The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-12-08
DANIELS TELLS
 NAvY'S WORK IN
 ANNUAL REPORT
Naval Forces Now Rank Second Among Those of
 World.


 stronger and more efficient than ever before, the American navy emerged from the world war second only to that of Great Britain and far in ad- vance of any other foreign navy in ships, in men, and every element of strength" Secretary Daniels declared today in his annual report.
 With eighteen capital ships-twelve superdrea dnaughts and six giant battle cruisers under construction, all representing the last word in construction, and several superior to any fighting vessels now in commits sion, the navy is pressing forward to greater things" MT. Daniels said
 Recommendation by the Secretary for the betterment of the service in cIuded:
 Extension of the course at the Ma val Academy to five years so the mid shipmen may spend one year afloat as enlisted men.
 Imne Hate enlargement of the ma val establishment on the Pacific coast to take care of the new Pacific fleet
 Temporary increases in pay of of ficers and enlisted men and increases i1 amounts allowed for communication of quarters and other allowances.
 Government control of wireless communication
 Expansion of the naval air service and continuation of the present policy of a separate air service for the navy.
 Construction of new buildings, in cluding a new Memorial chapel at the Naval Academy.
 Change of the names of the Bu- reaus of Navigation and Steam En- gineering to Personnel and Engineer ing Bureau, respectively.
 Mir. Daniels made no recomemnda- tions to an annual building program, explaining that the recoTnme endatfons of the Navy General @oard were under consideration and that esti- mates would be prepared soon for presentation to Congress.
 The actual cost of the navy to the nation during the war was placed by the secretary at $2,982, ,00O,0OO Dur ing the next fiscal year, he said, the navy's needs will be approximately $573.131, ,254. or approximately S40,- 100000 less than the sum asked for during the present fiscal year.
 Commenting on the construction records during the war, the secretary said that du"ir5 the twelve months ended last October 1. 159 vessels of all classes were completed for the iIct I4lCSS 4IItluutu 4uO uSSLEOyerS, l battleship, 32 submarines and 52 Eagle boats. A world record for de stroyer construction was made, the secretary said, in the building of the Reid at Squantum, Mass, in 45 work ing days.
 Discussing the proposed radical departure in the training of officers for the navy, MT. Daniels declared thai mo officer can command so well as the man of ability and knowledge who knows every character of service from polishing brass to the highest strategy and tactics" He added that years training as an enlisted man would prove invaluable to every of f1cer and that heretofore commission ed officers had no actual sea-going training in the duties of enlisted men except an incidental knowledge ac- Quired during short summer cruises MT Daniels devoted much of his report to a review of the work of the ne y during the war and in for efCn waters since the signing of the arnlistice. He declared that the re- markable performance of the navy in transporting troops, particularly in bringing the army back to the United States, was the outstanding wartime achievement of the navy.
 Regarding the enlargement of the Pacific coast bases, MT. Daniels said he could not "too strongly urge that Congress make a beginning in the de velopnent of shore bases, navy yards and air stations on the Pacific Proper care of inc vessels of the Pa cifc fleet, he added, makes such ac- ton vital
 IHe report paid high tribute to the services of naval reserve officers and men during and after the war with out whom 1t said, I've could moi have manned the ships and carried on the war; Secretary Daniels char acterized the naval reserve force as an invaluable asset to the navy and ! urged that Congress make ample pro- l vision for retaining and strengthenine the organization. ] Advocating temporary increases in ! pay Of officers and enlisted men and : increase in amounts allowed for com mutation of quarters and other aI- ] Iowances, the report declared that high wages offered by the merchant marine and shore concerns was caus- | ing many officers and men in the navy to become dissatisfied and was resulting in an abnormal number of designations.
 l The navy has been demobi1ized 1 from a wartime strength of mora ] than 5000 officers and men to 132,- , 900 of whom 5000 are reserves, the report said, and enlisted men are bad ly needed to mn the greatly in | creased sea-going establishment. ] High tribute was paid welfare or ganizations for close cooperation with the navy and labor was eulogized for 1 its patriotic response to the cry for | increased and sustained production of war materials. Prominent naval of- 1 ficers, notably Adrnirals Sims, Benson, 1 Mayo, Rodman. and Wilson, Rear Ad- 1 mira1 Knapp, who succeeded Admiral Sims in command abroad, and the of ficers who participated in the trans Atlantic flight, received praise for exceptionally meritorious service. The value of the Naval war College, at l Newport, R. L, was graphically dem onstrated during the war. the report declared, adding that "the day will come when one of the requisites to command of a fleet, squadron, di- vision or batt1eship will be diploma l from this institution"
 Salvage and sales of materials | found to be surplus after the war has amounted to s70,0oo,oo0. MT. Daniels l said, while the sale of small auxiliary craft has netted s9o0,000. He added | that all except 300 naval contracts l