Evening star., 1915-05-16
DANIELS DEFENDS
NAWFROM CRITICS
Declares Its Efficiency Now at
the Highest Point in
History.
NOT so GOOD OR STRONG
ASST SHOULD BE, HOWEVER
At Banquet to Officers Of Fleet As
serts Upbuilding Will Be
Continued Assiduously.

by President Wilson was given tonight
when the mayors committee rendered
a dinner to the officers Of the fleet.
Secretary Of the Navy Daniels was the
chief speaker. Acting Mayor McAneny
was host and toastmaster.
More than 600 persons were present
at the dinner. including 200 officers Of
the feet Among these were Admiral
Fletcher. commanding the feet. and
Rear Admirals D. W. Coffman, H. T.
Mayo. R. M. Usher, c. J. Boush and
Walter Mclean. Maj. Gen. Leonard
partment of the East. and Maj. Cen
George Barnett, U. s. M. c., were also
among the guests.
The speakers, besides the Secretary Of
the Navy, were Admiral Fletcher and
Maj. Gen. Wood.
Secretary Daniels Speech.
Secretary Daniels declared that "our
navy is good; it is not good enough.
The navy is strong; it is not strong
a century's labors; rather. we here be-
gin a new era, supported by the
chief executive and by an enlightened
Congress which has given evidence Of
its faith in q strong navy by the
passage of the best navy bill In the
history of the country"
Secretary Daniels address was an
optimistic expression of his faith In
what has been done for the upbuild1ng
of the American navy and in the pros
pect of achievement foreshadowed by
the action of the Sixty-third Congress
priation bill ever enacted by the Con-
gress of the United States
progress such as the navy has never
known before" he declared; "one
whose keynote Will be onward ana
era marked by the lifting of the navy
out of politics and by the subordina-
tion of all thing. afloat or ashore, to
the efficiency of the fleet. in order that
by our very strength we may be able
to demand the right to live at peace
with all the world
Reply to National Security League.
The Secretary referred to a state
ment recently issued by the National
Security League in the form of an open
letter, in which it was said that in
vestigation discloses. it is asserted.
that the navy is neither adequate nor
prepared for war; that it is Inadequate
ly manned, is short of ammunition and
has no organized reserve Of trained
chiefly on paper; that fast scout
cruisers. battle cruisers. aeroplanes.
mine layers. supply ships and trans
ports are lacking, aAd that target
PesseT na omitted sf@ "eFse keplyine eate
gorical1y to these statements Sec
retary Daniels declared that 1.-The
navy is efficient and prepared for war;
that our ships are well manned; that
the supply of ammunition is vastly
larger than ever before, and the ca
pacity of our plants has been practical
ly doubled; that the last Congress au
thorized a naval reserve. which Is now
in process of organization: that we
have seventy -four submarines author
ized. built or building. which are the
equal OF those of any other country,
and that one flotilla of submarines has
just completed a remarkable long dis
tance deep sea run; that we recognize
the need of more fast light cruisers;
that we have lately ordered eight aero
planes and a dirigible out of 81. .O00, 900
specially appropriated by the last Con-
gress for aviation; that within the last
two years the navy's mine equipment
has been more than doubled: that we
are adding yearly to our force of auxil-
iaries and that more time has been de-
voted this year to target practice and
maneuvers than in many years past"
Eleven Capable Submarines.
Secretary Daniels referred to the fact
that eleven submarines are now In New
York harbor after a nonstop trip from
the Gulf of Mexico, and said that many
persons probably were ignorant of the
fact that the navy has fiotilla of
these undersea craft in Hawaiian
waters. another fotilla at Panama, and
two fiotillas in the Philippines, in ad
dition to those on the Pacific coast.
Besides these, he said, Congress at it's
last session authorized the construction
OF twenty-six additional submarines,
three of which are to be of the sea
going type, and the largest ever plan
ned by any bodybuilding nation.
He referred to the optimists who view
with complete satisfaction the things
the navy has. and who see no reason
for haste In adding to them, and he
spoke of the pessimists who are not
able to see any good in the navy as
it is at present. because it lacks many
of those things which they think 1t
should possess.
mist who rejoices in our present naval
power. and the pessimist who sees
nothing for rejoicing in our powerful
navy" he declared. give me every
time the man of faith and optimism"
Concluding his address, the Secretary
said:
Experts Seek Progress.
"The able experts of today in the
navy are keen to take advantage of
everything that makes for progress
What we have done is but an earnest
of what we shall do. The enthusiasm
felt for the service In every part of the
country and the belief that a strong
navy Is the best ally of our national
policy of justice is ingrained in the
minds of the American people The
past of the navy is inspiring; its pres
ent assures our security: it's future will
be more glorious"
Admiral Dewey's Letter.
Following his address Secretary Dam
iels read the following letter from Ad-
miral Dewey:
II trust that you will be good enough
to convey to the mayor and citizens of
New York city my sincere regret at
my inability to be present at the cere-
monies incident to the review of the
Atlantic feet. and my cordial appre-
citation of the hospitality they have
shown in the reception of the officers
and men.
ION this occasion / recall with the
utmost pleasure the magnificent well
come I received In their great city
upon my return from Manila on board
the Olympia in September. 1899. and it
IL a source Of deep satisfaction to know
that the interest of our citizens in their
great navy has not diminished in the
sixteen years that have elapsed since