Bisbee daily review., 1916-03-31
Secretary of Navy Urges Gov ernment Plants for Con- struction of Armor Plate and Shells.
 LAST WITNESS BEFORE
 BILL IS DRAFTED Other Estimates, Formerly Made, Are Raised Consid- erably. Appropriation for Air Craft is Large.
tsy Review Leased Wire.)

review of the administrations prepar edness plans for the navy was given the House Naval Committee today by Secretary Daniels who will be the last witness heard before the commit tee begins arranging its bill.
 He urged the establishment of a government plant to make navy pro- iectiles: raised the estimates for the proposed research laboratory from sl.OOO.OOO to s1,500.000; asked for about 15000 additional men instead of 10000 and proposed that civilian educators be placed at the head or the non-military departments Of the naval academy to release line officers for executive service.
 Requesting that all provisions for air service be stricken out of the end of the year building program, Mr. Daniels urged an appropriation Of s2.7OO.OO0 for aircraft this year. He explained that there was no way or determining what expenditure would be necessary in the future.
 Criticism of Secretary Daniels ad- ninistration CT the department prev iously foreshadowed by the course or certain comments on examining pro vision witnesses probably will mat erialize tomorrow. The secretary was allowed to proceed without interrup- tion today. He will issue his state ment tomorrow and the question will te made in the committee. Questions of new construction of battleships versus battlecruisers, of the size and speed of future submarines and oth- CT subjects much debated during the prolonged hearing were not reported Mir. Daniels statements outside of those relating to personnel and to al most wholly with industrial problems of the service.
 An outline of the departments plan for building up an adequate reserve force for the navy was proposed by Secretary Daniels. It provides for five classes of reserves. The first to be known as the fleet reserve, would be composed Of former officers and enlisted men: the second, or naval re- serve of officers and men of the sea going profession for service on fight ing ships in war; the third, or naval auxiliary reserve. of ship masters and seamen. enrolled for war time duty or the auxiliary fleets: the fourth, or naval coast defense reserve. of resi- dents on or near the coast capable of serving aboard mining craft. patrol vessels. torpedo boats, aircraft and the like for duty on the coasts when in their respective districts and the fifth. or volunteer naval reserve of men who would have no duty in peace times. but as owners of yachts. pow erboats or other craft, could render effective aid in war times.
 Secretary Daniels urged the com mittee to report favora6ly the armor plate factory bill which recently passed the Senate and which will be taken up next Tuesday. He laid stress on the necessity. in his opinion. of providing means for establishing a fair price for armor or other material needed by the navy through equipping government plants to produce what ever could bot be obtained at satic- factory figure by contract.
 4 projectile plant, Mir. Daniels de- clared. was vitally important to the navy. With commercial concerns flooded with war orders from Europe ne Salu. lIlCtS were SOluS up dDu IL had been very near impossible to get what the navy must have. He added that a government plant would make it possible to guard against navy in ventions getting into the hands of enemies as was now almost certain to be the case. The secretary read a long statement showing the iuctua- ton in the prices of projectiles asked by bidders.
 In spite of all the firms now en- gagged in manufacturing projectiles. for foreign governments. if is a fact that last July the department advert ized for six inch. three inch common proiectiles and was unable to obtain satisfactory bids. And on this ac- count only the department undertook to manufacture a large quentity of these projectiles at navy yards.
 When the 1914 bids for amor pier cling proiectiles were advertised. MT. Daniels said. an English firm. Had fields, Ltd, announced it's intention 10 bid.
 The companies usually furnishing armor piercing projectiles." he added.
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