Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-03-01
OUTLINES NEEDS
OF NAVY FLEETS
Admiral knight Before House Com
mittee, Details Ambitious
Program.
NECESSITY OF BATTLE CRUISERS.
Would Not Stop at Spending $780,
600, 900 10 Five Years---Calls
Service Inefficient.

Declaring that the present TEiteC
states fleets could not utilize more
than 50 per cenGof their potential eff
cheney, Admiral Anstm NJ Knight. thu
president OF the war Collcrc and
member OF the navy's general board.
outlined to the House Naval Adairs
Committee recently "a most ambitious
and possibly the most comprehensive
plan tor bringing the navy to the ulti-
mate strength yet presented TO the
committee.
little navy men threw up their
hands, says the Washington Star.w acr
they heard the Admiral declare that
he would not stop with the $500 O00.-
600 nve-year program outlined by the
Secretary Cf the Navy, and now being
considered in the committee. but that
he would survey the general shipbuild-
ing and ship-produeing capabilities o.
the country and would go ahead with
program which would produce she
greatest number Of ships possible
from the codntry's resources.
Whet the fleet needs Immediately
merely 10 round out the present es-
Enlistment and prevent O loss of so
per cent efficiency. according to Ad-
miral KEieht is as follows Six bat
tie cruisers, 10000 to $4,000 tons and
equipped for 35 knots or better. eight
scout cruisers of 5000 tons and high
speed auxiIiaut s.such as a repair ship
a hospital ship and an ammunition
ship twenty destroyers, thirty sub
marines. two floating drs doc;s. one
for the Atlantic and one for the Pa
cihc; & naval base in the Caribbean
sea. and naval base ct Guam for
Pacific operations. In backing mp his
commentators. Admiral knight has
the following TO say
The FIRST thing 10 do is TO inquire
into the reason why the present navy
SIS SO unsatisfactory within its N esent
size Tho nGrv IS not small. and the
hattlcships are the equal Of others and
he officers and men are not inefficient
but We are constantly hearing the
statement that the navy is not up 10
the mark; chat Il ia Inefficient as
whole
That is true. The navy is not eff
cient and we are not ready to utilize
ali it's strength. and we should fnd
wherein its- weakness lies II we
clear up the reason we will be able TO
20 ahead ard lay a strong foundation
for q proper and scientific program.
At present the navy IS able to put
forth only 30 per cent. Of its efficiency.
For this. | say, there are two reasons:
First. the lack OF men; second, the
lack OF certain types OF vessels 10
round out the feet and I refer to bat
lie cruisers and scout ships
Admiral knight gave q practical ex-
ample Of a feet OF en- enemy force
approaching the United States across
the Atlantic. and told how the scout
ships needed would make the first
contact with the enemy and be able to
choose their own range OF battle be-
cause of the fact that they are equip
ped with the most powerful guns, in
addition TO having highest speed.
The Admiral outlined the supple
mental ships needed destroyers. sub
marines. etc, and said that time would
produce on aeroplane ship from which
aero-craft could be laanchei a sea.
and to which they could return and
alisht on deck
In answer 10 the difficulties in the
way Of the maximum progr; N. Ad-
miral Knight said that The amor plate
situation is the greatest drawback, bat
that inasmuch as the scout sAips. bat
tie cruisers. etc. recommended bt hlm
ere highly equipped with armoT plate.
they ought not TO clog The steel plants.
de said the 8.000-ton scouts could be
built in any snip plant, and that the
submarines may be. TO a great extent,
built IN navy yards, if the government
. prepares tie way FOR such operations.
Emmy Wehlen. the eynufsite and