The sun., 1916-12-08
DANIELS SAYSNAVY
WON'T FALL BEHIND
Annual Report Shows U. s. Is
Building the Greatest
Warships Afl0at.
GUNS EXCEED is INCHES
Secretary Tells Of Torpedo
More Efficient Than Any
Used Abroad.


iels In his annual report says the coun-
try Is now determined to provide and
maintain a navy adequate for Its needs.
He says this generation will never again
see the United States fall behind in rela. =.
tive standing among the navies Of the
world.
Mr.. Daniels cites a. matters Of graf
ifyfng progress the fact that the United
states Is building the greatest battle
ships and battle cruisers afioat. that the
new American battieships are protected
against underwater attack. that the
Navy Department has developed q new
torpedo more efficient than any used
abroad and that target practice has
shown better records than those at
tained In actual battle by the nav!es Of
Europe
The feeling of apprehension over na-
tiohai preparedness" sayS Secretary
Daniels. more OF less we'll defined. which
has been aroused In the minds OF the
American people As a result of the Eu.
ropean war. has extended to the matter
OF target practice. In view OF this It Is
gratifying to be able to state, not in any
spirit OF boast!ng but merely as an ex-
preston OF steel cold fact that the
American navy has not only eaualled
but In battle target practice has ac-
tually excelled the best records believed
to have been made in the recent Euro
pean naval battles"
Secretary Daniels says there IL the
heartiest cooperation among the officers
In his Department and regards the Gre
alton OF a chief Of naval operation. asa
highly successful move.
Guns Exceed 10 Inches.
REGARDING the construction OF vessels
Mr. Daniels says: Particular attention
mas been devoted TO Improvement OF the
protection OF capital ships against un-
derwater torpedo attack. Experimental
investigations along this line have con.
tinued during the year and have indi-
GATED 20 FAR that the conclusions reached
with the designs Of battleships 43 and
~ were sound and that the protection
under water OF our new battleships is
markedly superior to that OF any pre-
vious battleships In any navy"
Secretary Daniels says the cone,ruc-
tion OF the battleship Arizona at the
New York navy yard demonstrated that
there has been an increase Of efficiency
IN new construction at that yard. Cant
q. r. Burd. Industrial manager OF the
yard. reports that the cost per ton for
the Arizona was s2lAs2. against s2sS
for the Florida and S233.53 for the New
York
Important work has been done by the
bureau OF ordnance. The bureau has
designed a new torpedo which Rear Ad-
miral strAus IL responsible for and which
is expected to have improved features
over torpedoes Of foreign make. II Is
the property of the United states Gov
eminent
Mr.. Daniels says the Navy DEPART
ment Is now constructing a gun larger
than the i6 inch rifles which are TO b.
provided FOR the newest battleshlps. He
expects this larger calibre weapon NAV
be Installed on the 1918 battleshlps. The
system of mounting three guns 10 a tur-
ret Is Endorsed. Anti-aircraft guns are
to have been successfully in
stalled on several battleships and are
TO be provided for others. The report
says: "The necessity for aircraft az an
Important arm OF naval service IL ap-
preciated now more than before their
value was demonstrated In the Euro
pean war. The development of air
craft In the navy has not progressed as
rapidly As its usefulness demands"
Radio Recomnendations.
To guard against violations OF neu,
trality through use OF the radio service.
Mr.. Daniels believes. legislation would
be In order to impose proper penalties
for any use Of the radio which might
''lmperil the peace OF the United
States"
The importance Of oil conservation for
hA tq ha six -