Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-01

were IN position TO make Brave
showing against the Mexican Navy
and the southwest winds at Vera Cruz
will not stand for a moment against
the positive views as to our unreadi-
ness for war expressed by Command
er Yarnell and Admiral Fiske, chief
of operations of the fleet.
Repeats Assertions
Some of the particular assertions
which / have heretofore made, and
which the secretary entirely leaves
unanswered are these:
Relative strength OF our navy: /
invite your attention to the fact that
on the first day of July, 1914. before
the European War broke out, our
navy had fallen to fourth place, &C
cording 10 our own official figures.
At that time the warship tonnage of
Germany. built and building, had
grown to over one million, three hun
dred thousand tons. while ours was
less than nine hundred thousand tons
Meanwhile. the warship tonnage Of
Great Britain, built and building, was
half u million tons larger that that
of Germany and the United States
combined Even France was q little
ahead Of US. Even admitting that
warship tonnage is not an exact meth
cd Of measurement, our standing can
not be much improved by any other
method.
Il assert that on July !, 1914, Great
Britain had forty-six dreadnaughts
and dreadnaught cruisers, built and
building, while Germany's vessels of
the same description numbered TWEEN
ty-eight and ours numbered sonly
twelve. Most of our battleships IN
fortunately are old fashioned pre-
dreadnaughts
my authority for these statements
is the buletiln published by the Uni
ted States Office of Naval Intellieence,
entitled ''Warship Tonnage of the
Principal Naval Powers" July /, 1914
Navy Totally Inadequate
Are we strong enough? It is the opin-
| ion of those best able to judge that our
navy is totally Inadequate for our de-
Tense AS you know very we'll, the Gen
eral Board of the Navy is today and
always has been composed Of the very
best naval officers in the service. Ever
since 1908 the general board has declared
than 70 years old in order to make US
safe against the navy of Germany or
| any other nation except Great Britain.
The general board does not pretend that
As battleshirs would be Sufficient to pro-
| tect us against Englands mighty navy
| In addition, the general board tells lis
that we must have 1872 destroye rs as well
as other ships in certain proportions. In
stead Of as battleships and 1872 destroyers
under 20 years old, we have at present
| built and building. only 81 battleships
and 6S destroyers. 1t is true that this
year VS. have authorized the construction
of TWO more battleships and six mors
destroyers. IT is also true that in 1918
when these new battleships will be ready
| the battleship Iowa viii have long passes
the 20 year mark, and the battleship.
Kearsarge. Kentucky and Alabama vii
be ~ years old My authorities for these
facts are the reports Of the genera
board of the nary for 1894 and a Ger
tain document. copy of which has beer
refused me known as No. 1902 Of DC
tober IT, 1913 This document was in tn,
office of Admiral Dewey three month!
ago.
Need 100 Submarines
submarines: As to submarines. Ad
miral woodland testified that we neet
100 submarines for harhor defense alone
II YOU reckon the F-4 which Is at thu
bottom of the sea, and if you reckon al
the submarines which are in the scral
heap and those which ought to be in TIN
scrap heap, and if you reckon all tn
l Oh t,r,iIH vryi1
find that we have Just 5S-a sorry 10
they are. many Of them at least It /
true that Congress overruled Secretar.
Daniels recommendation this year an
followed the recommendation OF tn
general board SO that instead Of gettinl
nine new submarines we shall have Il
am afraid that i took an unholy salts
faction in our victory.
Speaking of submarines and the read
/, mess of the navy for war. did you motto