Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-02-24
TO EXCEL THE
GERMAN NAVY
That Was Object of 1903 Building
Policy, Says Badger.
ADMIRAL GIVES NO REASONS.
Cause for Change This Year to Equal
Any Other Power Unexplained Be-
fore House Committee.

INFLATED in 1903 by the Gen raj Navy
Board. it was discussed ON Tuesday
to keep the United States ahead OF
Germany for the race for naval
supremacy
The statement was made by Rear
Admiral Charles J. Badger. a member
OF the General Board who explained
that the policy had contemplated
fleet of forty-eight frst-line battleships
by 1919 10 accomplish its purpose The
statement did not go into the record
&c the hearing and Admiral Badger did
not amplify il to show why the board
had thought this course necessary.
Admiral Badger was replying to
suggestion that the object OF the old
policy. abandoned this year by the
board for the first time, was to keep
The American navy in second place.
While that was the effect il had. he
said, the real object was TO keep ahead
Of Germany This year the board fix
ed as its policy the creation by 1925
of a fleet equal to the most powerful
aioat at that time
The committee refraincd from coins
its ideas. beyond drawing out the eX-
PLANTATION that the board believed a
feet 10 per cent superior to any fight
ing force that might be broughtagainst
il would be necessary to insure against
invasion of American soil by an enemy
Under questioning by Representative
Kelly, Admiral Badger said the con-
struction Of three additional dread
naughts and battle cruisers wouid
place the navy on a par with the cap
ital ships Of the German feet today.
Germany now has p dreadnaughts
and battle cruisers, he said. accord
ing to the best available information,
the United States had all told. 10 ships
OF the dreadnaught class now built or
being built
To equal Great Britain's probable
fleet within two years. Admiral Badger
said. the United States would be oblig
ed 10 have a total force of 40 dread
naughts. 10 battle cruisers. 25 swift
scouting craft. 200 submarines and $50
destroyers. He was not favoring such
program but merely answered. T. G.
questions put to him by Represent
ative Butler Such a fleet could not
be built in two years. he said. though
il might be constructed in four.
Representative Butler said the con
struction experts Of the navy had told
the committee that he maximum num-
Der Of capital ships that could be laid
down at one time in the United State
was p, and that they could be compile
ted in two years if the skilled labor
could be found. Admiral Badger
thought the armor output would not
permit such rapid construction, and
Representative Butler agreed. saying
he had been told "by the man who
sell armOr to the Government" that
the maximum possible output was
$4,000 tons year, or enough to equin |
eight or nine heavy ships. Chairman
Padgett remarked that the armor man
ufacturers mad told the investigation
commission las year they could pro
duce only $4,000 tons annually.
In urging great increase in the
feet. Admiral Badger said he did not
wish to be understood as saving the
present force was not a thorough one
The only trouble with our fleet" he
said, is that it is not big enough for
possibilities. It's a good fleet. well
drilled well equipped and well organ
lied. We are now prepared just as far
as cur power will permit MS Nor.
power means more ships"
Regarding the present place Of the
United States feet among the navies
OF the world, Admiral Badger said he |
classed it as third in fighting power.
with France a close fourth. ct think
we are number three. he said. ia
pan is coming along. but has a good
deal TO do to equal our fleet In mill |
tary power n fighting efficiency - /
think we are a pretty good third. with
France not far behind"