New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-29
Submarine Chasers on Paper
Bu A. Fredericks

-. o,b.r psrts made, and then these
parts could have been distributed among
wards. where the work OF assembling 'ou
had been done promptly ana properly
rad this Standardization been used, IN IesS
,bar siy months there would have been
eeet If more than FIVE hundred vessels. inns
ms,hod WAS adopted by one firm OF ouloers'
,,ho turned ont $50 boats for the Brush IN
,.,. than a year and half, and II one III"
could do that how much more would ooze"
working under one head have done
Volunteers Waiting
More than five thousand men have oeeh en-
rolled in the Coast Defence Reserve. vi tneSe
four thousand are from the Third District' u
which New York is the centre. some Oh these
men are now on patrol duty in the rev ooatS
that are on station, but the vast majority arc
waiting for something TO do. they are 'enu,
inc their usual vacations, and have been told
that when wanted they will be sent lot IL
has only recently come to the minds OF the
department that perhaps these men wouid
| be more efficient il they had some active
training. The soldiers are training at Platts-
burg and other camps, but-the Naval Reserve
, has been waiting Now it is proposed to take
the I'd Battalion Naval Militia Armory in
vessels. and put the members of the reserve
into active training. Many Of them know lit
tie beyond boat handling, and some very little
of that. They have much to learn to be htted
for handling patrol boats out in all weatners
and to use guns and fight submarines.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary
| of the Navy has charged the yachtsmen with
wishing TO unload their yachts on the gov
eminent at prices out of all proportion, and
! he favors the passage of a bill by Congress
to empower the government TO commander
all the yachts wanted. Mr.. Roosevelt classl-
fies the yachtsmen and owners OF all power
craft together, and he instances the action OF
the owner of a fishing boat who tried to make
profit of $4,000 as characteristic of all.
The yachtsmen have done great deal tow
ard defence work While the Navy Depart
ment was sleeping some yachtsmen organized
| the Naval Training Association, and at their
own expense enabled $500 citizens to have
months training in battleships last year.
MANY of those who took this training paid
their own expenses, many did not, and their
| fees and other expenses were betrayed by the
| association. Other yachtsmen organized the
| Volunteer Patrol Squadron, and built vessels
| for this squadron, and maintained them at
their own expense. They are still doing this
Others built vessels suitable for patrol work
and have turned them over TO the government
and others have either donated, loaned, char
tered or sold their yachts for the reserve
work.
The Fair Price of Yachts
II is not fair of Mr.. Roosevelt to make
sweeping charges against the yachtsmen, VINO
are at present doing more than any other
class of sportsmen for their country, and who
have always appreciated that they would some
day have to help in the way they are now
doing either with their yachts or with their
services. There are some who are willing TO
sell at fair prices, but what naval board OF
appraisal fixes as a fair price for yacht is
usually far below it's value. The naval board
simply appraises the value of the hull and
engine, but it is the interior fittings that
make a yacht costly 1t is fitted and fur
nished to suit the tastes and requirements OF
the owner at a great expense. When the yacht
is taken by the navy these fittings are ripped
out and thrown on the junk heap. They are
of no use for naval purposes, but the owner
should be paid for them and for their loss
Had the Navy Department started in to en-
roll yachts year ago, and at that time found
out the prices at which they were held and
what was necessary to fit them for service, by
this time there would have been a fair-szed
patrol feet, provided, of course, that the guns
are obtainable.