Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-25
NAVY BILL CALLS
| FOR S24l,OOO,OOO
Measure Reported to House Shows
$9l,7S7, 2S7 Increase Over
Last Year.
NECESSARY FOR PREPAREDNESS.
S9s. SIS, 37s Provided for New Ships
IncIuding Five Battle Cruisers.

The naval appropriation bill. carry
ing a total Of S941. 00o 600. was report
ed TO the House Yesterday by Chair
man Padgett. OF the Naval Committee.
Majority Leader kitchIn announced
yesterday that q special rule would be
brought in. umter which the measure
VIII be passed not later than week
from next Saturday night The COM
mittee's report says that the Ss1,aS7,-
2S7 increase over last years approprl
ation was found necessary TO place
the navy in 3 better state Of prepared
ness" II states that q total OF SSS,-
S5s.57S IS provided for new ships. IN
GLIDING FIVE battle cruisers, and 10
continue ships now building.
The report says that IN few years
the shortage of the commissioned per
sonnet should be fully met. while the
increase Of the enlisted personnel-b y
the 1853 additional men provided for
in the bin, represents the consensus
OF opinion Of the experts who appeared
before the committee and is all that II
Is possible for the Navy and Marine
Corps to recruit in the next fiscal year
The report especially emphasizes the
testimony Of Rear Admiral Fletcher
that the bauleships and destroyers
with the Atlantic feet are in very
satisfactory and efficient condition.
with q few exceptions The bin pro
viGes for general overhauling and re
pair Of all vessels mentioned IN the
exceptions by Admiral Fletcher ami
major repairs 10 the extent Of So
$4,000 on various ships are author
lied TO produce their highest efficiency
for active service.
1t is believed" SAYS the committee.
that when this work is done the
dreadlaught feet, pre-dreadnaught
feet. and all the auxiliary vessels Of
the navy viii be in a highly efficient
condition as regards the material"
The committee says the powder and
shell supplies are as good as anywhere
in the world. If not better" that the
guns are as good as any and that the
question of increasing the calibre from
14-inch 10 16-inch gun is now IN
der consideration by the ordnance ex-
perts in the Navy Department"
The mines and torpedoes operate IN
a successful way. The officers in charge
of submarines recommend TO the com
mittee an S90-ton displacement type OF
submarine n order that the radius OF
action srd habilitability Of submarines
might be increased, and the committee.
in the bill. recommends three of such
a type for experimental purposes
The report says that all the experts
before the committee agreed that the
dreadnaught is the main fighting unit
for the best naval defense of the coun-
try. and the committee. in recommend
ing five battle cruisers 10 the exclusion
of battleships in this years program,
SAYS II does not wish TO be understood
as concluding that the battleship has
been substituted or displaced by an
other type of war craft.
Our feet of dreadnaughts and pre-
dreadnaughts, the report adds. has
reached such proportion that the con-
struction of battle cruisers must now
be authorized and construction begun
al once in order that our feet be prop
erly balanced for fighting efficiency.
The bill carries S13,720, 600 fully 10
supply with all active and reserve am
munition all ships heretofore adthor-
lied. and s11 ,245.925 for ammunition
for for all the ships authorized in the
pending bill, making a total OF S24.
965,9925. This is new practice Of
appropriating. simultaneously with the
authorizing OF ships, for all powder and
shell necessary.
There is not q single government
dock capable Of accommodating a bat
uec ruiser, accounting to the commit
tee, though two are under construc-
ton, The bin provides $500, zoo each
for enlarged dry docks al Philadelphia
and Norfolk. with $500, 200 TO begin the
work AZ each.