The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-29
j. 5. NAVY To Be
IN EVERY PORT
Double Standard of Power Is
Again Under Consid-
GRAFTON.
READY FOR EMERGENCY
READY FOR EMERGENCY
If Proposed Scheme Proves
Feasible Uncle Sam Will
Have a Hand in Sea
Supremacy.

Washington, Nov. 2s.---The creation
of double standard of power in the
navy, which WIS discussed in secret
among members OF the navy STAFF
during the Taft administration, is
now being revived by members of the
present staff.
The theory of the discussion before
! the com pletion of the Panama canal
WAS that enough capital ships. when
built, should be transferred per-
manently to the Pacific TO eaualize
the capital ship power of Japan,
Since the completion of the canal the
1 discussion has been on the Same lines
in perfectly friendly spirit. but some
officials hold that the ships on the
east coast should predominant in
umbers. and at the same time that
the ships on the west coast should at
all times he constituted of powerful
aggregation of dreadraughts and
second line battleships.
II was argued that with the canal
it would be easy to reinforce either
the Pacific or the Atlantic. one from
the other, as the occasion or emer-
gency demanded.
IL is probable that when the navy
is readjusted as to its future in con
struction and an adequate personnel.
the double standard navy viii be
realized, and that the number of ships
on the Pacific win be limited only by
Its docking facilities.
Fly Flag Everywhere.
According 10 views expressed here
today the American naval flag will fly
in all ports after the peace confer
ence. There will be only one station
To restore 20 it's old-time position and
Importance. That is what was known
az the European station. Il had no
. base in Europe, except the ports of
the European countries. 1t ceased
to exist some time before the Spanish
American war. but 1t now is possible
To retain the United States base at
the Azores. from which the ships OF
the new European station can radiate
north. south and into The Iedter-
ranean and Red Sea.
Other units now existent are The
South American, commanded 10y
Rear Admiral Caperton. the Asiatic,
commanded by Admiral knight: the
English Channel station. commanded
by Admiral Sims. the Pacific fleet on
the west coast, the Panama canal,
east coast, and the Atlantic fleet,
There is an aggregation of ships In
the White Sea which may be formed
into a permanent institution. and II
also is likely that there will be West
Indian squadron. to be reinforced by
number OF the onto be released
submarine chasers.
One OF the officials said today that
" the ships were 10 he divided he=
tween the Pacific and the Atlantic a
fair division would be twenty dread
naughts and sccond-iine battlesfirs
with eighty destroyers and a fair pro-
portion OF auxiliaries, for either side,
The great program of twenty rev
dreaGnaughts and twelve battle
cruisers, which Secretary Daniels says
he is going tn keep before congress,
would, when completed, give west
/ coast fighting navy of thirty-six first =
! class hattleships and ] A torpedo de
stroyerS. The cruisers OF the second
class and lighter warships could be
utilized for the foreign stations.
Most officials are agreed that unless
the peace congress should make some
radical changes in the actual and
I relative naSics of the world by de-
mobilization and disarmament. the
I American naval constructors will Sc
straight ahead building super-dread A.
4 naughts and battle cruisers. the latter
+ to have a speed OF thirty-five knots
and TO he armed with siNteen-inch
guns.