The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-03
Former Secretary of Navy Reviews Secretary Dan-
 iel's Letter
SHOWS WEAKNESS OF
 NAVAL EQUIPMENT
Says Conflicts In European War Have Emphasized Necessity For More Modern Armament and Vessels-Aircraft Is Im-
 portant Factor

Boston, May e,--Former Secretary of the Navy George Von L. Meyer made public tonight a statement reviewing the open letter. from Secretary Of the Navy Daniels to President Garfield of Williams college. concerning the pres ent status of the naval equipment of the United States Mir. Meyer opens with the statement that Secretary Daniels discussion of this subject leaves much to be desired in the way of information" The statement fol- lows:
 The Secretary neglects to statc when he refers to the last two years of the Taft administration, that the House of Representatives. which originates appropriations. was in con- ,rol of the democrats on account Of the by-elections That they went into caucus and voted mo battleships." It was on the issue that no party could afford 10 caucus on patriotism. placed before the people by some of the lead- Ing papers at my request. that we broke the caucus and obtained. very grudeingly, from the democrats ono battleship for each of the remaining two years.
 The war and the campaign of edu- cation on national defense, has in- fluenced Congress in making more lll- eral appropriations. but the third bat tleship Mir Daniels obtained was made possible by the sale of the ldaho and Mississippi to Greece, using the fund derived from this transaction for an additional dreadnaeght But the Idaho and Mississippi were both modern ships, built in 19O4, and while President Wilson's sale was good business transaction, it will not apparently, ia- crease our tonnage 1t should also he noted that the indiana, Massachusetts and oregon can no longer be included In our tonnage list that the Iowa. kearsage. Kentucky snd Alabama will reach their age limit in fsf6, while thu Illinois, Wisconsin. Maine.. Ohio and Missouri are due for replacement ty 1920, battleships become obsolete m 20 years. It Is obvious, therefore. that policy pursued according to this years programme of two battie- ships with certain auNiliaries, no scout ernisers and no battle cruisers will lead nowhere if it is the real purpose of the nation to have an adequate navy for We are not even following pro- eramme of new construction intended to replace those vessels which have been or will soon he condemned be- cause unfit for service on account of age.
 Navy at Maximum Strength
 White as the Secretary has stated. the navy is today recruited to its maxi mum strength (Which Is due to the de- creased demand for labor in various lines of trade throughout the United states). yet the commander tn chief of the fleet. in a communication to the Naval academy gives the opinion that the fleet lacks in it's complete equip- ment. about 50o0 men and a number of officers To put all the shipn ,n commission that could be useful in time Of war; would require ls.0o0 addi- tional men and many officers. accord ing to Admiral Badger in his evidence tefofe the naval committee this win- fer. and yet, in his letter the Secre- tary assures the public that the navy in 1915 Is larger. better equipped anI In letter condition than in any pre- vioua year while experts know that this Is impossible, since many Of che battioships have been retained so long h. Mexico that fleet maneuvering. Vital for efficiency, has been terribly .lale- pered and interfered with.
 'The naval conflicts of the European war have emphasized tho importan, C Of speed. range aud armament The Butcher faster than any of our ships. Maa destroyed because she was slower than any of the other ships in the con ilict. Yet we are building no fast cruisers or battle cruisers The Seere- tary, in his enthuslasm over our H. inch guns, which he says will shoot further. shoot straighter and hit harder than any naval gun now in use, oNeriooNs the fact that Japan has In commission and building eight naval ships with ll-inch guns probably as good as our ti-ineh guns. and that England has the queen Elizabeth in commission with ta-tnch guns. bat tleship of over e7.000 tons, with speed of 25 knots. and nine other capital ships building with 15-inch guns.
 Need of Aircraft
 The war has demonstrated tho need and value of aircraft. Tine general toard recommended the appropriation of s5.00G, 000 but only one fifth of the amount was obtained.
 In view of the increasing number of submarines and the accident in Hawaii there Is urgent necessity for testing md wreeking docks that may be used Tor salying submarines of any size docking submarines and testing to de- termine the resistance to external water pressure. Two docks of this description will be requirei for the Atlantic and two for the Pacific.
 Upon the efficacy of the supply ships depends the efficacy of the feet The importance of supply shius has also been demonstrated in this way. one was authorized in 1al5. It would have been nearly completed by this time If built under contract. but it is to be constructed in one of our navy yards. and 1t has not yet heen laid down.
 "Without ample coal and oil storage at distant bases. in the absence of q large merchant marine to insure con- tinuous supply of fuel the range aud efficiency of the fleet win be seriously impaired in time of war.
 '"rhe general board tn report to thn Secretary stated The strength of the fleet Is measured too often in tho