Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-08
DANIELS AND PARTY
TO SAIL NEXT WEEK
Naval Secretary Will Discuss
With Allies Best Type
of Warships.
OPINIONS ARE CONFLICTING
Some Officials Would Build Com
posite Craft Of Heavier Gun
Power and Speed.
OPINIONS ARE CONFLICTING


WASHINGTON. March T-Sccrctary
Daniels and = party OF American naval
experts will leave for Europe next
week 10 discuss With allied naval Off
Gals the best type Of capital warships
to be built in the future. based on
the lessons gained in the great war.
Because OF conflicting opinions on this
subject among American officers. tho
a definite recommendation to the next
Congress in December.
1t also was learned today that Sec
retary Baker would sail for Europe
about April Ito close. up te business
AIRY forces. He Will he absent about
six weeks. and probably will arrive
overseas before Secretary Daniels re-
turns home. Thus, President Wilson
and the heads of both the army and
navy probably viii! be away from the
country al the same time. a situation
which many officials said today was
without precedent
The naval secretary will be accom-
panied by Rear Admirals Taylor chic f
OF the bureau OF construction and re-
nair: Griffin. chief of the bureau of
steam engineering: Eagle. chief Of the
bureau Of ordnance. and Comma nder
Foote. his personal aid
BENSON AND SIMS TO
MEET DANIELS IN PARIS
The par5. will be joined overseas
by Admiral Benson. chief OF the bureau
OF operations. who is attached to the
American neace delegation, and Vice
Admiral Sims. commanding all Ameri-
can naval forces in European waters
Mr.. Daniels and his party will sail
from New York on the transport Levia-
than week from tomorrow, and Will
go hrst 20 Paris to confer with tn.
French Admiralty. Later they will
tGft nI Isl
will be away month or more. Plans
for the return trip have not yet been
made.
While all deductions to be drawn
in detail. the American mission will
address Itself particularly to the ques-
ton of future types OF capital ships.
1t has been the judgment of the navy
general board. charged with fixing the
military characteristics OF new ships.
that the United States should continue
increasing power and battle cruisers.
Fletcher, chairman Of the general
board. and former commander Of the
Atlantic Fleet.
SEEK CoMPosTTE TYPE
OF RATTLE CRUISERS
Admiral Mayo. commander of the
Atlantic Fleet: Vice dmiral Sims and
Renr- Admiral Rodn,an. the three off,
GERS who have held the highest posts
zone, believe that composite shin
combining the speed OF a battle cruiser,
with the gun power and armor of a
battleship. should be substituted These
officers have been particularly i'm
pressed by British experiments toward
a. composite craft. with the construc-
tiou of the Hood. one of the so alled
British hush" ships.
Secretary Daniels has not taken
sides in the dispute. nor have his three
chief technical advisers. the men who
will design >and construct whatever
ships may be decided upon, expressed
any opinion. 1t is the secretary's pur-
pose to give these officers a full op-
portunity to go into all of the in
volved technical questions as to desigr
during the trip abroad. in order that
ne may have the benefit OF their ad-
vice when 1t becomes necessary for
him to finally determine future ship
types.
Secretary Daniels was invited by
the British Admiralty to visit Europe
during the war, but he was unable to
accept that invitation.