The farmer and mechanic., 1915-03-09

g-htch will each cost in the neigh
rorho0d of fifteen million dollars:
ihree sea-going submarines which will |
rost 81 600, 900 each; .twenty-three sub |
marines which will cost about $780,
aan each; twelve torpedo boat destroy
-ra averaging in cost about$ 900. 900 |
each aud a fuel ship to cost $1,000
Doe.
Tno total appropriation for increase
~ ihe navy authorized by the Sixty |
ihird Congress is $50, 145,5 ,531, showing |!
am Increase over the Sixty-Second |
f,ongress by the Sixty-third Congress
nj sS0. 250, 0,46652 for additional ships
for the navy. To this should be add
al 81 00O, 900 for aviation and $780,
900 for submarines reappropriated
from savings effected in expenditures
ashore over the last fiscal year. This
81 500, 900 Of money reappropriated by
reason Of economies effected should be
added TO the $50, 1 is, 531. making $87,-
a45.53l for new construction.
The real progress that will be made
bv the navy as "a result of it's liberal
and intelligent treatment by this Con-
gress cannot be expressed by dollars
and cents. Aiiy person or any Con-
Gress can spend money, but no other
Congress- has gone so far to see that
ats appropriation was applied where
most VitaIly needed and without re
gard 70 merely political considera-
lions Everything has been subOrdi-
mated - the battle fleet and it's eff
cheney The haphaZard and some
times prodigal appropriations of pre-
xious Congresses for unnecessarily
costly buildings at navy yards, which
has been so justly criticized by for
mer Secretary Of the Navy Meyer in
the public press, have been done
away with. Expenditures ashore have
been reduced TO an absolute minimum
and IN this connection it is pleasant
10 record the cheerful cooperation of
she Democratic members OF Congress
from navy yard districts who have
patriotically risen to the occasion and
eheerfully acquieSced in the desire Of
che department to first of all increase
the strength and efficiency of the
flect. OF perhaps even greater event
nal Importance than the mere physi-
cal additions to the fleet are the steps
which have been taken towards in
creaSng the personel and moderniZ-
sng the military organization Of the
navy The "Plucking Board" which
had' outlived its usefulness, has been
abolished and a system of promotion
90 take its place will be one of the
drst things taken up by the New Con-
Sress when it assemblies.
Comparison Of Estimates and ApprO.
DIIaOOOS
* comparison of the provisions OF
The bill with the recommendations ir
The annual report of the Secretary OF
the Navy for the fiscal year 1914, an(
dhe accompanying estimates for tbs
hscal year 1915-16, shows how close
y Congress followed the thought ant
reasoning of this report. The build
ing program recommended by tn
Secretary was:
: dreadnaughts.
deStroyers
, submarines or more:
to be of seagoing, and o
more OF coast defense type, (Witl
supplementary recommends
ton for a larger increase III sub
marine craft "appropriating gen
erouSly therefor without reduc
ing the appropriation for othe
classes" and 81 100000 for avia
,ion.)
guntoat.
oiler
fne building program passed b
congress is as follows:
nreadnaughts.
destroyers
sedgoing subarines.
smaller submarines.
1 oiler
million dollars for aviation.
Naval Reserve Provision.
PrThaps the best piece of leglsiauC
Jor the navy passed in a decade is tf
provision in the present bill authori
ing 4 naval reserve. 1t creates
naval reserve composed of only hol
prably discharged men from the nav
On graded pay according to the leng'
81 time they have served. This n
only provides reserve of traln'
ma experienced men, ready upon
lays notice to man our reserve shl
ana to supplement the war compl
ments of ships OF the battle fleet, b
perhaps its most important feature
mat which permits men TO enter q
'eserve on graded rates OF pay a
eording to the length of service III e
navy. This feature will greatly
crease the efficiency of the enlist
personnel by inducing the eApel
enced men to remain in the serVi
tor longer periods and thus cause t
Duik Of the enlisted personnel to
composed Of trained and eXperienc
men. Under the conditions of tods
only one-third of the entire enlist
torce of the navy are men who ha