Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-12-10
URGE BIG NAVY
Should Be Equal TO
Most Powerful
Maintained by Any Other Nation -
To GUARANTEES Protection OF Coast
Lines and Rapidly Expanding Mer-
chant Marine-Wouid Act as Pre-
Nentiue or War

Washington. Dec. e-Recommenua-
tinns Of tht navy general board for
the building program for 1921 include
two Dat1ieships. one battle cruiser
10 scout cruisers. five DESTROYER '.ffo-
rilia leaders and SIX submarines.
The navy uf the United States
should ultimately ne equal to the
most powerful maintained by any
other narlon of the world MOI later
than 1925, the report ADDS
The statement Of policy as 10 the
ultimate strength of The naxy anu
the time when il should be achieved
Is d relterat lGn of the boards posi-
riUn as carried III It's report to Secrz-
laTy Daniels each year since 1915.
In lis recommendations made pub
he today al the department. the gen
era board urged a policy of navai
expansion MAJ viii guarantee pro-
lection Of coast lines and the -auldIy
expanding merchant marine against
any naval power in the world Sucb
protection. the board declared. can
be mad only by increasing Anerl-
can seapower to q DOint where il is
SECOND 10 none" and Maintaining Il
at that level
The board further asserted TIM
tilaa me WIZ having demonstrated
trat possessIun of fleet powerful
enough 10 protect its sea-bnrne CON-
Iner1ce is vital Ii any milton in time
of hnsDilrles. the maintenance of
such navy by the United States
would he s. aac preventive of
war no nation would likely prpvpsp
hnstilltles when her own commerce
would thereby ne imperiled.'" The
NECESSARY future strength of The
American navy, therefore. must de-
pend. the board said. upon the naval
strength Of the powers in a position
10 challenge our legitimate CONNER
cial expansion upon the higf1 seas"
Declaring the greatest naval les
son on The war WIS the immense ad-
vantage Of uniformity IN speed and
armament of first line ships. the
board asserted II already was evil
DEM that first line ships of the Amer
lean navy must have heavier a-na-
rnen1 than the 1@-inch guns of the
first dreadnaugtlrs. These ships the
board said, rapidly were assuming
The same relationship TO the navv's
superintendent thai the older
baTrleshlps bear TO the first dread
nuugrts themselves. with the time
approaching when thew no longer ran
be considered as effective first line
ships. The German fleet. the boarl
declared. ii tins connection. WAS
handicapped and MOI strengthened BY
the presence III pre-dreadnaugf1rs of
slower speed and lighter armament
IN the battle Of Jutiand because
they reduced the maneuvering and
lighting powers Of the entire fprce
emphasizing The deficiency of the
american navy IN scout cruisers. the
board recommending the cunsrruc
non of 10 Of these ships, cited the
value of such craft To the British
fleet during the war and declared
them TO be essential 10 "anv we'll
balanced navy" Recommending c,n-
sl-uction of five Ships or the sinner
destroyer type, the board empnasiz-
ed the usefulness Of sucn ships IN
connection with destroyer operations
As means Of applying and deveI-
oplns the lessons of the war in sI,h
Murine construction. the board rec-
commended construction of SIX ryne
or pilot submarines rather than
large building program in present
types. One destroyer and one subna-
rlne tenuer completed the program.
For Development and construction
Of aircraft during the year the board
recommended an appropriation Of
saa7 900, $50. with 5000. 900 TO be used
TOR experimental construction.