The sun., 1916-02-02
DANIELS CUTS NAVY
MUNITION ESTIMATE
House Committee Surprised at
Reduction Of S3.0OO,OOO
for Fleets Use.
REBrKE TO PRESIDENT

NAsHiNGroN. Feb Admiral
s,,5.,.s chief Of the bureau OF ordnance
,.,,acd before the House Naval COM
r.,'ec to-day that the bureaus esti-
mate for the purchase OF $4,000. .00U
worth of ammunition for the use OF the
a,e, us reduced TO sio,ooo.ooo by or.
,,, " Secretary Daniels. II is the gen.
,.,l understanding that this big cut was
made by the Secretary Of the Navy
TOR conference with President Wilson
The Intelligence that the Secretary Of
,re Navy had directed this material re-
egcton N the estimate OF ammunition
,cured made by Admiral Strauss was
,Iistiurt shock to the advocates OF pre-
,arcdncss on the Naval Committee. Tho
"l,,,le navy' members commended Sec
,etary Daniels for exhibiting signs OF
economy IN administering the naval ser
,!gs.
Admiral strauss told the committee
mat the estimate for powder was re-
euted on the theory that battleships 43
ard ~ would not be completed for a
runber OF years and that powder for
these vessels could he provided later.
The witness left the impression that he
-csutdcd delay as unwise and that he
believed the projectiles for these ships
should te made as speedily as possible
IN the testimony Admiral Strauss
.ad he favored construction OF Gov
srrmcnt plants for the manufacture OF
,.-,,....l,s and arnipr plate
we have made inch projectiles IN
the Washington yard and | can see nc
.,lson why wc cannot successfully make
prajcctilcs OF larger calibre.' nc said. u
am unable to furnish a detailed estimate
OF the cost OF these projectiles. but
am certain from my experience that We
can make these shells much cheaper thar
they can be made by private manufac'
turcrs.
Secretary Daniels has replied to a res
o,u,ion introduced by Representative
I;.rdurr Of Massachusetts asking intor'
nation regarding target practice on bat
,leships In refusing TO disclose this III
formation Mr.. Daniels explained that i
Vas the very kind OF information tina
foreign Governments were seeking. Th'
ta~luer resolution set forth what pur
por'cd to be battlsship scores OF l9l
and Mr.. Gardner asked IL these hgurei
were correct.
The data given in the resolution,
v.u'e Mr.. Daniels. namely ship. caIi
Or, OF gun. range. number ot shots hreI
and number of hits, would give TO al
.or,gn Powers just the Information de
s.ted by them. Such Information Is con
,Ierrd by all Powers as most conftden
.;,l and such as they strive hariest 4
.c.p secret. An analysis or these dat'
vii show at once the amount or DANCE
to lee expected upon encounterng an!
one nf these vessels. For this reason IN
Secretary considers IL incompatible VIII
tho public interest to make any furthe
statement regarding the scores.
Rebuking the President for railing 4
o,,,. dite the naval building programme
r. the international situation ~ as men
cling to the United States as has beef
ror,rayed In Mr. Wilson's Wcste'I
,poo.hes. Representative Kelley OF Nichi
.,1. a Republican member Of the Hous
Nsyal Committee offered resolution
..r-.tiag the Secretary oc the Navy y
-rnc. up work on tho siNty-seven nava
.HIrs building and authorized. Tn
f.,onu;Ion authorizes the Secretary o
'.. Navy to determine just how soon IN
,,-.sls building and authorized ma,
+" .nmpl,te,I and 10 report to tongres
wrh.u thirty days from tine date o
IL IGpptIOn