The Washington herald., 1918-12-09

NONTlNDED fhOM BAGE ONE.
struction authorized our constructors
viii produce the most powerful and
effective OF fighting craft"
The total estimates for ship con-
struction, involved in the new pro-
gram, including armor and armament,
aggregate s972, 10000. The amount rec
commended for appropriation next year
for the completion OF vessels already
authorized is $572.O9O,OoO.
Asks Record Budget.
The entire naval budget for the
fiscal year 1920 totals $2,644, 307.-
046.05. by far the largest sum Con-
gress has ever been requested to
provide for the navy in a single
, measure. These figures were pre-
pared before the signing Of the
armistice and the Secretary states
that after a study of the needs OF
the service by the department heads
will undergo a material reduction.
Naval aviation is to be continued
and developed upon a larger scale
than ever before. The budget con-
tains an item of 1926, 900. 900 for
this purpose. 1t also includes an
emergency fund of s175. 900. 900 for
the continued building of torpedo
boats. destrOyers. submarines and
sub ChaSers. Large increases are
also recommended for the pay OF
officers and men for subsistence.
In 1918 up to October l. 1856 ships
were launched. including / gunboat,
&c destroyers. % submarines. 2s mine
sweepers. fabricated patrol ves-
sells and sea-going tugs During
the year the department contracted
for battIeships. l battle cruiser,
9 fuel ships. l transport. l gun
boat. ammunition ship, 223 de-
stroyers, IS submarines. 112 fabri-
Gated patrol vessels. % submarine
chasers. 81 mine sweepers. 25 sea-
going tugs and As harbor tugs. be-
sides lighters. barges and other har-
Dor craft.
Many New Inventions
The report tells of notable achieve
ments in ordnance. and for the first
time the public is permitted to know
OF several new naval inventions Of va
ious kinds which helped win the war
A star shell was developed which,
when fired in the vicinity OF an enemy
fleet. will light it up. making each ship
visible and rendering them easy tar
gets. without disclosing the position Of
the attackers
new high explosive, named r. Y.
X. was developed to take the place
OF T. n. T..of which there was a serf-
Gus shortage. There was perfected a
nOnreeoil aircraft gun which is pro-
nOunCed by experts Of the world to
be "a great milestone in aircraft ar
mament"
The report also refers to the inven-
M
antisUbrnarine warfare. which has not
only an the qualities of an aero bomb,
but those also of a depth charge
ShOuldzthe bomb miss the submarine
it will detOnate on reaching a pre-
determined depth and will thus have
the effect Of a depth charge.
The marvellous qualities of the IA
inch naval guns. the largest and most
high-Dowered mobile artillery in the
world, (which hurled shells far behind
the German lines, is described. They
FIRE a prOjectile seven times heavier
than the German long-distance freak
which sheued Paris, and carry with
sure aim distance of 30 miles.
Plan 18-Inch Gun.
Another astonishing surprise fur
nished by the American navy was the
"" gun, n device for firing heavy
depth charges, which enables the firing
vessel TO discharge the bomb astern or
on either side OF the attacking sub
nersibIe.
In the future. Secretary Daniels
states, American Dreadnoughts and
battle cruisers will be armed with a
16-inch gun, making these ships the
heaviest armed war vessels in the
world. This gun throws a projectile
weighing 2,1oO pounds, and a broad
side from ship armed with them will
/. hurl total weight Of steel of more
than 5000 pounds.
The Secretary reviews the achieve
ments Of the navy in foreign waters
and concludes with a stirring account
OF the activities OF the marines and an
eloquent tribute TO their vaIor.