The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-13
PACIFIC COAST NEEDS
SHORE DEFENSES
Rear Admiral Mexican Recommends an
Outlay of s15S,ooo,ooo During the
Next Five Years.

Washington, D. c., Dec. l3.-Deyelop-
ment of Pacific coast naval shore es-
Enlistment during the next five wears
at a cost of Sl5S,000,000 is recommend
ed in the report Of the special board
headed by Rear Admiral j. S. Mexican
sent last year to check up on its pre-
yious program Deep water fleet bases
at Bremerton, Wash, at "a cost of S44,-
100000, and at San Francisco at a cost
of S5l 100000, are the chief items pro-
posed, the San Francisco project as pre-
viously outlined by the Helm board
having been increased by proposed de-
stroyer and submarine basins.
The report urged establishment with.
in three years of the base at San Fran
cisco, saying that with the Bremerton
base it would provide two deep water
stations for the capital ships, the min
imunf required for efficient operation
of the Pacific fleet. In addition, expan-
sion of facilities at San Diego to pro-
vide a complete operating base for
southern California was recommended
to include fleet supply facilities and a
repair base for the smaller ships. Ad-
vantages of this point as a base for
maneuyers and target practice were EN-.
phasized
The board agreed with the Helm com
mission (l9l7) that insufficient depth of
water rendered the Mare Island ward
unavailable for development as a base
in San Francisco harbor and favored
a Ia mod q gft haf
Point although withholding final de-
cision pending further sub.surface ex-
ploration.
The Bremerton navy yard, the board
held, should be developed for the ex-
elusive use of big craft, with a repair
base for the Puget Sound submarine
flotilla at the Keyport torpedo station
and an operating base for destroyefs,
submarines and aircraft at Port An.
geles, Wash, near Ediz Hook. The
Bremerton base developments, the
board said, also should be completed
within three years, as of vital ifnpor-
lance to the fleet. 1t should include
additional slips and piers, two large
and two small dry docks and expanded
storage facilities.
THE urgency cannot be exaggerated
when the lack of facilities for large
ships at San Francisco and Hawaii is
realized" the report said
The strategic position of the Hawai-
ian islands, the board said, made ALSO
lutely imperative the development of
the Pearl harbor station into a first.
class base adequate to take care of the
whole feet in any movement, offensive
or defensive, across the Pacific.'V De-
yelopments recommended at an esti-
mated cost of S27,000,000 included an
additional dry dock, increased storage
space, expansion Of repam and mainte-
nance equipment, and a Complete sub
marine base
The board recommended establish
ment of a submarine base at San Pedro,
Cal, and base for submarines, de.
stroyers and aircraft at Astoria. Ore.
on the Columbia river. The. latter
would require dredging the channel and
serve also as an anchorage for big ships.
Advantages of San Diego as an avia-
ton training and operating base were
emphasized and exclusive naval use of
the training station now operated
jointly With the army was urged.
All recommendations OF the board for
the deepening of waterways at the va
rious stations were based on ships of
40 feet draft and 1000 feet in length
In addition to Admiral Mexican. act
ing chief Of naval operations at the
time the inspection was made. the
board was composed of Rear Admiral
.C w Parks, chief of the bureau of
yards and docks, and Commander j. G.
Hilton of the bureau of supplies and
accounts. Discussing the Immense
sum, considering the financial condi-
tions of our country" it recommended
for expenditure, the board said it had
included mo items that are not nee
essary to the efficient and economical
maintenance and operation of the fleet,
that the providing Of these necessary
facilities can be done in time of peace
at much less cost than they cm, be
improvised and rushed under war CON
ditions' and pointed to the fact that
more than SSS,000,000 had been expend-
ed during the war to expand Atlantic
coast facilities already existing. II
called attention also to the fact that
there were Is bases of various sorts on
the Atlantic, six more than the total
recommended herein for the Pacific"
The report says recommendations for
increased facilities were already coming
from the Pacific feet, despite the fact
that it was so recently established,
making il clear that the feet officers
realized the necessity for the improve
I1lnnta anl