New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-22
General Board Wants
American Sea Power
Equal to Largest.
DANIELS HOLDS
BACK DETAILS
Programme Proposed in
July Differs from Sec
retary's Plans.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Dec. 2l.-The United
states should have a navy which by
1925 should be equal to the most
powerful maintained by any other
nation in the world" according to
the annual report Of the General
Board Of the Navy, made public to-
day. The report, issued as an ap-
nendix to that Of the Secretary OF
the Navy, does not give the building
programme which it believes neces-
sary 10 accomplish this, but, instead,
offers a programme, in response to
orders from Secretary Daniels, pro-
viding for the spending of about
siOO.000.000 a year for five years.
The cash-basis programme differs
in several important respects from
that finally approved and submitted
70 Congress by the Secretary. The
capital ships asked are the same, the
Submarines fewer, and the auXiliar-
les more than in his report. The
figures are: Dreadnoughts. 10; bat
tie cruisers, 6; scouts, 10; destroy
ers. so; fleet submarines, 3 daniels.
l5 coast defence submarines. 5S
daniels. So; fuel oil ships, 9
Daniels, p; repair ship, /; hos
pital ship, /; ammunition ships, 2;
river gunboats, , Daniels, AZ;
transports and fleet submarine ten
ders, each, and destroyer tenders,
., which Mr.. Daniels does not ask
for at all.
This building programme. as laid out
By the General Board. provides for the
completing Of the last ships in 1922, a
year earlier than Mr. Dsniels's plan,
and starts with a much heavier pro-
gramme for battlcships and battle
cruisers. which take the longest time to
build. It calls for an expenditure for
construction Of about the same
amounts year by year, but includes an
allowance for work to be completed
after the five years OF initial appro-
pnstion have passed. Mr. Daniels's
plan includes SiS.51S127 for construc-
ton already authorized and makes no
allowance Tor the $50 $4,000 turnover
on ms construction Thus the total
cost o. the Daniels programme IS
sS5A23087 more than that Of the Cen
sral Board, but amounts TO about Sl5,-
100000 for the fve-year period.
Boards Advice Rejected.
All Of the extra money goes into
Submarines, against the advice OF the
board, except Si4,0OO.OO0 for ammuni-
ton reserve. So also is absorbed the
&,50O.00O which the Daniels pro
gramme saves from that OF the Cen
eral Board by looping of the trans
port, tenders for destroyers and sub
marines, and 100000 from aviation.
The General Board report also asks
for large increase in the personnel
Of the navy, in which il is only partly
supported by the Secretary. 1t figures
that the strength in time OF peace
should be enough 70 keep in commits
sion an battleships under fifteen years
from. date OF authorization, all de-
siroyers and submarines Urder twelve
years, half the cruisers, all gunboats
and all feet su1iliarics; to keep partial
complement on all other ships avail
able for use in war, and 20 provide for
taorc stations and training.
for th purpose 1T estimates a
tsee ssry peace strength next year OF
H0yo men and 200 officers, against
ihe present strength Of $1,000 men and
lhlg oaieers II also urges that the
N~rnc corps be increased from 10000
n 1900 men.
Lessons from the War.
ihfce chief lessons are drawn By the
''sf0 from the world war:
mat the submarine. while valuable,
not az instrument fitted 20 dOmi-
.Sf naval warfare" and that, because
tne spectacular nature Of the per-
,oimsnces of the German U-boats be-
ore ne Allies had learned how 10 pro-
~ tneir commerce, undue weight has
Ossn attached 20 them.
mat The battlcship BE- Etill, as 10 a.
ey has been, the decisive factor in
naval warfare.
mat fast ships 10 gather irforma.
'H oi the enemy's movements are
1Dspi9tfly essential. and that only the
1~hlion Of eOst prevents the making
~ he Information seekers Of the
S@pNe eruiser type. which can fight. II
ss'efsary' 20 learu what thcy want "a
en9E. That the battle cruiser will also