New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-07
No Money for New Dread
noughts TO Be Spent
Before Next Year.
WAYS NOT READY
FOR LAYING KEELS
Drydocks in Only Three Yards
Large Enough to Hold Big
gest Battleships.

Washington, Jan. 6.-The keels OF
tho two dreadnoughts authorized by
Congress a year ago will not be laid
for at least another year, Rear Ad-
miral Stanford, Of the Department OF
Yards and Docks, admitted 20 the
House Naval Committee to-day under
n griling fire OF questions from Rep
resentative Roberts, of Massachusetts,
In short. he admitted that no money
would be spent on them before Feb
ruary or March Of 1917, or about when
the next administration will be taking
Office. months after the national cleo
tion. Thus the expense, not only for
the big naval programme asked by the
administration this year and next year
but even for the big items Of last
years programme will fall entirely on
the administration erected next NO
vember.
This intention Of the presen admin
istration was rather clearly indicated
in the recent remarkable financial
statement OF Secretary of the Treas
urv McAdoo. in which at first the
friends Of defence thought he had
nruned the war and navy estimates.
This was denied by the Treasury De
nartment. but II was pointed out that
amoncv was not always spent imme-
iiatelv after il was appropriated II
was by this system Of delaying appro-
nriations. taken with the changes In
Inc bookkeeping system Of the reas-
urv bv which the bank note redemp-
lon fund and the sums set aside TOT
disbursing officers are counted as part
of the balance on hand that the an
ministration was able 10 ask Tor only
sl12. OOO. 900 of revenue In addition 70
The continuance OF the war revenue
tax and the duty on sugar.
Exposure Of the extreme delay CON
tempiated with regard 70 the construc-
t,or ~ the two dreadnoughts author
lied last year was brought ABOUT uuIlms
a, attack on the Mare Island navy
Yard by Representative Roberts, dur
Inc which Representative stevens, OF
california. fought hard in defence or
his home industry.
No Money for the Ways.
Mr.. Roberts inquired of Rear Ad-
niral Stanford if any ways on when
tho shin 10 be built at the Mare Island
yprd. the contract for which had al,
readv been awarded 70 that yard, had
baen appropriated for. Rear Admira!
Stanford admitted that they had not
been. lie also admitted that snip
Vas on the ways already there, ana
would not be off for some time. Alter
ills ship was of the ways 1t would take
- 10 fofIIt
strengthened and extended to accom-
uodate the keel Of the dreadnought.
Regarding the construction of the
other dreadnought at the New forH
Yard. Rear Admiral Stanford admitted
that the California, now on the ways
AT the ward. could not be gotten of IN
side Of a year, rs she had only been
on them four months and 1t usually
took at least year and half TO get
a shin off the ways. Consequently u
would be impossible, he admitted, TO
Law the keel Of the other dreadnought
for at least a year. There was no ad-
ditional slip or provision for the con
struction Of one.
Dreadnoughts Too Big for Docks.
In his attack on the Mare Island and
other navy yards Representative kop-
crts drew admissions from Rear Ad-
miral Stanford that thirteen dread
roughts built. building and authorized
would not be able 10 enter the dry
docks He said these big ships could
only get up the Mare Island yard At
all under the most favorable tidal con
ditions. IL would be an engineering
possibility 70 put the channel TO Mare
Island in shape for the big ships, but
IL would require an expenditure OF
about $4,000 "a year TO keep 1t in that
condition, constant dredging being re
CURED.
Hasn't the time come when the gov
eminent saoIld cease building ships on
dimensions TO fit certain navy yardsV
demanded Mr.. Butler. Of Pennsylvania,
who referred TO the case OF the old
Indiana, which, he said. broke her
oack' in the navy yard at Port Royal,
$. c. lie insisted that proper place
for a navy yard on the Pacific Coast, in
addition to that at Puget Sound, should
be found. and that Congress should
stop wasting money trying to make the
Mare Island yard possible.
In discussing other yards Rear Ad-
miral Stanford admitted that there were
only three yards-New York, Norfolk
and Puget Sound-which could accom-
modate battleship No. SO. If the pro-
gramme announced by the administra-
ton was carried out, there would be
twenty-nine ships which could be &C
commodated only at these three yards.
The dock being constructed at Hun
ter's Point by private capital, and the
one al Balboa and Pearl Harbor, Ha-
waii. we're also big enough.
At present, Rear Admiral Stanford
admitted. the Newark was the biggest
ship which could get up to Mare Island
at mean low tide, while the Georgia
was the biggest at mean high tide. He
said II would be improper 20 take ships
of the Wyoming class in At all. SO in
adequate is the drydock that ships OF
sufficient narrowness Of beam to get
in az all through the opening only
IS feet wide-and which drew as much
as 80 feet, would, after everything pos
sible in the way Of lowering the keel
supports. afford only 2 feet inches Of
space for work on their bottoms.
"Only urgent repairs of most tenn
porary character, enough TO suffice until
the ship could reach real drydock,
coufd ba eHac4ad - aaid tho adj