Evening journal., 1915-12-07
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
FOR GREATER NAVY
Always Looked 20 "a as Our Firut and
Chief Line Of Defense.

The program which will be laid be-
fore you by the secretary Of the navy
is similarly conceived. II involves only
a shortening OF the time within which
plans long matured shall be carried
out but II does make definite and ex-
plicit program which has heretofore
been only implicit. held in the minds Of
the committees on naval affairs ana
disclosed in the debates Of the two
houses, but nowhere formulated or for
mally adopted. IL seems TO me very
clear that it will be 10 the advantage
OF the country for the congress to adopt
a comprehensive plan for putting the
navy upon a final footing Of strength
and efficiency and to press that plan
to completion within the next five
years. We have always looked TO the
navy OF the country as our first and
chief line OF defense; we have always
seen it TO be our manifest course Of
prudence TO be strong on the seas.
Year by year we have been creating
navy which now ranks very high In
deed among the navies Of the maritime
nations. We should now definitely de-
termine how we shall complete what
we have begun and how soon.
The program to be laid before you
contemplates the construction within
FIVE years of ten battleshps, six battle
cruisers, ten scout cruisers, fifty de
stroyers, fifteen feet submarines,
eighty-five coast submarines. four gun
boats, one hospital ship, two ammuni-
ton ships. two fuel oil ships and one
repair ship It is proposed that OF this
number we shall the first year provide
for the construction OF two battleships,
two battle cruisers, three scout cruisers.
fifteen destroyers, five feet submarines,
twenty-five coast submarines, two gun
boats and one hospital ship; the second
year two battleships, one scout cruiser,
ten destroyers. four feet submarines,
fifteen coast submarines. one gunboat
and one fuel oil ship; the third year
two battleshlps. one battle cruiser, two
scout cruisers Eve destroyers two feet
submarines and fifteen coast subma-
rines; the fourth year two battleships,
two battle cruisers, two scout cruisers.
fifteen coast submarines. one ammuni-
ton ship and one fuel oil ship. and
the fifth year two battleships. one bat.
tie cruiser two scout cruisers. ten de.
stroyers. two feet submarines, fifteen
coast submarines. one gunboat. one am'
munitlon ship and one repair ship.
The secretary OF the navy Is asking
also for the immediate addition TO the
personnel Of the navy Of 1900 sailors
$500 apprentice seamen and 1900 ma
rines. This increase would be sum
cient TO care for the ships which arr
20 be completed within the fiscal yea
1917 and also for the number Of mel
which must be put I'm training to maj
the ships which will be completes
early in 1918. II is also necessary tina
the number OF midshipmen at the Ma
val academy at Annapolis should b
increased by at least 300 in order tina
the force OF officers should be NOR
rapidly added TO. and authority is ash
ed 10 appoint. for engineering dutie
only, approved graduates OF engineer
ing colleges. and for service in the av
ation corps a certain number OF me
taken from civil life
If this fun program should be carrie
out We should have built or building 4
1921. according 70 the estimates OF Sun
vivai and standards Of classification
followed by the general board or ~