The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-12-13
U. s. and BRITAIN
TO POLICE SEAS
Admiral Badger Tells House Now
Is the Time to Increase
Navy.
AMERICAS FLEET IS GREAT
Urges Appropriations Be Allowed to
Make 1t as Large as That of
Any Country-Sunk 157
U-Boats.


tions to provide navy for the United
States by 1925 as large as that of any
country was urged by Admiral Badger
of the general board of the navy be-
fore the house naval committee. He
declared the United States and Eng
land together could police the seas.
One hundred and fifty German and
seven Austrian submarines were sunk
in the war prior to August, Admiral
Badger told the committee, quoting re-
ports from Admiral Sims. He said
that the Germans had built 331 subma-
rines and that the Austrian underwa-
ter fleet comprised only 35 craft, ten
of which were obsolete. On August
last, Admiral Badger said, the Ger
mans haG 119 submarines operating In
the Atlantic ana % in the Mediter-
ranean, while at the same time Aus
tria had 18 in the Mediterranean.
Had the United States been fight
ing alone in the present war, the ad-
miral said, it's lack of ships would
have been serious and perhaps fatal,
because it has been learned that the
navy must be strong Ell ough not only
to protect from INVASION but also to
drive the enemys navy from the seas.
Now the Time to Build Fleet.
He told the committee that the
country never has been and probably
never will be again, as we'll prepared
to build a powerful fleet as at present.
Hundreds of thousands of men have
become skilled in shipyards which
hay been b siiGing vessels for the mer
chant marine, he said, and as fast as
these yards are released from that
work the training and experience of
these men should be utilized to the
greatest extent possible
Admiral Badger said the general
board had recommended before the
armistice, instead of the three-year
program, as recommended by Secre-
tary Daniels, a six-year,. providing for
the construction of II battleships and
II battle cruisers.
The question was asked Admiral
construction of a large navy by the
United States, and whether the state
ment of Lord Geddes that the United
States SHOULD assume a larger part in
the protection Of the SEAS" referred to
peace times as well as during the war
Admiral Badger replied that he did
not know what England's desire now
is.
England and u. S. to Police Sea.
Representative Kelly asked whether
England and the United States to-
gether had large enough navies to po-
lice the seas Admiral Badger said
they had.
''Then it isn't necessary for the
United States to make great additions
is it?'' he asked.
"No, not If the United States wants
to depend upon another nation for its
protection Admiral Badger answered
The admiral said it was the inten-
ton of the general board to maintain
adequate forces both in the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts of the country from
now on. The Eagle type of patrol
boats has proven very satisfactory, he
said, and can be used to great advan-
tage.
Germany had 56 capital ships in her
navy, including 10 dreadnaughts, when
the war began, and had seven other
dreadnaughts under construction, Ad.
miral Badger said. He added that he
believed work on the seven was dis
continued and material was used for
submarine construction.
The question of disposal of the sur.
rendered German fleet, the officer said
should be left to the peace conference
'It is a question of policy for the
peace conference to determine wheth-
er the ships shall be distributed, de-
stroyed or returned" said he.
Records of the sinkings of German
submarines are more or less mac
curate, the admiral said, because there
Is no definite information of destruc-
ton of the crafts by mines. He said
British ships had picked up Germans
from submarines that supposedly had
been sunk, but later it was learned that
the submarines made port and were
repaired.
The German gun that shelled Paris
was a "15-inch or one reduced to nine"
Admiral Badger. said.