Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-24
navy BILL CALLS
FOR $241,0OO,0OO
Measure Reported to House
Shows $91,787,287 In
crease Over Last Year.
NECESSARY FOR BETTER
STATE OF PREPAREDNESS
sos, S59,37S Provided for New
Ships, Including Five Battle
Cruisers.


The naval appropriation bill,
carrying a total of S241,ooo,ooo,
was reported to the House today
by Chairman Padgett of the naval
committee. Majority Leader
Kitchin announced yesterday that
a special rule would be brought
| in, under which the measure will
be passed not later than week
from next Saturday night.
The committees report says that the
$91, 7s7.2s7 increase over last years ap-
preparation was found necessary Ito place
the navy in a better state OF prepared
ness" 1t states that total OF s'S,e1'' :
378 Is provided for new SHIPS. lncluuills
now building.
Increase in Personnel.
The report says that in few years the
shortage of the commissioned personnel
of the enlisted personnel. by the 1873
additional men provided for In the Dill
| represents the consensus OF opinion OF
the experts who appeared before the COM
mittee and is all that it is possible Tor
the Navy and Marine Corps 10 recruit IN
the next fiscal year"
The report especially emphasizes the
testimony of Rear Admiral Fletcher that
the battleships and destroyers with the
and efficient condition, with a few excep-
tons. The bill provides for general over
hauling and repair of all vessels men
toned in the exceptions by Admiral
Fletcher and major repairs to the extent
! of 50. s15, 900 on various ships are author
lied to produce their highest efficiency.
Will Be Made Efficient.
TT is believed" says the committee
that when this work Is done the
dreadnaught fleet. pre-dreadnaught
feet and all the auxiliary vessels OF
the navy will be in highly efficient
condition as regards the material"
The committee says the powder and
shell supplies are as good as anywhere
in the world. eff not better; that the
guns are as good as any and that the
question of increasing the caliber from
a fourteen-inch to sixteen-ineh gun
is now under consideration by the ord
nance experts in the Navy Depart
ment."
THE mines and torpedoes operate
in a satisfactory way" the report adds.
The officers in charge of submarines
recommended to the committee an 800
ton displacement type of submarine in
order that the radius of action and
increased. and the committee. in the
bill, recommends three of such type
for experimental purpose
Dreadnaught Deemed Best.
The report says that all of the naval
experts before the committee agreed
that the dreadnaught is the main fight
ing unit for the best naval defense
of the country, and the committee in
recommending Ave battle cruisers to
years program says it does not wish
to be understood as concluding that the
battleship has been substituted or dis
placed by another type of war craft.
Our feet OF dreadnaughts and pre-
dreadnaughts." 1t adds. has reached
such a proportion that the construction
Of battle cruisers must now be author
lied and construction begun at once
in order that our feet be properly bal
anced for fighting efficiency
Concerning the War Abroad.
Discussing the war abroad, the report
says:
while it is realized that there have
been no jor fleet operations. the dread
naught fleets of Great Britain by their
mere existence and their readiness to act
have kept the feet of the enemy in port
behind mines and shore defenses Nor is
it denied that the dreadnaught is the
backbone Of the fighting efficiency Of any
proper naval defense Of a country Yet
the employment Of battle cruisers in the
present European war has been effective
in the raids In the North sea and in the
protection Of commerce and II possessed
only by vessels of the same type
1t says that due to the activities of
deep sea mining in the European war"
the bill provides an increase in the
number of mines to be kept on hand
The navy has on hand or ordered all
the powder and reserve for all capital
ships in commission or about to be
commissioned and has the allowance of
powder for all other guns in the serv-
ice and nearly all in reserve, and has
now actually on hand or in process of
manufacture torpedoes sufficient for
the full allowance and reserve for
every ship the government possesses or
that has been authorized.
Carries Money for Ammunition.
The bill carries s1s.72o.ooo fully to
supply with all active and reserve
ammunition all ships heretofore
authorized. and s11.245.s25 for ammu-
milton for all ships authorized In the
pending bill, making a total of $24,-
s65,925. This Is a new practice Of APP
propriating. simultaneously with the
authorizing of ships. for all powder
and she'll necessary.
This recommendation" says the
committee. is in view of the expert
ence of the European belligerents in
their failure to obtain war munitions
as rapidly as was expected"
There is not a single government
dock capable of accommodating a bat
tie cruiser. according to the commit
tee. though two are under construction.
The bill provides. $500, 900 each for en- :
larged dry docks at PHILADELPHIA and
Norfolk. with 100000 to begin the
work at each.
FAMINE CLAIMS 10000.
Starvation in Lebanon Saws Syrian