The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-25
L. s. Preparedness Programme
Calls for Five Battle
Cruisers This Year.
S2.OOO.OOO FOR AVIATION
Fiske Wins-DemOcrats De-
fend Failure to Provide
DreadnOughts.


preparation bill. the second Of the Ad-
important preparedness
measures. carrying a total OF s241.4P.-
151 to be expended during the coming
fiscal year. was formally reported to the
House to-day by the Committee on Naval
Affairs.
The buildings programme the mos,
important feature Of the measure rec
commended by the committee. Is as fol-
lows:
Five battle cruisers to cost s20,%33,631
each.
Four scout cruisers costing s5.57l.soo ,
each.
Ten destroyers costing S1.32S,314.
Three submarines. with surface dis |
placement Of about 500 tons. $l.2o6,3o2 |
each. Seventeen smaller submarines.
$73l.30 each.
One fuel ship to cost $l,363,272. One
ammunition ship. &2.704,65O. one nos
pital ship. $2.250,o0o
The total cost of this programme. the
committee says in its report. will amount
to $lSO,Os7.357. and the appropriation
necessary 10 carry this plan into enect
for the first year will amount to sos'-+4.-
326. The ammunition for these ships Is
provided for In the bill. amounting to
$ll,245.?25, making in all $IO4so.2ol'
In addition to this sum there Will nave
to be appropriated s6s,32s,37l for the
continuation of the work on vessels here
toforc authorized.
a2.OOO.OOO for Aviation.
Other provisions in the bill, apar, from
ba IN ter nj HI.
ment which may be regarded as pre-
paredness features. are
The increase OF the naval enlisted per-
sonnel by 1850 men.
The increase OF the enlisted personnel
Of the Marine Corps by 3.01s men.
The establishment of naval hying
corps of $50 officers and student HERS
and $50 enlisted men.
The establishment OF naval reserve
consisting OF six classes.
An appropriation OF &2.oco,ooo Tor
aviation.
Authorization Of a projectile plant to
cost not more than $l.4ll,e2?.
An appropriation OF $l3,72O.0o0 Tor
ammunition for the navy
The authorization OF dry docks, TO cost
not more than $3.500,000 each. at the
Norfolk and Philadelphia navy yards
An appropriation Of 100000 for an
experimental naval W N'SN
not more than Sl.500.o00.
The establishment OF the office of
Chief OF Operations upon legal basis
with the rank OF Admiral and authority
over fifteen officers who will have direct
charge OF the work Of the fleet.
For a Pacific Conference.
stress also is laid by the COMMITTEES
in It's report on the one pacific pro-
vision OF the bill which calls for an
appropriation OF 100000 to pay the ex-
penses OF an international conference TO
be called by the President at the con-
clusion OF the European war Tor the
purpose OF considering the settlement OF
international disputes by arbitration and
the dlscontinuance OF the construction
OF competitive armaments
In this connection the committee
"while desirous that the country shall
be properly prepared against attack by
n foreign foe and fully realizing that
the navy is the first line Of defence" ex-
presses the hope that the object OF such
a conference may be attained.
The bill represents In large measure
| only the view Of the Democratic mem
hers The Republican members OF the
| committee will file their report to-mor-
row approving of minor provisions OF
tho hill. but presenting more compre-
! hensiye demands for a building pro-
pramme. the chief point OF contro-
versy.
mittee Justify their failure TO provide
for dreadnoughts, which have been char
.cterized as the backbone of the navy,
hy no,ptinR out the diversity of opinion
owonp naval officers who appeared be-
| fore the committee as to the immediate
needs OF the fleet. the defects OF the navy
as disclosed in war games. and the ex-
neriences Of foreign navies In the war
Lesson Of the War.
"In operations against an enemy that
| nossesses battle cruisers. says the ma
ior,ty report the United States without
snv such vessels will be at most serious
disadvantage for the reasons above SCI
forth At the outbreak of the present
war there were OF this type. built and
building in the British navy. ten; in
the German navy. eight. In the Japa-
nese navy, four. and in the Russian
"Recent reports tend to indicate that
,b..e numbers are being added to as
rapid,y as building facilities under wal
pressure will permit. lesson to he
learned from this war seems to bt
that ~ a. poesib" enemy is operating
vessels whose Silceu eH"o'es tHcH "
elude a battleship with certainty and
which are powerful enough not to feat
smaller craft the only method of de
fence AGAINST the battle cruiser seems Il
be the battle cruiser.
..The compelling reason for the recon-
mcndatjon by the committee for thu
hattie cruiser is the fact that each O
several foreign navies have the battle
cruiser and 1t therefore becomes al
absolute necessity for the proper nava
defence OF the country for tho United
States to likewise equip the navy with
this type Of vessel"
Navy "HiGhiy Emcient."
The report also formulates an elabo
rate defence OF the navy In reply to th
criticism OF the present naval admins
tvat based for the most part on tn
Testimony OF Admiral Fletcher, the com
mapder In chief. The assertion In mad
that in ships. guns and men the navy Il
in a highly efficient condition.
or the aviation appropriation the com
mittee says:
"It Ia contemplated that the 81. 200. 90,
recommended, in addition to providing
, for other aviation service. will EVENTUAL!
. bring the number Of service machines al
, TO seventy-five. and as soon as tn
various ships are fitted up the machine
, will he put upon them. II must be re
membered that the principal fuaction O
! aviation for naval purposes 10 scouting
CoRttwSsd on Strth P00s.