Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-01-06
WOULD MAKE navy
Equal STRONGEST
laval Board Says American
Fleet Must Be Made Able
to Challenge Any
Sea Power.

American navy should be equal to the
most powerful maintained by any other
nation of the world" not later han
1925, in the opinion of the navy gem
eral board, headed by Admiral Dewey.
The annual report of the dis
closes that this naval policy was for
mulated by the body in July last in
answer to the following proposition
~propounded by Secretary Daniels when
the administration reached its decision
to enter upon q campaign OF national
preparedness:
"What the navy must be in the fu-
ture to stand upon an equality with
the most efficient and most practically
Serviceable."
The boards conclusions follow:
"The navy of the United States
should ultimately be equal to the most
powerful maintained by any other ma
ton Of the world. 1t should be gradu-
ally increased to this point by such a
rate of development year by year.. as
may be permitted by the facilities OF
fined should be attained not later thar
1925"
Offer Building Plan.
AT HI same time the board presented
a building program for 1917 in COM
pliance with the secretary's request for
"a program formulated In the most
definite terms. planned for a consistent
and progressive development of this
great defensive arm of the nation"
Details Of h boards reply are not
revealed, as subsequently in October OF
this year the secretary asked the board
to prepare "a building program for the
navy that will continue over a period
Of five years, with an expenditure OF
about 500, 900, 900 each a for 4
years on new construction only" The
administration plan for the construc-
ton Of is capital ships within five
1 YEARS }, fo,Indad nm tho honrdta anou0r
At the same time the board again de-
veloped it's idea of the place the Ameri-
can nav should hold in the world In
III following language:
"The general board believes that the
course of the present war in Europe
affords convincing reasons for nod
Tying the opinion which 1t has ex-
pressed for the last IL years as to the
proper size of the navy. A navy IN
firm control Of the seas from the out
the defense of a country, situated an
Is the United States bordering upon
two great ean A a strong
enough only to defend our coast from
actual invasion will not suffice. De-
Tense from invasion is not the only
function of the navy. 1t must protect
our seaborne and drive that
of the enemy from the sea The best
way to accomplish all these objects ID
to find n defeat h hostile fleet or
my Of it's detachments at a distance
from our coast sufficiently great to
i prevent interruption OF our norma.
course of national life. The current
war has shown that a navy Of the size
recommended by this board in previous
years can no longer be considered as
adequate to the defensive needs Of the
United States. Our present navy is
not sufficient to give due weight to
the diplomatic remonstrances OF this
United States in peace nor to enforce
its policies in war"
The report lays stress upon the
boards proposal that seven Of the 16
new ships, four superdreadnaughts and
three battle cruisers be authorized in
1916. Secretary Daniels has recon-
mended to congress-, however, that only
two dreadnaughts and two battle cruis-
ers be authorized at this time. Under
the boards plan HI total expenditure
for the five years. including $1,000, 900
for the aviation service and $1,000, 900
for reserve ammunition and material.
would be s499,S 76, 900, the last appro-
priations for which would be made In
rail- for a total expenditure OF $502,482.-
PA, the last appropriations shown be-
ing for 1921, ard increases being made
over the boards estimates for subma-
ines and reserve ammunition. The
BOARD c~ontemplates the build
ng Of 10 fleet auxiliaries, while the
,ecretary recommends only six.
The board highly commends the pro-
1osal to establish a continuing build
ng policy for the navy, saying 1t will
stabilize the warship building industry
n the country and tend to reduce con-
ract prices for new ships.