The Washington herald., 1915-01-14
WOULD INCREASE
NAVAL PROGRAM
House Committee Wants to
Spend $6O,OOO,OOO
for Ships.
EFFECT OF WAR SHOWN
Recommendation Is for Two Battle
ships and Seventeen Submarines.
Amor Plant Possible.

II Congress adopts a recommendation
incorporated in the naval bill yesterday
by the House Committee on Naval At
fairs, work will be started in the fiscal
year. beginning July l next, on twenty
eight new ships for the American navy,
10 cost $4,000. Co., In voting on the navy
building program for the year the COM
mittee hit upon a compromise between
the extensive operations proposed by the
general navy board and the meager ad-
ditions TO the fleet advocated by little
navy" members. So far as the appro-
priation is concerned the authorize ton
for twenty-eight new ships is the biggest
addition to the navy ever proposed in
7 single year by the House committee
The building program recommended fol-
lows:
Two battleships. six destroyers. sixteen
fleet submarines, one sea-going submarine,
on tank oiler one transport, and one
hospital ship.
Including the building program, the
naval bill will carry a total apprOpria-
tion of about S14S5OO,OOO as compared with
the appropriation for the current year
OF $l44, SIS, 900. The amount allowed in
the bill just completed is nearly sl.0co.-
0cO more than the estimates submitted TO
Congress at the beginning of the ses-
sion by the Secretary of the Navy.
Influenced by War.
Perhaps the most significant feature of
the new building program is that
authorizing the construction of sixteen
fleet subms rines and one sea going sub
marine. Secretary Daniels recommended
eight or more" of this type OF craft, but
entertained the hope that not more than
eight would be allowed. In his tasti-
mony before the House committee Sec
Ietary Daniels gave the submarine faint
rraisc. Tie committee was undoubtedly
Influenced in its vote on submarines by
the recent exploits OF this weapon OF war
i'm European waters
The committee directs that the fleet
submarines authorized shall each be of
about 40 tons. instead of vessels Of small
Cr tonnage such as are now in use. It
is estimated that each OF the new sub
marines will cost about $4,000 without
armOr. The sea going submarine, which
viii be OF about llOO tons. will cost with
out armor approximately $l,+oOOO
Efforts made in the committee TO au-
thorize four hattleships and an alternative
proposal for three battleshps were de-
trated by overwhelming votes. An
amenment Offered by Representative Hob
son. OF Alabama, providing for two bat
tIcshp cruisers also was defeated.
Armor Plant Possible.
The votes taken in committee on the
various features of the building pro-
gram are significant as showing that
tn" war has nullified to some extent SEN
limenL against the uDbuilding OF the
navy. OF the twenty members present,
sixteen voted for two batteships and
only four members cast their votes in
the negative. The four votes registered
against the twO-battleship plan were
cast by Representatives Gray, Of In
diana. WitherspOOn. of Mississippi;
Ueusley. of Missouri. and Buchanan,
Of Illinois. all Democrats
There is fair prospect that the
hDIl reported may authorize the
purchase of site for an armOr plate
plant in accordance with Secretary
Daniels recommendation II the sub
makes an early report such an ap-
preparation will be included in the
bull The committee rejected the pro-
pusal of Secretary Daniels that il
wake an appropriation for a prOjeCtile |
plant.
Work ON the naval hill was com
rI"ird yesterday II will be reported |
20 the House next week The com
mIttee adopted an amendment yes
r"rday changing the provision Gre |
arImE the office Of brigadier- general /
in the Marine Corps. As amended the !
hill makes il mandatory on the Pres |
idcut to promote the senior colonel !
of the corps TO the higher rank