The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-29
ADMINISTRATION HAS RESTORED NAVY TO RICHTFUL PLACE, SAYS
 REPRESENTATIVE L.P. PADCETT
President and National Leaders Found Sea Force Short of all Essentials, Declares Expert and Built It Up to Respectable Strength and Postion-Praises Work of Daniels.

During the administration of McKin- ley and Roosevelt, from March 4, 1901 to March 4, 1905, the total cost of na- val vessels authorized amounted to $107,006642. During the Roosevelt administration from March 4, 1905, to March 4, 1909. the total cost of ves- sels auth orized amounted to $83,192,- 93S. Under the Taft administration from March 4, 1909, to March 4, 1913, the total cost of vessels authorized amounted to $127,747,113. While during the Wilson administration from March 4, 1915, to August 25, 1916, the total cost of vessels authorized amounted to $655, 5,289,S06.
 The above figures show that the to- tai cost of vessels authorized during khe Wilson administration to date is more than twice the cost of vessels au- thorized during Republican admins trations from 1901 to 1913. The to- tai authorized tonnage of the Republi- can administrations from 1901 to 1913, amounted to 1,116,018 tons. The ton- mage of vessels authorized during the Wilson administration to date amounts to 1,O14,666 tons. The naval bill which has just passed Congress au- thorized, for instance, 157 vessels to be built prior to July 1, 1919.
 These vessels as heretofore stated, restore the United States to second place in naval strength among the powers of the world, which position we lost under Republican administrations. The vessels authorized are to be the most powerful of their class. The battleships are to carry the heaviest armor and are to be the largest of any vessels of their class. while the bat dented speed of 35 knots and the un- precedented horsepower of 1So.oo0, having a length of about $50 feet, car rying a battery each of 14-inch guns, almost equal to that of the present bat tleships. The scout cruisers and tor pedoboats are to be the best of their class, while the submarines and aux diaries are to be the most modern and of the most efficient type.
 The records of the Bureau of Nav igation show that on March 3, 1913, there were less men in the navy than on June 30, 1912. notwithstanding the fact that the Congress on August 22, 1912, had increased the enlisted strength by 4,000 men. Recruiting had fallen to such low ebb that at the end of 1912, theb attleship fleet was short 1,648 men to effectively man the ships. It therefore appears that pTe- vious administrations were unable to obtain the men that Congress had au- | thorized, and in copseQuence. the &C., tive fleet was short of men and the reserve ships were compelled to lie idle at their docks and to deteriorate for lack of men to keep them in good condition. On March 4, 1913, the present ad- Pministration found the navy short of
 it's authorized enlisted force by 5,312 men. During the Roosevelt adminis- tration 7.500 enlisted men were added. This provided for only enough to man the vessels authorized during that ad- ministration, making no provision for | a reserve or for relieving the ther existing shortage. This shortage ex- | isted through the Taft administration, | and although Congress during that ad- ministration authorized an increase of | 1000 men. only 5000 were actually | enlisted. An investigation was made, and, after careful consideration, | means were adopted to increase re- cruiting in the navy as it appeared at the time, that the first need of the na- wy was enlisted men. The present administration immediately took steps to open the avenues for promotion for enlisted men and provided for their in- struction aboard ship in order that they might be educated to advance in rank in commission and warrant grades. The Wilson administration in three years has added over 6,331 men to the enlisted strength of the na- w. a number sufficient to man six dreadnoughts of the most modern type. There are 56 more vessels in commits sion now then when President Wilson was inaugurated.