Evening star., 1915-12-25
FIGURES FOR NAVY
BY GENERAL BOARD
-
Secretary Daniels Makes Pub
lie Its Recommendations
for Sea Equipment.
PROGRAM FAR IN EXCESS
OF ADMINISTRATION PLAN
Response by Department to Charge
That Report Had Been, in Part,
Suppressed.

Publication today of the confidential
report of the general board of the navy,
which was made July last, revealed
that its recommendation for a build
ing program the first year far exceeds
that adopted by the administration
The fact that the board had urged a
policy which would make the Amer
lean navy equal the strongest afioat by
1925 already has been disclosed.
The program for the first year as
recommended by the board calls for the
construction of eight capital ships
with an equally large program fol
other craft at a cost of about 100000,
900. as compared with four capital
ships and other necessary craft at a
cost of approximately S100,000,0OO fol-
the first year under the administra-
| tion'S plan.
| The report was made public by Secre-
tary Daniels. who ordered its prepara-
! ton when the administration first be-
| gan consideration of national de-
fense policy.
Alleged Suppression of Report.
| 1t had been declared by critics of the
administration that the report was
suppressed in part by the Navy De-
partment and, if published, would re-
veal the administration building plans
to be inadequate.
In giving out the report Secretary
Daniels said that all statements from
the general board as to building pro-
grams made during the present year
had now been made public. He directed
attention again to the fact that he had
set precedent for not publishing the
boards reports. as they had been re-
garded as confidential by previous Sec
retaries of the Navy. The report under
discussion and the publication of
which some members of Congress have
stated they would demand, he said, was
a special report the substance of which
already had been disclosed.
Rear Admiral Blues Figures.
Secretary Daniels recommendation
to Congress that the enlisted person
mel of the navy be increased by $500
bluejackets, $500 apprentice seamen
and 1.5OO marines during the years
1861 in order to man ships nearing
completion was based on the annual
report of Rear Admiral Victor Blue,
chief of the bureau of navigation, now
made public. The figures have been
criticised in Congress and elsewhere
because they were below those of the
general board.
There were $685. bluejackets in the
service October l, 1915, Admiral Blues
report shows. and with his proposed
increases, including the apprentice sea-
men, the force would number 62,636 in
1917. or about 400 less than recon-
mended by the general board.
Admiral Blue states that he bases
his estimates on a report from the
board in November. 1914. which holds
that all battleships under fifteen years
old, all destroyers and submarines un-
der twelve years old. half the cruisers
and all gunboats and necessary aux
iliaries should be kept in full commits
sion, the remaining ships to be held
in reserve with nucleus crews.
Depends Upon Congress.
Should Congress authorize an in
crease of 1900 men. he says, there
would be in full commission July l,
1917, twenty-five battleships, five
cruisers. twelve cruisers,
ffty-two destroyers, twenty-six gun
boats, ffty-six submarines and the
requisite auXiliaries. In reserve would
be seventeen battleships more than
fifteen years old, five armored cruisers.
eleven cruisers. sixteen destroyers,
nineteen old torpedo boats and four
tenders.
The difference between the general
boards figures of the necessary mini
mum strength for 1917 and those of
Admiral Blue probably lies in the fact
that Admiral Fletcher, commanding
the Atlantic fleet, has urged an in
crease in the complement of each bat
tleship. Admiral Blue says this has
not been done because it would neces-
state putting more ships in reserve for
lack of men.