Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-09
GREAT NAVAL PROGRAM IS
URGED FOR WEST COAST
stIaitl4 -..
Board Recommends Facilities
q for Handling Fleet of Super
=. drcadnoughts.
WOULD SPEND 600 900
Dccp-Watcr Bases for Ships 1000
Feet Long Drawing Forty Feet OF
Water Planned for Brcmcrton,
:, WASH, and San Francisco.
Icy Associated Press,

~-~W ASIIINGTON, Dee. S.-Devc!or-
inent of Pacific Coast naval shore es-
Enlistment during tho next five years
at = cost Of StSS, ooe.e a - recommends
"a IN the report, Of the special board
isancd by I~;sar-AdmirI! j. =. Mexican
sent last year to check up on its pre-
Ntous program.
Ucepwater fleet bases at Brcmcr;on.
Wash. At Il cost OF Sii,VUn, vuu. and at
San francisco, at 4 cost of S5l.0oU, o0p.
arc the chief Items proposed. the SAN
Francisco project as previously out
submarine basins.
the report urged establishment
frsncisco, saying thA; with the lirem-
crton base il would providc two deep
water stations tor the capital ships,
the minimum required for efficient op-
Grafton OF the Pacific Fleet.
In addition. expansion OF facilities a.
san D!eEo 10 provide Il ~coTnplot. opcr-
aunE base for southern California WAS
recommended TO include fleet supply
facilities and u repair base for the
si,alior ships. Advantages OF this
get practice were emphasized.
Mare Island Unavailable.
Tho board agreed with the Helm
commission tlolD that insufficient
depth of water rendered the dare is
laBd Yard unavailable for development
IS 4. bass IN san Francisco harhor and
favored Alameda site over tht at Hunt
ora Point. although Withholding final
decision pending further e~ubsurlacc
exploration.
Thc Eromorton maynard. the board
held. should be developed for the ca
case for the Puget sound submarine
hotilla at tho keyport torpedo station.
snd an operating base for dcstroyers,
submarines and aircraft al Tor, Ansc-
les, Wash, near Ediz HOOK The
Ercmc.ton base developments. the
board said. also should be completed
lance TO tins feet. II shouid include
slips and picts. two large
and TWO small dry docks and expanded
storage facilities.
The urgency cannot be exaggerated
Mhcu tho lack OF facilities for large
ships at san Francisco ana Hawaii is
realized the report said.
For Hnwaiian Developments.
The strategic position OF the Ha-
w,aian Islands. ihc board said, made
o. the Pearl Hnrbor station into a hrst-
class base adequate 20 take care OF
20 whole feet in any movement. OF
fcnsivc or defensive. across the Pa
ciic." DEVELOPMENTS recommended at
IN estimated cost of S21 600, 900 inClud-
ID an additional dry dock, increased
storage space expansion of repair and
maintenance equipment, and a com
T!btc submarine base.
The board recommended establish
Tncut of a submarine base at san Pedro,
Cal, and a base for submarines, de-
Stroycrs and aircraft at Astoria. Ore.
on the Columbia Rivcr. The latter
would rcquirc dredging the channel
and serve also as AN anchorage tor big
ships
Advantages Of San Diego as an avia-
lion training and operating base were
t.Ir ahasized and exclusive naval use of
the training station Q operated
Jointly with the army was urged.
Based on Superintendent Size.
All recommendations of the board
for the deepening OF water ways at the
various stations were based on ships
lcngth.
In addition TO AdmiralGMckean. act
Ing chief of naval operations at the
tire tho inspection WAS made, tho
board vas composed OF Admiral
.. W. Parks. chic: Of the bureau OF
Yards and docks. AID Commander J. G..
:li!ton. of the bureau Of supplies and
sum. considering the financial condi.
;ions of oar country it recommended
for expenditure. the hoard said il had
included mo items that arc not neccS-
SaEy 10 tho efficient and economical
maintenance and operation Of the fleet.
;na,t the providing OF these necessary
facilities can he done in time of peace
provieed and rushed under war Condi-
TONS and pointed 20 the fact that
more chan sSS,c00, 600 had been eXpcnd-
ed during tho war 20 cXpaNd Atlantic
Coast facilities already existing. II
called attention. also, 10 the Tact that
there we've thirteen bases oC various
soats on the Atlanta six more than
t n 5s;:l rs''n"en1'a n'F@.' for ne
ifho report says recommendations for
inttcascd facilri!Ss were already com
inE from the..4'a.iifc Fleet, despite the