Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-10
GREATER WARSH|PS
SOUGHT FOR NAVY
General Board Urges Fleet
Equal to Most Powerful
in World
HEAVIER GUNS ARE URGED.

Washington, Dec Continuation
of a.Duilding program SO that "the navy
of the United States should ultimately
be equal to the most powerful of II
world was advocated yesterday by the
general board of the navy in its recon
mendntions for 1921
TO car. out that program, the gen
Pral board asks for two battleships, one
hattlc cruiser, ten scout cruisers, five
tlOtilla leaders. six submarines two
airplann carriers, one destroyer tender,
one submarine tender and $2T ,0O0, 900
for aircraft construction. including eE-
perimcntal development.
The failure of the Senate 10 ratify the
peace treaty and the league of nations
was touched on by the ~ lrd when it
said:
Unless the Limitation of the size
OF armament is reached by international
agreement or through the league Of
nations, tho general board believes the
policy of the United States ON which
its building program IS formulated
should be continued.
The strength necessary for our fu-
ture navy will depend on the strength
of the nNvics of the powers i'll position
to challenge our Legitimate commercial
expansion on the high seas, the report
continues. ''and 50 long as no agree
ment limiting naval armamcnts exists
it will be necessary for the United States
70 add steadily to the number and power
Of its naval ships for the security OF our
interests, and also to provide replace
ments for ships that by reason or the
rapid development in naval c0nstruc-
ton will have to be Telcgated to the
second line or scrapped
Already it is evident first line SHIPS
will need a heavier armament thah tne
twelve inch guns of our first dread
noughts.
The reason for this is not alone due
to the weakness of the twelve inch pat
terry, as compared with modern bat
terry of fourteen inch or sixteen lnch
guns, but also to the improved design
and increased protection of later vessels.
"The recent war has emphasized the
great advantage of uniformity III speed
and battery in the battlcshipS of fleet.
The best concrete example in support
of this fact is to be found in the com
position of the German fleet ut the bat
tie of Jutland. The German battle
ships of the second battle squadron
were predreRdnOughts of slower speed
and lighter armament than the other
bnttleships of Admiral Scheer's feet.
Instead of strengthening the German
battle fleet, their slow speed and less
powerful batteries of eleven inch guns
handicapped the maneuvering and fight
Ing powers of the German fleet.
The recent war has demonstrated the
enormous value of submarines to any
navy, and in certain directions they can
perform services, both offensive and de-
fensive, not possible with other types of
vessels. Because of the large number of
submarines built or authorized during
the war, the general board believes it is
not advisable, for the immediate future,
to lay down more submarines in con
siderable numbers, but we certainly
should proceed with their development
by building type or pilot submarines of
certain classes.
The need of the navy in aircraft for
the fiscal year 1921 for carrying out the
general board $ aviation policies, as ap-
proved by the department, should be
covered by the following appropriations
for new construction
Heavier than air craft. S11 600, 900.
Lighter than air craft, $40, 900 900.
Experimental construction, SO 900,
600 -