleships.
two battle cruisers, three cou cruisers,
fifteen destroyers. five leet submarines
twenty-five coast submarines, we gun
boats and one hospital ship: the second
year two hattleships. one scout cruiser.
ten d%estruyers. four fleet submarines,
fifteen coast submarines. O gunbOut
and one fuel oil ship. the third year
two battlcshlps, one battle cruiser, two
scout cruisers. i've dcstroyers. two fleet
submarines and fficcn coast subma-
rines the fourth year two battleships,
two battle cruisers. two scout cruisers,
ten destroycrs. two ilcet submarines,
| fifteen coast submarines. one ammunl
ton ship and one fuel oil ship. and
: the nth year two battlcships. onc bat
ne cruiser. two scout cruisers, ten de
s%troycrs, two fleet submarines. fifteen
coast submarines. one gunb0at, one ann
munition ship and one repair ship.
The secretary OF the navy Is asking
also Tor the immediate addition 10 the
p personnel ~ the navy OF 800 sailors,
/, 2.5O0 apprentice seamen and 1900 ma
B riues. This increase would he suii
! client TO care for the ships which are
TO be completed within the fiscal year
I 1917 aud also for the number Of men
; which must De put IN training 90 man
the ships which will be- completed
early In 1918. II is also necessary that
? the number Of midshipmeu at the Ma
val academy at Annapolis should be
Increased by nc least 800 IN order that
, the force Of officers should be- more
rapidly added 10. and authority Is ask
ed to appoint, for engineering duties
I only. approved graduates II engineer
ing colleges. and for service la the avi-
r alton corps a certain number of men
p taken FROM civil life.
IT this full program should be carried
out we should have built or building In
1921. according 20 the estimates ~ sur
n vivid aud standards of classification
followed by the general board Of the
department, an effective navy consist
ing OF p battleships OF the first line, 6
p battle cruisers, - battleshlps Of the
second line. 10 arrnored cruisers. -
scout cruisers, b first class cruisers, 3
second class cruisers. 10 third tlnss
p cruisers, los d~estroycrs. Is feet sub
marines. ij7 coast submarines, o mon.
it0rs. 20 %EunbOats, 4 supply ships, 10
fuel ships, 4 transports. 3 tenders TO
torpedo vessels, : vessels Of special
types and two ammunition ships. This
would be a navy fitted 20 our needs
and worthy of our traditions.
But armies and Instruments Of war
are only part NJ what has 20 be con
sidercd n we are % consider the su-
premc matter ~ national self suticien.
cy and security iu all IS aspects.
There are other great matters which
will be thrust upon our attention
whether we viii ar not, There is, for
example, q very pressing question ~
trade and shipping involved In this
great problem NJ national adequacy.
10 Is necessary for many weighty rea-
sons Of national efficiency and devel-
opmont that wa should have q great
merchant marine. The great merchant
fleet we nee used 20 make us rich,
that great body u sturdy sailors who
used TO carry our Gag into every sea,
and who were the pride and often the
bulwark of the nation, We have almost
driven out Of existence by i|nexcusable
neglect and indifference and by a hope
lessly blind and provincial policy ~
50 called economic protection. IL Is
high time We repaired our mistake and
resumed our commercial independence
on the seas.
Ships OF Peace Needed.
For II is a question Of independence.
II other nations 90 20 war or seek to
hamper each others commerce our
merchants, It seems, are az their mer-
cy TO do with as they p%iease. We must
use their ships and use them as they
determine. We have not ships enough
Of our owl. We cannot handle our
own commerce on the sens, our indie
pendence is provincial, and Is only on
land and within our own borders, We
are not likely % be permitted 10 use
even the ships Of other nations IN RI
yalry Of their own trade and are with
out means 10 extend n commerce
even where the doors are wide open
and our goods desired. Such a sltua-
ton is not 10 be endured. II is Of CAPT.