The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-03

therefore,, mat a pOQCy puISuco -
co-dIng to this years program OF two
hatrleships with certain auxiliaries.
20 scout cruisers and no battle
cruisers. will lead nowhere If It is the
real purpose OF the nation to have an
adequate navy. for we are not even
following q program of new con<<-uc-
ton intended to replace those vessels
which have been or win soon be con-
denned because unit Cor service on
account of age.
While, as the secretary has stated.
medium strength, (which is due TO
the decreased demand for labor in
various lines of trade throughout the
United States), yet the commander in
chief of the feet. in com munication
TO the naval academy, gives the
opinion that the feet lacks in its
complete equipment. about i've thous-
and men and number of officers
To put all the ships in commission
which could be useful in times OF
war. would require eighteen thous-
and additional men and many Of
hcers. according to Admiral Badger in
mis- evidence before the naval COM
mittee this winter: and yet. in his let
ter the secretary assures the naTal
committee that the navy in 1918 Il
larger. better equipped and in better
COnVlL1Ou lhdu IN any previous sSoA
while experts know that this is I'M
possible since many of the battle
ships have been retained so long In
Mexico that feet manoeuyring, vital
for efficiency, has been terribly ham
pered and interfered with
The naval conflicts OF the Europe
an war have emphasized the import
ance of speed, range and armament
The Butcher. faster than any of our
ships. was destroyed because It was
slower than any of the other ships
in the conflict. Yet we are building
no fast cruisers or battle-cruisers.
The secretary in his enthusiasm over
our fourteec-inch guns, which he says
will shoot farther. shoot straighter
and hit harder than any naval gun
now in use. oyerlooks the fact that
Japan has in commission and build
ing eight naval ships with fourteen
inch guns probably as good as our
fourteen-inch guns. and that England
mas the Queen Elizabeth in commits
sion with fifteen-inch guns, battle
ship of over twenty-seven thousand
tons with a speed of twenty-five knots
and nine other capital ships building
with ffteen-inch gpns.
The war demonstrated the need
and value of aircraft. The general
board recommended the appropria-E
ton OF FIVE millions of dollars. but
only one-ffth of the amount was OBJ
tanned.
I'm view of the increasing number
of submarines and the accident in
HAWAII. there is urgent necessity for
testing and wrecking docks that may
be used for saving submarines of
any size. docking submarines anc!
testing TO determine the resistance
to external water pressure. Two
docks of this description will be rel
CURED for the Atlantic and two for
the Pacific. /,
Upon the efficacy OF the supply
ships depends the eficacy of the feet. /
The importance of supply ships has .
also been demonstrated in this war
One was authorized in 1913. It,
would have been thoroughly COM !
pleted by this time, if built under !
contract in one OF our navy yards. |
and 1t has not yet been laid down.
Without ample coal and oil stor-
of large merchant marine to insure
: continuous supply of fuel. the
range and efficiency OF the feet will
be seriously impaired in time OF war.
The general board in a report to ,
the secretary state: The strength /
of the fleet is measured too often in
the public mind by the number and
TOnnaS e OF us HldIeEldl hS
real strength of the feet is the com
bination of its personnel with their
skill and training) and its material
and of these two elements the more
the personnel. is TOO often
forgotten and neglected in making
provisions for our feet One Of the /
basic troubles at the present mo-
ment is the Generalization which has
ceen going on of our personnel and
which IS not taken into account.
Further. il is poor economy to build
battleships without making. as we are
doing now. a proper provision for the |
increase required in personnel, as Isl
the approved practice in other conu-
tries.
THE difficulty in the administra-i
fion of the navy at the present mot
nent is due to the fact that the or-t
sanization in force for four years
founded on a plan to a great extenti
the outcome of Admiral MahanHI
ideas. has been disrupted and dis
couraSed without consulting experts
and nothing has been put in Its
place. Imagine a new railroad pres
ident removing division heads with
out replacing them and expecting the
TEMPTING OFFER FROM