The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-12-13

h half E5Jto dollar navy building pro-
& sran I'm Ter the I'VE year continuing
plan recommended to Congress- are
Contained in the annual report of
seereary Daniels. made public to-
Ehe report shows that for the first
Time IN tie history of the depart
znenE the Secretary's recommended
lions INCREASE the expenditures pro-
posed BY the General Board In this
( connection the Secretary says:
MY recommendations of fve-year
D<osfam embraces the same number
as proposed by the General Board in
the distribution it made In the five
year flceram of dreadnaughts, battle
czuiBerss scouts and destroyers. j
recommend . feet submarines where
the General Board recommends nine,
and Recommend S5 coast submarines
as against So recommended by the
General Board For addirsonaT re-
serve rnmun1tions my recommended
ton IS $4,000, 000Os whereas the Gem
eraI Board recommends $11s 900, e00.
They recommend something more
for other craft My total for the
I'VE years is $5o2, 4B2.214- The Gem
eral Boards total IL s4s9,e76.o 900, a
very slight difference for the i've
years though the boards recon-
nnenda4Ion for the first year is much
larger than the departments esti-
mate
The shEesyEar program for new ships
and completion Of those already au-l
thorized reaches grand total of
s$5e2s 1872 with large appropria
ltions for reserye ammunition and
aviation
p Seczstary Daniels differed from the
General Board n one Important par
stie3llaE tat least ais to the program all
Though the total number of ships to
Hbe constr ncted and the types recon-
11aended are those proposed by the
board. The secretary says:
The General Board was called up
ON for advice IN this connection and
tine department has accepted its rec
eE4 mendatiens as regards numbers Of
capital ships. AS regards their dis
tz5i7utton over q dye-year period, it!
concluded In view Of all the cir
cHfrlstances that it would be best to
rpalze this as nearly uniforn as might
be- This course has obvious practical
advantages particularly In view Of
the present congested condition Of the
shapbuildlng Industry IN tads country.
a4eEeq1srs since the maximum rate
or expenditure upon the capital ships,
liicll kate some years TO build n any
Tease, win not be reached nam date
q II, enables as to concentrate more at
Ahrst upon submarines and other
quickly built craft. SO that we win get
earlier returns for our expendit are In
the shape Of completed vesse1szss
It fssunderstood the board recon- 4
nendsd a particularly large program
for the first year.
The Secretary calls attention to the
fact that he established a precedent
last year in making public the report
or the General Board. which he viii
fozIow this year at q later date. The
XreSu1t. he says IS certain to arouse
tdiscussion an between the recon-
mendations OF the board and of the
secretary, but adds
edge and a wise decision The Gem.
eral Board Is Influenced by its pro-
fessiona1 views. while the ADMINS
tration takes into consideration the
whole national policy and does not
overlook the question Of national rev.
Relieving wiz be the comp esition
of the heet in 1921, built or brIldiAg
If the program is CARR ed out accord
ding to the General Boards ca1cula-
lions, the Secretary says:
Batt1eships, first line. IT
Battle cruisers,
BattIeships, second line !. IS
Armered cruisers, 10
Scout. cruisers. ...--@. 10
users, first class. .s.--.z.... s.
Cruisers, second class,
Cruisers third class. .-.s-s- -. -. 10
Destroyerss -.-.--,-- - n - 1Q8
Fleet su bnarines,f - II 8.
Coast submarines, -. -s.s-157
Monitors, n. 8
Cunboats, 20
supply ships, 49, ;-<5... a
Fuel ships. 49, u -.... IS
Transports. -
Tenders to torpedo vessels, $500. 8
Special types. .ss---.. 8
Ammunition ships. ..-..4.5-5--5. 2
Urging the necessity Of a continuing
building program the secretary Says
it is the <ssurest way to raise the
standard of naval efficiency and that
little is to be gained by sudden ft1c-
{ <rattoEs and changes IN policy
IF a vote had been taken a few
( months ago.. he adds. "as to types
] of ships to be constructed, a large
4 majority Of the people would doubt
/ less have voted to go into building
&su bTnarines on scale SO large as to
leave money for other fighting craft.
Recently in navy circles the pendu-
linn may be said to have swung away
from an overlarge undersea program
with seEnpt isis again placed upon the
dreadnaug11t
s.N4y first thought was to present a
plan for 10-year period, but the ar
gument against determining upon a
@1rogran for longer term than ave
exears seemed conclusive, for in this
day Of inzention and development it
would hardly be safe to fix upon GER
tain types of ships for a long term of
years we know what other countries
esiaave built and are building, and we
issHno1f the needs which constant prac-
fice and maneuyers Of the past IL
months by our own fleet have taught
US. Therefore the best expert 5udg-
s-fae11t approves the number and types
Of ships which are recommended. If
there are those who believe even with
ah these Eve years changes in types
Of ships or in equipment or armament
will be so marked as to make the
Escarryfng out of the recommends tons
-. 4 s9araf7t of d19COETe7-f
the complete answer is this Con-
l5rrnss Il asked to make appropFi atoms