Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-25
Recommendations

Recommendation
The boards statement of policy.
holdlns that the American navy should
equal the strongest afioat by 1925, was
pupllshed some time ago, but the first
years building program advocated I'M
der that suggested policy is now re-
Vealed for the first time. 1t shows
recommendations for four dread
noughts, and four battle cruisers, with
an equally large program for other
craft and contemplates an expenditure
roughly estimated at $500, 900 900 the
ilrst year, as compared with $500 900 :
600 to be spent for new ships in five
years under the administration PLAN
To Increase Expenditures
The board does rot state that the
British fleet could be eQualled by 1925
by continuing this first year program
hut indicates that heavier expenditures
would follow if ship building facilities
were increased in accordance with its
recommendations.
in giving out the report. Secretary
Daniels said that all statements from
the general board as to building pro-
gram made during the present year
had now been made public. He called
attention again to the fact that he had
set precedent for publishing the an
nual reports as they had been regard
ed as confidential by previous secre-
taries of the navy.
The Report
The report under discussion and the
publication OF which some members
of Congress have stated they would
demand he said, was a special report
the substance OF which had already
been disclosed:
July 80, 1915.
CONFIDENTIAL
From: President, General Board.
ITO: Secretary of the Navy.
Subject Naval policy with present
requirements
IN compliance with the oral order
of the secretary of the navy to ex-
press it's opinion at the earliest prac
ticable date as to a policy to govern
ment the development of the navy
and a building program the General
Board reports as follows:
Policy The navy of the United
States should ultimately be equal to
the most powerful maintained by any
other nation of the world. 1t should
be gradually increased to this point
by such a rate of development. year
by year. as may be permitted by the
facilities of the country. but the limit
above defined should be attained not
later than 1925.
"2--In pursuance of this policy and
having in mind the present facilities
of this country the board is of the
opinion that the following addition to
the navy establishment should be au-
thorized this year and recommends the
same for your consideration; this adj
dition is believed by the board to be
within and practically at the limit of
the facilities at present existing
-Four battle cruisers. four dread
noughts, six scouts, 80 coast subma-
rines. seven fleet submarines, % de-
stroyerS. six gunboats
"Auxiliaries-One destroyer tender
two fleet submarine tenders, four fuel
oil ships. one supply ship, one trans
port, one hospital ship. one repair ship
one ammunition ship.
Air craft service dump appropria-
tion) S5,000.000.
"Personnel: 1900 men. This num-
her will provide for the needs OF the
nresent ships of the navy including
those nearing completion. but 1t must
no horne in mind that the personnel.
commissioned. warrant and enlisted
vii, have to be further increased as
the new construction progresses.
Increased facilities for the navy
wards and store establishments gener-
.,1y such AS drydocks. berthing spaces
building slips structural snops' cranes
for handling heavy weights, shop ma
cb;nerv ammunition and other storage
facilities, civil personnel. etc.
Increasing Personnel
sscretarv Daniels recommendation to
Coneress that the enlisted personnel OF
49, n.vv no increased to 1900 bluejackets,
osoo .nnrentice seamen and 1900 marines
d,r;np the wears 1861 in order to man
ships nearing complexion was oase"' -
was disclosed also tonight, upon the an
nual report of Rear Admiral |ictol DUO
chief of the bureau OF naVleatioh' ho"
made public. The figures have peeh cri'-
ic;zed in Congress and elsewhere Cec"uSe
thew we're below those OF the general
board.
rbere were 50, 636 bluejackets in the SER
vice october 1, 1915. Admiral Blues re-
mort shows, and with his proposed IN,
araases Including the apprentice seamen'
the force would number 62'eS6 in isl'' ..
about 400 less than recommended oy tne