Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1916-12-16
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY OF NAVY

SECRETARY OF NAVY
WASHINGTON, Dec. Until all
nations agree to reduce their arma-
ment, the United States must con
tinue to increase its naval power,
Secretary Daniels declares in his an
nual report, made public tonight, and
which urges that funds be appropri-
ated at once to begin building AZ
additional ships.
Il feel it my duty to warn as sol
emnly as | may" the secretary says
after reciting the high expenditures
for the navy authorized at the last
session OF congress, against the
danger that lies in a possible feeling
on the part of our people that the
navy has now been attended to, has
been placed where it belongs, among
the great nayies of the world, and
there is nothing further to be done.
Complacent retrospection is the faith
er of dry rot. We have made a mag
nilicent beginning, but that it must
not be forgotten by the public that
the same intelligent appreciation of
our needs, the same willingness to
provide for these needs, must be
shown this year and every succeed
ing year if we are to finish what we
},.vsy a
Secretary Daniels recalls that the
1917 appropriation bill carries pro-
vision for a possible limitation of
armament agreement.
Picturing the result of construc-
ton now contemplated, secretary
Daniels says the main fighting Gle
ments of the fleet complete and in
commission in 1921, will be 27 dread
naughts Of the first line, supported
by six battle cruisers, 25 second line
battleships, 13 scout cruisers, los
destroyers. l2 fleet submarines and
1870 coast defense submersibles.
While there is no possibility of pre-
dieting what rank among the naval
powers the country will then take,
he adds, the authorization of such
program has been accepted as assur-
ance that the United States has
definitely embarked on the policy Of
building an adequate navy.
The secretary devotes much atten-
ton to discussion of the problems
encountered by the department in
getting the new ships laid down
Building facilities and skilled labor
are lacking, he says, and the pro-
gram he has recommended for 1918,
featured by three battleships and one
battle cruiser, viii tax private and
public plants to their utmost even
with the increased building squip-
men authorized for navy yards. 1t
was for that reason, the secretary
adds, that he did not follow the gen
eral board 5 recommendation and
urge that the four of the six remain
ing battleships of the three year pro-
gram and both of the battle cruisers
be laid down at once.
In its brief review of the European
war, the general board finds nothing
to warrant modification of its pre-
Tious belief that the b8tileship is
the backbone of the sea power of
nation" For this reason, the re-
ports adds, the board has determined
that the number, power and size of
the guns to be placed aboard new
battleships should be increased with
out sacrificing armor, speed or cruis
.ng radius. Larger ships must be
built to contain all these Characters
tics, the report continues, and for
the 1918 ships the board has recon-
mended "the most powerful battery
which it believes can be constructed
having due regard to the present
state of the art of building heavy ord
nance in this country"
1t is shown that the batteries de-
cided upon to meet these require
ments will be IL 16-inch, so caliber
guns for each ship. A test gun is
now being built.
Discussing enlistments in the navy.
Secretary Daniels shows that con-
gress has authorized an immediate
Increase OF $4,000 men, only 1884
OF whom have been obtained.