Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1915-04-30
DANIELSA ANSWERS
CRITICS OF NAVY
Statement in Reply to Request
for information
REFUTES GARDNER CHARGE
Secretary Says Navy Is In Fighting
Trinf-Effioieney and Equipment
Better Now Than Ever Before
Big Increase in Enlistment.

Washington.-The record of the
United States Navy and its prepared
ness for war during the first half of
this administration was vigorously de-
Tended in letter which Josephus Dan
iels, the Secretary of the Navy, wrote
to Harry A. Garfield, son of ex-Presi-
dent Garfield and President of Will
Jams College. This defense of the
navy was in response to an inquiry
from Mr.. Garfield, who asked for IAN
authoritative statement concerning
the present status of the navy equip
ment of the United States" so that
he might be in position to meet the
statements made by Representative
Gardner of Massachusetts alleging
that the United States is at present
unprepared for military emergencies.
Secretary Daniels is positive that
'the navy of 1916 is larger, better
equipped, and in better condition than
in any previous year; that the fleet
is becoming more efficient with every
passing month" and that the last two.
years have been epoch-making in the
progressive naval legislation than any
previous like period"
He says in part: There are now
in active service. fully commissioned,
225 vessels of all characters, which is
SO more than were fully commissions
ed when | became Secretary. There
are also 101 vessels of various types,
in reserve and in ordinary and uneom-
missioned, capable of rendering ser
vice in war. We have under construc-
tion and authorized II vessels, 90
dreadnoughts, % destroyers, SO sub
marines, and Z auxiliaries), as com
pared with 54 vessels, 6 dread
noughts. IA destroyers, % submarines,
gunboats. and 9 auxiliaries), which
were under construction on March /.
1913.
All the vessels enumerated, those
in active service and those in reserve,
are supplied with munitions of war.
No navy makes public the quantity
of ammunition and torpedoes, mines
and other implements of naval war
fare, which it keeps ready. 1t may be
said, however, that within the last two
years the quantity of all has been
steadily and greatly increased. For
example, we have increased the num-
Der of mines, on hand and in process
of manufacture, by 244 per cent. With
reference to torpedoes, the increase
in two years has been 80 per 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 plant to construct
mines will still further increase. at de-
creased cost, the quantity of such
stock, and the possession of these
plants in times of emergency will en-
able the department to be in better
state of preparedness as regards the
supply of ammunition than ever be-
fore
"The personnel of the navy is at
present composed of 1885 line, staff
and warrant officers, and 5S,171 enlist
ed men. Increase in the number Of
officers is dependent almost entirely
upon the output of the Naval Academy,
admission to which is restricted by
statute. The number of enlisted men
also is restricted, and the navy is
today recruited to the maximum
strength allowed. There are now with
the colors 1924 more men--an in
crease of II per cent.-than were on
March 1, 1914"