The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-25
Policy Which Should Govern
Navy Would Put 1t In First
Place in Decade
WOULD INCREASE
NAVY YARD FACILITIES
Lump Sum Of Five Millions OF
Dollars Urged for Aviation
Service - Progressive In
oreases in Personnel

Washington, Dec. "a --SuccuIn bin-
q. iast TO criticism evoked ny his
previous action, Secretary Of the Navy
Daniels today made public the report
of the General Naval Board. Il is
the report which the board submitted
TO him las, July, when President
Wilson. ses rin- "a rupture with Ger
many, called on the experts Of the
army and navy for their opinion as to
what would be Immediately necessary
To place tho United States lighting
units IN a position 10 meet al. emery
ency which EIisht arise.
The sane increase in personnel III
1917 wac recommended as = recon-
nlended for the same year in the
Daniels plan. The general Board
wanted this Increase all N seancn.
whereas Secretary Daniels divided 1t
as follows: 7,5ao seamen. 2.500 ap-
surent.ces and SEQ marines.
Also. whereas Secretary Daniel 9
defends his more modest building pro-
gram on the ground that the present
snip building facilities of the country
would not stand larger one. the
general board In July specially stated
tAs: the present facilities would justify
IL program. but urged that the ia
li'les al the government navy yards
% Increased.
Teat of Report
TIE July report as made public to-
1.ght sgss as follows:
In com nilarce with the oral order
II the Secretary % The Navy 70 ex-
press its opinion at the earliest prac-
t4cahie date rs TO q policy which
should govern the development OF the
ravy and building program, the gen
,-al BOARD reports as follows
Pci.eg~-~''The navy OF the United
states should ultimately be equal 10
toe most powerful maintained BY any
other nation OF the world, L should
be gradually increased 10 this point
bv such A rate OF development year
hy year az mar Re permitted by the
facilities Of the country. bat the above
defined should he attained not later
han 1925.
In pursuance of this policy ard
hartne in mind the rrsf@nt fsotli'ies
~ this country the toslG II OF III.
eY.n.os TINS. tho relieving addition
10 ia rs~al estehiishraent should Re
auth Sad this year and recommends
me sane fer ycur consideration. This
addition ts believed by the board 20
~ ~tth!n and practically az TIE limit
~ the facilities at present existing.
Boards Recommendation.
Pour hattie cruisers four dread
naYehts. six SCOTIA thirty coast sub
raar.res. seven feet submarines,
.w~nty-sirht de-troyers, six gunhoat.
.ax.iia-tes--one destroyer tender,
two Tcst submarine tenders. four fuel
~. sN:ro one supp, ship. one trans
port, ont hospital ship, ore repair sh'p,
orc nnarri unition ship.
sn craft se-vse. HUMP sn9ropria
.iensH. ~ cen~-eo Personnel fi,onA
.rer -'ta nu9he- viii provide for
~. ~ A. ., t,,s >r.ss~t ships OF the
nav. i-.ct.s''n~ ra>se ncaring compile
tioa. brs g ous, 6e eorns In mind
that = 10 rArseNc'. ForIrEsstoEed. war
rant and eulis,sN will Rave to he fur
thor increased ar tSe new consfruc-
,',n pros-es5es
Increased facilities for the navy
yarde ana shore establishments gen
@rsJly such ~ drv docks, herthins
SPACES, building shops, structural shop
cranes for handling heavy weights.
shor machinery. ammunition and other
storage facilities, personnel. etc.
fsiEn~d., "HEORaE DEwEf
The two reports published ~ apren
dix A and - appendix n In my m
nuai report said Secretary Daniels
tonight. ard the above report OF
July SO constitute all the reports Of
~grested building program made by
tn. general toard this year"