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

without a reduction of the strength
OF the fleet to be constructed upon the
plan proposed
Secretary Daniels says his decision
to recommend a continuing building
policy was reached after ssrnucfa re-
fection. conference with able experts
of the Navy and patriotic men in civil
walks of life He lays stress on the
fact that he is the first secretary of the
navy to recommend such. a course al
though the General Board in 1903
urged that a definite program be
mapped out which would lead TO the
establishment of a fleet of 48 battle
ships by 1919. OF the five year pro-
gram recommended the Secretary
says:
II hope Congress will indorse it by
so large a vote of its members as to
make certain its continuance by Con-
crosses to come, =
The full total of the navy budget
for the year is $217.652,174; all but
s132s 2s0.047, of which will go for
ships now under construction or to be,
authorized. The remainder scontera-
general running expenses Of the navy
ahoat and ashore
SIN comparison with the. enormous
expenditures abroad the secretary
writes, sthe large expenditure is nee
essary If our fleet is to be able to en-
force American policies. The lesson
of the European war warns us that
It is better to spend money in times
of peace for preparation than to run
the risk, however, remote, of sorely
wanting ships and munitions if sud-
denly needed. =
The secretary comments at length
on the need Of battle cruisers Of the
proposed 85 knot type The events
Of the European war are recounted
to show the part these craft have play
ed and the reasons for Including six
to the battleships Of the future, the
secretary says the suggested vessels
are Of much greater displacement and
heavier armament than anything
heretofore contemplated for any navy
The department is now, discussing
plans for ships Of $4,000 tonse ana
armed with 16-inch or perhaps IT.
inch guns. The secretary says the
plan has not yet been approved. but
his estimates are based ON ships to
cost s2Ss00o.O0O each which would
allow for the increased size.
Secretary Daniels takes another rad :
zeal step in his report IN urging that
TIE present system Of promotion OF
officers by seniority be aband oned III
favor Of promotion by selection, He
goes at length into the results of the
seniority vsten1E to find that it pro-
duces sstagnation in the lower grades,
Com bined with absolute lack of pro-
fess- onaI Incentive throughout all
grades " omcers now hold the grade
o. captain for an average OF. two
years. he says, and are rear admirals
for only six months before retire1nent
for age overtakes Them About Il -
eco officers, he states, must pass
through the grades of captain and
rear admiral in the next 40 years l1fl-
der the present plan.
Is selection by merit practicable
under our existing form Of govern
ment % the secretary asks Virtually
all officers admit It would be the best
system, he says but dismiss it with the
sta tenent that for political reasons it
would become prornotion by political
influence or faypritts1n. He does not
subscribe to this view. He believes
a system of promotion based practical
" upon the vote Of the officers senior
:tc the grade under consideration
would Enthusiastically select approx
mately the most eff1cients officer in that
grade. The result would be, he saws
to give personal stimulus for pro-
fessiona1 efficiency to provide for
utilization Of every competent off1cer
and to give higher Commands to men
peculiarly fitted to hold them.
Actual service, 2 the secretary adds
crowned with efficiency. and not age
should supersede the inf1exfbIe rule Of
retiring all officers at a given age. 1t
is suggested that the present law re-
firing officers at, 50 years of age be
Changed so as to provide that officers
be retired fl years after their gradua-
ton at the Naval Academy The eff
feet of such legislation would make
the. average age of retirement SO
years In the army tn statutory age
Of retirement is 81 years.
II renew my recomn endation for a
change in the law of retirement nav
SO that it shall be graded. the pay to
/ be based upon the length of service. 1t
and partial disability. The retired
pay of the navy last year aggregated
S3,S88,826.35. 1t is an abuse of the
Republics generosity to give three
sfourths retired pay to all. The Law
should be changed and reformed
Turning to the problem of finding
adequate auxiliary ships for the rlavy
in war time. the secretary says he has
not included any vessels in his build
ing program except those which must
be used constantly for the navy. in
peace. or war. On war basis. he
adds. the navy would need 400 addi-
tional ships or a tonnage of IT., 900 to
auxiliary work. About 100000 tons
forl this work could be. drawn from
the present merchant marine, he, says.
but some method must be found to
supply the rest.
The solution for the government. y
the rapport continues, lis to construct
from time to time. a sufficient and
suitable auxiliary fleet, proportioned
to the needs of the navy, and to have
such auxiliaries operated in com
merce during peace times in such a
way as will preserve them and train
the essential naval reserve of men.
and while doing this relieve the gov
eminent of the burden of cost of
maintenance through the income or
earnings of the vessels employed in
commerce. Such a policy would give
to the navy, without cost for its oper-
alton during peace, a perfect auxiliary.
Of course these ships should be built