West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-12-09
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
FOR GREATER NAVY.
Always Looked TO II ss Our First and
Chief Line Of Defense.


The program which will be laid be
fore You by the secretary OF the navy
is similarly conceived. IL involves only
shortening OF the time within which
plans long matured shall be carried
out, but IL does make definite and ex-
plicit n program which has heretofore
been only implicit. held I'm the minds of
the committees on naval Affairs and
disclosed I'm the debates Of the two
houses. but nowhere formulated or for.
mally adopted. IL seems TO me very
clear that II will be to the advantage
or the country for the congress to adopt
n comprehensive plan for putting the
navy upon final footing OF strength
and efficiency and 10 press that plan
TO completion within the next Ave
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 a
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 battleships. six battle
cruisers. ten scout cruisers, fifty de-
stroyerS. fifteen feet submarines,
eigtty-6ve coast submarines. four gun
boats, one hospital ship, two ammuni-
ton ships, two fuel oil ships and one
repair ship. 1t is proposed that OF this
number we shall the first year provide
for the construction OF two battIeships.
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 battleships. one battle cruiser, two
scout cruisers. Eve destroyers, two feet
submarines and fifteen coast subma.
rines; the fourth year two battlesbips
two battle cruisers, two scout cruisers.
ten destroyers. two feet submarines.
fifteen coast submarines. one nmmuni
tion 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. on am-
mpnitlon 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.
2,1OO apprentice seamen and 800 ma.
rines. This increase would be suffi-
cient TO care for the ships which are
to be completed within the fiscal year
1917 and also for the number Of men
which must be put in training TO man
the ships which will be completed
early In 1913. II Is also necessary that
the number OF mldshIpmen at the Ma.
val academy at Annapolis should be
Increased by at least 300 in order that
the force OF officers should be more
rapidly added to, and authority IS ask
ed 70 appoint, for engineering duties
only. approved graduates Of engineer.
Ing colleges, and for service I'm the avi-
alton corps a certain number OF men
taken from civil life.