Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-20
Secretary Daniels Also Seeks
Larger Number of Explosive
Mines for Department.
COST OF PREPAREDNESS
JUMPS; s2,757,000 ASKED
Latter Transmitting Estimates for
Navy Referred to House Com
mittee on Appropriations.

The cost Of preparedness jumped yes
teYday when Secretary OF the Navy
Daniels transmitted to Congress let
ter requesting the appropriation of $2,-
$4,000 urgent deficiencies.' part of
which was an item for the immediate
construction Of antiair craft guns. of
which the navy has none at all at pres
emit
Members Of the naval affairs commit
tee OF the House. who learned Of the
eeeretafy's letter. were reminded Of the
fact that Admiral Strauss. chief Of
ordnance Of the Navy Department, had
told the committee that naval officers
had recommended an appropriation for
these modern defense weapons, but that
Secretary Daniels had not included
them In the naval estimates. on the
tAsery that these guns should be pro-
vidsd for by the army.
Explosive Mines for Navy.
Another item asked for as q part Of
the Immediate preparedness plans ia
money for a larger supply Of explosive
mines for naval use.
These supplemental requests are ex-
peeted to be the cause of considerable
questioning when Capt. Bristol. U. s. NJ.
In charge of the aeronauttc end OF the
navy. goes on the stand before the
House committee on naval affairs tomor-
quest tor ne s. 90. go FOR naval i aero pur-
poses. and it is understood that Capt.
Bristol wanted many millions more than
that in view of the successes attending
the use Of hydro-aeroplanes In the bel
ltgerent fleets of Europe.
The letter sent from the Treasury
yesterday. transmitting the estimates OF
the Secretary Of the Navy. was referred
lions and not to the naval affairs COM
mittee. as the former committee has
charge Of emergency appropriations I'M
der the ironclad House rules.
Suggested Appropriations.
The appropriations asked yesterday
by the Secretary OF the Navy were as
follows: Ordnance and ordnance stores,
$ss6.o0o; bureau of yards and docks.
$4,000: contingent expenses. bureau of
yards and docks. $4,000; repairs and
preservation Of navy yards. $4,000:
construction and repair Of vessels.
! Tas:i eoS 7s a1S engineering 100000
Secretary Daniels wrote that the new
naval policy of keeping the feet con-
stantly adoat without laying any ves-
seels mp FOR repairs has cost and will
oost much money. He said the fleet
operations in Mexican waters had re-
suited In q large repair bill.
Many OF our destroyers," the letter
continued, have reached an age where
renewals Of extensive portions of their
machinery equipment are necessary. and
the same 10 true Of submarines. both
Of which classes Of vessels make q big
drain on the repairs appropriations"
Question Of Ordnance Stores.
On the question Of ordnance stores,
including anti-aircraft guns, the letter
said:
The amount requested under the
bureau Of ordnance 10 larely for the
labor and material required to manu-
facture transporting boxes, cartridge
cases and mines. Part of the sum will
b needed to permit at an earlier date
the furnishing Of anti-aircraft gunR to
battleships in commission. The deet
10 without guns of this type at the
present time.
The manufacture of cartridge cases
has been developed to a high degree Of
efficiency and economy, and it would
not be well to interrupt the output, as
this would disrupt the organization. 1t
would not ONLY increase the ultimate
cost. but would delay this important
element of preparedness.
The largest item under the bureau
Of ordnance is for mines. Mining has
attained In the existing war abroad
such importance as to point strongly
to the advisability Of increasing the
provision for this method of defense.
An organiza ton has been perfected at
the Norfolk navy yard for producing
mines at very low cost and it would
be well not to interrupt the output"