Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-29
facilities Alone Should Limit
Building Of War VeSseISi
Danger to Nation Close at
Hand,
ATTACKS AT SAME
TIME ON BOTH COASTS
Does Not Believe Great Brit
ain Likely to ASSaiI United
States, but Such Might Be.
True,

washington, Feb. 2S.--New con-
struction for the navy Should be
limited this year only by the coun-
try's facilities to build Rear-Admiral
Austin NJ. knight, president of the
navy war college, told the house
naval committee today If an adc-
ouatc fleet is to be made ready BY
1925. he declared. an immediate in
uuiry should be made to determine
the extent of these facilities and 10
plan for even greater building pro-
grams each year until the United
States navy is the strongest force
afloat.
"tt is q big program, of course, y
said Admiral Knight, "but we have a
big country to defend
Need the Navy Now.
Only the limited nature of construc-
ton facilities, the admiral explained,
had caused the general board to fix
1925 as the date the American fleet
should equal any afloat.
IF We could get It," he added. II
would say we need it now, today, to-
morrow"
In reaching its decision, the wit
ness said, the board had before 1t
the spectre of double assault
against the United states with enc
mics in the Atlantic and Pacific to
meet at the same time. Questioned
by Representative galloway, he said
the fleet proposed would meet any
such combination that did not IN
clude England and he thought 1t
unlikely that a combination against
the United States including that
country ever would be formed.
Danger Is Imminent.
Asked if he had any reason to be-
lieve that there was danger of an
other combination the admiral said
Yes" and. he was not pressed 20
amplify his statement
Representative Butler ask g
whether the sudden entrance of the
United States into the race of navel
supremacy would not cause other ma
tions to increase their programs.
The admiral thought not, for several
years at least, or until the American
fleet began to approach the BRUSH,
for instance, in size.
Asked by Representative Kelly
what the present fleet could do IN
case of an attack, Admiral knight
said.
Could Not Fight England.
If we we're attacked by the Eng
sh fleet, think tho navy ought TO
shut itself up in some harbor. but
against any other navy, VIC ought 20
so out and do the best We can. lie
was not without hopes, he said, that
victory might lodge with the smaller
forces,
1t was suggested that war with
England was extremely unlikely. Al
miral knight said this was open 10
Question: although the general board s
plans had not contemplated any pos
slble enemy combination including
England. The strange diplomatic de-.
velopments of the present war, nc
thought. made almost anything pos
sble and he added:
Conditions Changing.
Certain features, which we nave
heretofore regarded as features OF
safety have become points OF DANGER
! am not so sure we will never have
a war with England
Admiral knight said that battle
cruisers and scouting craft were the
things needed vitally TO make the
present fleet of dreadnaushts effec-
tive.
AS a part Of the 1917 program, the
admiral urged that Culebra island,
off the eastern end of Porto RICO,
and the farthest outpost on the roai
from Europe to the Caribbean. had
been made an impregnable fortress
where the fleet might be based.
Guam. in the Pacific he thought
should be similarly equipped.
Submarines Not Enough.
Admiral Knight disagreed with the
suggestion that the coasts of the
United states could be rendered saie
from attack by establishing a .chain
of submarines along the shores.