The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-10

Daniels couples, in his annual report made public today, an urgent recom- for continued naval ex- pansion to meet the demands of | peace for national and international | work on the sea. Through nearly all of IA printed pages the Secretary tells in brief phrases of the navy's part in the war, of the doing of the seemingly impossible through team work. He speaks of the mighty accomplishments of transporting two million men to France, without the loss of an east bound troop ship through enemy ac- ton, and he devotes a graphic chap ter to the Marine Brigade, which as all the world knows blocked the last Prussian advance on Paris, and start ed German retreat that ended wit, the war.
 This reference to the future con cludes the report:
 "The day is not far distant when the world will witness an end of competitive building between nations of mighty weapons of war. In the peace treaty there will undoubtedly be incorporated President Wilson's proposal for reduction of arma- ment to the lowest point consisten; with domestic safety
 "Navies will still be needed as an international police force to compel compliance with the decree of an in ternational tribunal which will be set up to decide differences between ma tions. Naval vessels will have large peace tasks of survey and discovery and protection in addition to police duty of an international as well as of a national character.
 "Inasmuch as the United States is the richest of the great nations and has suffered less in war than any of the allied powers, it will devolve up- on this country to make a contribu- ton to the navy to preserve the peace of the world commensurate with it's wealth, it's commerce, its growing and expanding merchant marine, and it's leadership in the council of free peo- pie. Il is therefore, our duty now not, indeed, to enter upon any new and ambitious naval program, but to go forward steadily upon the lines of naval increase to which the country committed itself by the adoption three years ago of the first far-reaching constructive naval pro- gram in the history of the Republic T have recommended to this Con- gress the adoption of another three year program substantially like the one authorized in 1915. But tht victory of the allies and the United Ha gI will efnParol, trust within a few years make 1 no longer necessary for any natioT under whip and spur to burden 1t! taxpayers to undertake to build, 1T competitive construction, bigger fight ing ships and more of them than any other nation can construct"
 MT. Daniels shows that the new $500, ,000, 900, three-year building pro gram he has proposed will provide 156 additional naval ships, ten O. them dreadnaughts and six battle cruisers, and the others to be il such distribution of approved type as the department may deem best.
 Taking up his story of the nav and the war, the secretary declare the service was ready from stem t stern" when the United States enter ed the conflict. From the day whe the first three-year program wa adopted in 1916, he adds, "Congres has given everything that could b desired to insure the effectiveness o the naval arm"
 Team work had been the navy slogan for five years, and it con tinued to be the war motto both a home and abroad The striking sue cess of the navy is ascribed to tn fact by MT. Daniels, who continues
 Apparently there have been time when a Secretary of the Navy seen ed to find friction and lack of cC operation among the officers aroun him. If that spirit ever existed the United States Navy, I can sta with confidence and pride that thel is now no vestige of it, and I firm, relieve, from my experience, not on
 ring the last year but during Il e years preceding, it will never r, turn"
 The report shows that Vice A miral Sims, who was on his way London as head of the America naval establishment in the war zon even before war was declared, is soC to be named full admiral by Il President in recognition of his SC vices, the high character of whit the secretary says it is yet too ear to give proper place. The sendil of Admiral Sims was the first step ~ Q program of which the secreta says:
 "The outstanding accomplishme of the Navy abroad in this war, ou side of rigorous and valorous seFvi in the danger zone, has been t character and degree of co-operati and practical consolidation for t time being of our services with tho services with which we have been 6 sociated. The Navy, beginning wi the arrival of the first -hip abros has stood out for unity of commar even though this in some instanC involved sacrificing temporarily son thing of our identity as an indepe dent. service. This has not been
 easy task. It is believed to be
 safe statement that the degree
 accomplishment of our service in u respect Is without precedent in
 lied warfare"
 As concrete evidence of what V
 accomplished, the report shows Il
 on October 1 there were 336 Unit
 States naval ships abroad with 5,(
 officers and 7O,O0O enlisted men, ol
 greater force than the >otal strenl
 of the Navy when war was declar,
 while the American fighting CT
 has steamed an average of 626,t
 miles per month in the war zone. T
 did not include the cruisers and
 tleships on escort duty. Of the f
 destroyers to go over the Por
 rtaannad 6A A72 miles the ConnY