New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-17
House Committee Bill So,
100000 Larger than
Departments.
II SUBMARINES; FOR
AIRCRAFT, S1,000,000
Two Battleships and Board of
Strategy Are Also
Advocated.
Prom T.. rr,bun, Bureau 4


ais on the effectiveness Of submarines
IN European warfare. p report carry
ing ;he largest total of any naval
budget yet brought into the House
was made to-day by Chairman Psdget:
Of the Committee ON Naval Affairs.
The bill, which contains important
legislative riders for the creation of
nsvsl reserve, the adjustment OF the
"plucking board" the creation OF =
board Of strategy and increased pay
for sviators in conjunction with a ST.
100000 allowance for aerosautics, sp-
propristes S14s.5S9, 7s6SS. The naval
appropriations for 1895. AZ the time
Of the Spanish-Americsn War. includ-
ing supplementary appropriations apart
from the regular budget. amounted 10
Sl<S.296,525. The amount appropriated
last year was Sl47.212925.
In calling for the construction OF
seventeen submarines. one Of seagoing
type. tho report SAYS:
The effectiveness or the submarine
in the European war demonstrates IL
and the committee believes that Con-
cress IS warranted IN authorizing the
additional APPROPRIATION for this type
Of naval war craft The airship for
scouting purposes has likewise demon
strated its effectiveness. and the com
mittee has recommended an appropria-
tIon Of 100000. as hereinafter pro-
vided
In support Of the 100000 specific
appropriation for aircraft. an item
heretofore carried in the appropriation
for the Bureau OF Steam Engineering,
the committee says:
The million dollars herein recon-
mendcd IS TO be expended under the
direction Of the Secretary of the Navy,
and the provision gives to him broad
authority for the development Of avia-
tion for naval purposes This appro-
priation is placed under the Secretary
Of the Navy IN a lump sum, thereby
changing the methods Of appropriating
for aeronsutics as heretofore has been
the practice.
Asserting that neither the General
Board nor the Naval War College is
adequately equipped 10 prepare gen
ersl and detailed plans FOR war. the
House committee creates the Bureau
Of Operations. or Board Of Strategy.
The committee report discusses the
proposed promotion Of warrant Of
fcers 10 the rank Of junior and senior
Lieutenant, and recommends an APP
preparation Of S150000 to carry the
promotions into effect
Regarding the abolishing OF the
F "Plucking Board the report says;
/ "The committee recommends that
Section 9 Of the Personnel act. ap-
proved March 3. 1899. be repealed.
This is the repeal Of what il common
~ called the 'Plucking Board section
Of the Personnel act. The committee
. also recommends a provision author
izing the President, by and with the
advice and consent OF the Senate, TO
place all officers who have been
'plucked or who have been placed on
the retired list by the action OF any
board in the navy or marine corps
on the active list, provided their cases
have been reported on favorably by
either Committee on Naval Affairs Of
the Senate or House Of the SiNty-thlrd
Congress. The President is also au-
thorized, by and with the consent and
advice OF the Senate, 20 transfer 70
the active list Of the navy any other
officer who may have been retired un-
der the provisions Of the 'piuckng
section. ~rovided such officer passes a
satisfactory physical and professional
exam nation as now prescribed by law.
Secretary Daniels's bill for creating
a naval reserve of ex-enlisted men,
which is depended upon eventually 10
produce a reserve corps Of $4,000, Is
declared by the committee 70 be essen
ual 20 the increased efficiency Of the
navy. and the creation Of the ranks OF
admiral and vice-admrai, TO be be-
slowed respectively. on the officers IN
command and second in command OF
the Atlantic. Pacific and Asistic fleets,
is advocated.
"The Navy Department" says the
report. recommended for new con-
struction the following building pro
gramme: Two battleships, six torpedo
/ boat destroyers. eight submarines zone
Of seagoing type), one fuel-oi snip
and one gunbost, the total cost OF the
( programme amounting TO s44,676,S22,
| Of which sum $40 ,226,996 would be re-
ouiTed for the first fiscal year The
+ committee recommends the following
programme: two battleships, seventeen
b submarine torpedo boats one OF the
aeagoing type. six torpedo boat de-
strovers. one fuel-oil ship, one trans
port and one hospital ship. Ihc total
cost Of this programme is S53 l6s,S2S.
and S22.903 .998 is recommended for
/ the first fiscal year toward construc-
/ ton The committee therefore recon-
mends an increase Of SS.492 ,006 in the
authorization for the new building pro
eramme over that recommended by
the Navy Department. and an increase
+ Of 1857 900 over that recommended
by the department as necessary 10
carry the committees programme into
effect"