New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-13
Couldn't Even Start a
Scare, Says Rear Ad-
miraI Stanford.
WARNS OF WAR
IN THE CARIBBEAN
Officer Says Two DreadnOught
Docks Are Needed on
the Atlantic.
Prom The Tribune bureau. J

Washington. Jan. 12.-The real need
for big navy, even ~ this country
should never get into a serious war,
was aptly illustrated for the little
navy men on the House Naval Affairs
COMMITTEES to-day. by Rear Admiral
Stanford. 81 the Bureau Of Yards and
Docks. In reply TO question from
Representative Galloway. of Texas. ms
10 whether this country would need
a navy any larger than ut present II
the United States should not get into
trouble. Admiral Stanford replied with
story:
II was walking down dark street
late one night some time ago. he said
"clad in large ulster. which made
me- look much larger and more formi-
dable than usually do. | passed a
doorway. in which several men were
standing, aud. as passed. | distinctly
heard one Of the men say: Hes too
big So have always thought that
the big ulster saved me from serious
trouble that night. To my mind, an
adequate navy is like the ulster. II
will keep MS out Of trouble
you have misunderstood me-" said
Mr. Galloway. IL want 70 know this:
DO We need a greater navy unless we
should get into trouble? don't want
to scare anybody"
"Well, certainly the navy We have
now will not scare anybody" retorted
Rear Admiral Stanford.
Guantanamo Best Site.
Imperative need Of two dreadnought
lrvdockf on the Atlantic was urged by
Rear Admiral Stanford. He said that
one OF these basins should be con
structed az Norfolk AZ cost Of 81.
800. 900. and the other somewhere south
Of Hstteras. the choice lying between
Guantanamo. Mobile and New Orleans.
Guantanamo. Admiral Stanford
thought. was the best site of the three.
considering It's location and the pre-
diction that "if we have trouble II
probably will come in the Caribbean"
lie said, however. that Mobile and New
Orleans were worth considering, IA II
would cost s7,500,000 TO fully equip
Guantanamo.
Summarized, his estimates Of the
sites follow: New Orleans. good site for
$4,000. 900 floating dock Mobile, worth
considering II a first class Gulf site
is 10 be chosen: Guantanamo, best Of
all but handicapped by necessary cost
Of Notifications and mobile army 10 de
fend the base. and by scarcity Of labor,
shin materials and supplies.
\ craving dock ~ Guantanamo would
cost s 10000 and shops, with heavy
machine tool equipment, Sl,bOO,O0O. The
total for development would reach about
$4,000 900.
$4,000 900 Needed for Yards.
To provide eight navy yards with two
battleship building ways and accommo-
dations. the admiral said would require
a total of s22.0O0,0 900, as follows:
Roston. 200. 900: New York, $1,000
oO0. Philadelphia, s2.700,000; Norfolk,
20 900 600: Charleston, $1,000 900; New
Orleans $4,000. 900: Mare Island. 80
400 900: Puget Sound. S2.l00,000. Other
CONTINENT outside Of the jurisdiction
Of the Bureau Of Yards and Docks would
bring the total cost to between S3o,-
100000 and S50,0OO,OOO.
Representative Gray, OF Indiana. a
smali-navy man. surprised the commit
tee by asking Admiral Stanford II Il
would be possible for this country 10
begin at once the construction of TWEEN
ty,tiye dreadnoughts. After some hest
tation Admiral Stanford declined 10
reply definitely. but said there was no
doubt that, with delay Of about six
months for the construction or ways,