New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-03
Navy Personnel
Cut 100000;
III Ships Sold
Only skeleton of War Or.
sanitation Remains, Says
Secretary Daniels i'm Re
mort on Disqualification
Two Cunboats on Sale
.About 2,4OO Vessels Used
in Conflict; Fleets of
Volunteer Craft Released

r,,u Tbs Tribuae's washington bafed"
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE United
c.s,ss Navy is rapidly being reduced,
n. Navy Department announced to-
a.v Ships that were taken over for
-. wsr are being disposed Of and the
,.vv personnel has been cut down SO
cha. only skeleton of the war or
eanizaticn remains
IN a statement issued to-day. Secre-
.sry Daniels told of the reductions in
.Ss number of ships and in the per-
sonnet. All of the volunteer vessels"
enlisted for the war are being returned
n their owners or are being sold, the
Seeretarv said, The statement fol-
lows:
with the exception, perhaps, of the
maritime world, the people of the coun-
try generally are not aware of the ex-
,snt TO which the navy has been de-
modified in point of ships. They do
know that in so far as personnel is
concerned the navy is but q skeleton
Of its former tremendous war strength,
having experienced reduction in COM
missioned and enlisted personnel of
over 100000 men.
Navy Had 2,400 Ships
"A reduction in ships almost as
great in proportion to the number of
vessels operated by the navy during
the war has taken place. At the close
OF the war the navy had about 2,4O0
vessels of all descriptions, including
battlesAips Of the first line, the
auyiliaries necessary to their opera
M -k-
submarine chasers and yachts of all
sizes. which so effectually helped to
paralyze the-morale of the crews of
the German U-bosts.
in addition to the vessels which
war, there were taken over by purchase
and charter hundreds of vessels of
every description, including big steel
transports, supply ships, GOLFERS, tank
ers, tugs. yachts and motofboats. The
logisics of the navy's operations in
the war-that is, the problem of keep
ing the naval forces, which were scat
tered over the seven seas, supplied
with all material requirements, includ-
Ing food. clothing, ammunition, coal,
fuel oil, etc.-was without parallel in
The history of the country. This great
fleet of volunteer vessels has now for
the most part been mustered out, and
one by one they have been and are
being 'honorably discharged From
the doughty little motor patrol in the
coast defense service, to the yacht that
tracked the Uboats across the At
lante, they all served their purpose.
The chartered vessels have been re-
turned to their owners. Those &C
CURED by purchase are being sold,
along with number Of other purely
laval vessels Of the fighting type that
lave become obsolete. This latter
'iass includes coast torpedo boats, de-
s'royers, submarines, gunboats, etc.
y Gunboats To Be Sold
The gunboats Yorktown and Machias
are included among those to be sold,
also the steel cruiser Cincinnati,
launched in 1892. Among the largest
vessels recently offered for sale were
the two steel transports, the Yale and
Charles Formerly the Harvard). These
'eSsels are big rangy transports with
an appraised value of S850,O0O each.
hey we're sold to the Edward Farley
company for S1,755,000. The transports
AopatIn and Narragansett, now at
brooklyn, also have been placed on
sale
IN lhe sale OF vessels purchased
aurlng the war the Navy Department
Is following the policy of offering them
hrst to their original owners at The ap-
praised value. If the original owners
10 not want them, the vessels are then
offered for public sale and sold by
sealed proposals.
The Navy Department says that a
Total Of lit vessels has been sold
since the armistice, for which S2,549.
$3.50 has been paid to the govern
ment; There are still a number Of
vessels remaining to be sold, including
ABOUT 1870 submarine chasers.
In connection with the sale of the
submarine chasers it is understood
mat the navy is preparing plans for
me conversion of these boats into
Sachts and fishing boats, for which
purpose it is stated they are excel
entity suited. Some of these boats
purchased from the navy and now
privately owned are already being con-
, tsl.ea into yachts, and it is understood
mat Western fisheries association is
negotiating for the purchase Of three
VI these submarine chasers and will
s0n nTs them into fishing boats.
g.. There apears to be q ready market
t os most Of the vessels that the navy