Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-03-11
MAY ABANDON NAVY PROGRAM
 FOR CRUISERS
Daniels Orders Suspension Of Work On Six Ships. FAVOR NEW TYPE OF
 BIG EMPHASIZES
Naval Officers Want DeStroyert With More Speed And
 Power.

Washington March 1O--pOSSibility that the whole battle cruiser pro gram of the navy. involving the eX- penditure of nearly half a billion dollars, will be abandoned in favor of a new type of cruiser battleship was lnlcated by an announcement that Secretary Daniels had ordered sus- pension of work on the six 3j-knOl cruisers already authorized until Il decision as to the future type of capi- tai ship could be reached
 There is a wide difference of opip- ion among American naval officers as to whether the slow battleship and the fast crusar should not give way m the future to ship combin- ing the power of the one and nearly the speed of the other. and because or this fact congressional commit tees have deferred action on six ad- ditonal cruisers until full report on new types can be made
 Gather Information.
 It is to gather information for this report that Secretary Daniels and his three chief technical advisers will sail Saturday for Europe. They will be met oerseas by Admiral Benson. chief of operation, and Vice Admir- al Sims. and upon their return some weeks before congress meets in ex- tra session, general finance meet ing will be held at which majority of opinon of experienced naval of- ficers will be worked out as to what types of capital ships should be built.
 A statement by Secretary Daniels said in part
 The conclusion relating to the type of capital ships resulting from close study of naval activities of the present war has created such q diff ference of opinion among naval ex- perts that the secretary of the navy has directed the temporary suspen- sion of the building of the large bat tie cruisers.
 Fayors Fast Model.
 Admiral Mayo. the commander-in- chief of the United States Atlantic fleet, when before the committee of naval affairs of the house, stated that in his opinion, the most effect i've capital ship of today is high speed battleship which carries the great guns, power and armor protec- tion of battleship and as much as possible of the high speed of bat tie cruiser. Such naval experts as Admiral Benson and Admiral Sims, as a result of their observations and study abroad, concur in the opinion of Admiral Mayo. Many of the high ranking officers of the navy depart ment, likewise. concur in this Opin. ion, while many of the experts of the general board are of the opinion that the battle cruiser, as planned, should be proceeded with and that the battleships of slower speed. greater gun power and greater pro- lection, likewise be constructed.
 Contracts Suspended.
 Because of the difference of opin- ion between naval experts, the larger amount of money involved Cbetween S0,000.00O and $2O0,0OOOO0) and the great question of fighting eff ciency being involved, the secretary of the navy has directed temporary suspension of the construction of the battle cruisers. Little of the work on the hull has been done Some of the electrical machinery has been started, but 1t is not contemplated that the delay of two months or so will be such as to seriously interfere with the proper decision of the mat ter"
 The difference of opinion began last year when the British admiralty decided to alter the plans for the battleship Hood to make her com posite battleship and battle cruiser. In effect, the decision was to build a very high speed baftleship. sacrificing gun power to some extent for speed. but retaining the defensive armor of a ship of the line. The Hood will carry eighmt 15-inch rifles, full bat tleship armor and have speed of a little more than 3O-knots an hour. Her displacement is in excess of 4O,- | 900 tons.
 It is understood the original pur. pose of the constructor of the Hood was to produce vessel to meet tho raids of the German battle cruisers on the British coast Officers wh( have not taken sides in the dispute here say that so far as they know Great Britain has not laid down any additional ships of this type.