Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-11
Secretary Daniels Orders Sus- pension of Work on 35- Knot Cruisers Already Au- thorized and Under Con struction
Chief With Advisers to Visit Europe and Study Ships Before Continuing Present Battle Cruiser Program
Rr Review Leased wirel

lbE ReNleW Leased WlrGJ
 WASHINGTON, March 10.-PosEi- bility that the whole battle cruiser program of the navy, involving an ex- penditure of nearly half billion dol lars, will be abandoned in favor of a new type of cruiser battleship, was indicated today by an announcement that Secretary Daniels had ordered suspenion of work on the six 35-knOt cruisers already authorized until de- cision as to the future type of capital ship could be reached,
 There is a wide difference of opin- ion among American naval officers as to whether the slow battleship and the fast cruiser should not give way in the future to ship combining the power of the one and nearly the speed of the other and because of this fact congressional committees have de ferred action on six additional cruis- CTS until a full report on new types can be made by the department
 To Gather Data
 1t is to gather information for this report that Secretary Daniels and his chief advisers will sail Saturday for Europe. They will be met overseas by Admiral Benson, chief of opera tiOns, and Vice Admiral Sims and upon their return some weeks before congress meets in extra session, prob ably in the early summer, a general majority opinion of experts will be ..E ,.r,r tai ships should be built.
 This statement was authorized to- day by Secretary Daniels:
 The conclusion relating to the type of capital ships resulting from close study of naval activities of the pres ent war, has created such difference of opinion among naval experts that the secretary of the navy has direct ed the temporary suspension of the large battle cruisers.
 Admiral Mayo's Opinion
 Admiral Mayo, the commander in chief of the United States Atlantic fleet, when before the committee on naval affairs of the House. stated that in his opinion the most effective cap ! ital ship of today is a high speed bat tIeship and as much as possible of ! the high speed of a battle cruiser Such naval experts as Admiral Ben son and Admiral Sims as a result of their observations and study abroad concur in the opinion of Admiral Mayo. Many of the high ranking of ! ficers of the navy department like wise concur in this opinion, while many of the experts of the general | hoard are of fhe oDiniOn that fhe hat | tie cruiser as planned be proceeded | with and battleships of slower speed | greater gun power and greater price ! be likewise constructed.
 Because of the difference of opin ] ion among naval experts the larger amounts of money involved CbetweeI | sIsO, ,OOO, ,00O and $200, 0,0O0.0OO) and tho greater question of fighting efficienc! being involved. the secretary of th' navy has asked temporary suspension of the construction of the battle cruis ]. CTS. Little of the work on the hulli has been done. Some of the electrica machinery has been started, but it i not thought that the delay of tw'
 months or so will be such as to ser
 iously interfere with the proper de cision in the matter. It is because O
 the difference of opinion among tn experts and to study the available les sons taught by the war that the sec l. retary of the navy is taking the chief of the three bureaus of the navy de partment with him to Europe to stud } the question with naval experts an obtain such other technical informs
 Continued on page tvo)