The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-11-11

ent year should be as large as our ship
building accommodations, governmental
and private. will admit of. The pro-
gram set forth. unofficially. by the navy
department, calls for two dreadnoughts
and two battle cruisers l. should be
enlarged by the addition of two more
battle cruisers, making six dreadnoughts
! in all. By the enlargement of certain
shipbuilding ways. 1t would be possible
to lay down six capital ships this year
or in the spring OF next year This
should he followed by four dreadnoughts
in 1916 and in 1917. and by three dread
noughts in the years 1918, 1919 and 1920.
This would give US an addition of TWEEN
ty-three dreadnoughts by 1920, which
added to the seventeen already built
or under construction, or authorized,
would give us forty dreadnoughts by
that year. Adding the eight pre- dread
noughts which would stin be within the
age limit, and we would have by 1920
the full quota of forty eight battleships.
regarded by the naval board as the
minimum required for the safety OF
the country.
So far as the 'materiel of the navy is
concerned, its most pressing need to-
foreign nations build their ships in
groups or divisions of four; Japan has
her four Kongos; Great Britain built
her four InfleNibles and then her four
Princess Royals. Germany has her four
battle cruisers of the Seidlitz type. To
obtain their full efficiency we should
lay down simultaneously at least a divi-
sion of four such ships. This, with the
bwo dreadnoughts asked for. would give
us total of six dreadnoughts for this
years program-none too many, In view
of the fact that, because of the muni-
lions question, the second greatest ma
val power in the world has today, and
will have for many a year to come. a
deep seated grievance against this coun-
try.
In regard to the design of these bat
tie cruisers, we believe that the s5-
knot ships that have been spoken of
in the recent dispatches from Wash
ington would be a decided mistake. No
such speed is necessary. The objection
of the navy department TO the construc-
ton of battle cruisers has been on the
ground that, because of their light ar
NOR, they were unable to Lie in the bat
tie line. This objection could be over
come by compromise; and we suggest
" that four 29-knot battle cruisers carry
, ing each eight 16-inch guns, and pro-
tected by IL inches of armor, could be
built within the limit of the displace-
, ment of the pennsylvania" or, say,
thirty two to thirty-three thousand tons
t There Is already afloat a prototype OF
| such a ship in the British Queen Eliz-
abeth," which on 1880 tons combines
a battery OF eight, 15 INCH guns, a speed
/ ON trial, of 261A knots and an armoi
D belt of 10 inches thickness An in
. crease of 1000 tons In the displacement
Z OF the "Quaen Elizabeth" would sure,
/ ly make 1t possible to raise the speet
two or three knots, and substitute Is
n inch for Is inch guns II these ship
2 were built the navy would possess foui
!. battle cruisers more powerful than an.
It abloat, and capable, because OF thei
e 10 inches OF armor. OF taking their plac.
: in line-of-battle engagement.
o The navy department program call
g for twenty-five coast submarines an,
: five ocean -gcing submarines. The ex
: perienhe obtained during the war ma
neuvers of last spring and this fall ha
It proved that our coast submarines ar
q serviceable only within a limited dis
IS tance from their base-they are utter
.r ly unsuited for cruising with the mail
j. fleet. It is the opinion of our nava
IT officers that If we are to build sub
II marines, they should be of the sea-go
of ing type and of not less than twelv
J. to fifteen hundred tons displacement
1t We suggest, therefore, that a better pro
10 gram would be to build a dozen ocean
= going submarines and omit ahogethe
1t the proposed coast submarines, leavin
1t coast defense to our existing flotill
N of seventy five non-sea going subma
D rines.
le The addition of twelve destroyUrs
81 desirable. and they should be of tn
largest sea-going type. The propose
p addition OF three scouts Is ahogethe
ID too limited. We need at least a doze
j. OF these. The suggested increase
c. 5000 enlisted men does not meet II
le emergency. AS matters stand today, tn
Is navy is short at least $4,000 enliste
= nletn.
le Lastly. the proposed appointment
sr $50 more midshipmen to the naval acao
1t envy is merely toying with the diffiHul
n ty Our navy Is already short 1000 OF
of ficers, and the additional ships whic
I'd the navy should lay down in the pres
Be ent year will call for at least 500 Off
g. GERS to man them. We are now, an
as we have been for come time. buildin
ships much faster than We have bee
n preparing officers to handle them Pro
m vision should be made for at least 100
or additional midshipmen to meet the pres
he ent very critical conditions.
re American
be