Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-29

pedo-proving practice and subcalber
drills In preparation for target practice
For many years. officers have written
and talked about the formation of ad.
vance base material and the practice OF
exercising landing parties of seamen and
marines In the use of this important ad.
junct to naval warfare. Congress appro.
priated money for this important plan
Of campaign, but never until January OF
last year was the navy thus exercised
There had been plenty Of talk but not
| until January of last year was It under
| taken Then, under instructions from the
department. Admiral Badger carried out
comprehensive exercise In which the
professional advantages gained by off,
| GERS and men were inestimable Three
months after this extensive practice had
| been given for the first time in our navy
| the same fleet and the same men were
called upon to land at Vera Cruz, and
| In the taking of that city the navy car
| ried out under fire what had been learned
| at Culebra.
These details are given because every
man knows that tho efficiency of the navy
nobody in the navy thinks anything like
perfection has been reached and con-
slant study and work are pursued with
the aim of continued Improvement. If
the fleet was efficient in any degree be-
fore Admirals Badger and Fletcher car
rled out the drills thus detailed It is
much moro efficient to-day, and it will
be made more ready every year All that
capable and trained officers and mon can
do to accomplish this steady improve
ment is being done. Only the uniformed
or the partisan deny the steady improve
ment of the past two years, thanks chief
~ to Rear Admiral Badger and Admira
Fletcher
SHIPS OF THE NAVY.
But you say. how about equipment
and preparation for military emergencies?
What has been done since Wilson's in
auguration to make the navy stronger
In ships. in ammunition, in mines. tor
pedoes? These questions are Of the ut
most importance. Let me answer them
briefly.
Furst, as to ships: During the last two
years OF the Taft administration, Con-
gress authorized the construction of two
dreadnaughts to cost about $1,000, coo each.
DNAAuS llie iISl Two years OF the Wilson
administration, upon my recommended
uon Congress authorized the construc-
ton of five dreadnaughts to cost about
$li."O.OO. Stated in dollars, the Wilson
administration. In its first two years. au-
thorized 100000 to be spent on the chief
fighting force of the navy, as against
twentysix million authorized during the
last two years of Taft's; stated in num-
no =
stead of two; and stated in effectiveness.
the 1--WE dreadnaughts authorized under
Wilson will mount thlrty-six more four
teen-inch guns than the two authorized
under Mr.. Taft.
Second, as to submarines: These
wonderful agencies of war have astonish-
ed the world in the present European
conflict. The 63rd Congress, elected with
MI Wilson, adopted my recommendation
TO give us all the money It could for
submarines. 1t ordered the construction
OF three sea-goins submarines, the larg-
est ever authorized by any country, and
% submarines of the same size and type
which have done such fearful execution
in the present war. These submarines
will cost s1626o,OOO. Now what was
done during the last two years under
Taft? Twelve submarines, to cost
S,95S9S6, We're authorized Some of our
submarines are not as perfect as they
should he. nor are the submarines of
any other nation. Under this admins
tration. however, the board of inspections
has adopted stricter tests before accent
ing submarines from contractors No
body has. as yet, perfected a satisfac-
tory engine or satisfactory battery for
submarines Upon my invitation. Mr.
Edison. last year, at the New York navy
yard, went down into a submarine and
closely studied its every feature He
thinks he has a battery that will meet
the need, Our tests at the Brooklyn
navy yard cause us to believe Mr.. Edison
has the right principle. Without waiting
FOR the completion of his battery, he has
been given an order for two, one to be
put into an old submarine. accepted be-
fore March 4, 1913, whose battery does
not give satisfaction. and one for a. new
submarine which | have ordered built
in the Portsmouth IN. h navy yard.
Private firms building submarines have
not given entire satisfaction We have
equipped the Portsmouth navy yard 10
build submarines, and by competition be-
tween private and government construc-
ton 1t is hoped that every obstacle may
be overcome.
TORPEDOES.
Third, as to torpedoes: A statement
has been put in circulation that the navy
Is not making adequate provision to sup
ply itself with torpedoes. The only an
swer / can make Is to state the fact
that we either have on hand or have
placed orders for all the torpedoes the
general board prescribes. Is this admin
going backward in this re-
spect? 1t would not be proper to make
public the number Of torpedoes We have
On hand, but this may be said: For
every one hundred torpedoes which the |
department. had on hand in March. 1918, |
&c more are completed or in course of
Therefore, within few J
the supply of torpedoes will be
almost doubled. Upon my recommends
tion Congress has enlarged the torpedo |
plant at Newport r. l.. more than
trebling its capacity, and the cost Of !
torpedoes has been re- |
duced from si,2O2.11 to s3,24572 each. The |
reduction has already effected a saving
Of 1926, 700.
MINES AND MINING.
AS to mines and mining During
the last two years unprecedented prog
ress has been made in the expansion
Of our mining equipment This was
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