Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-02
NAVY BILL GOESTO
HOUSE CUT DEEPLY
1895, 504, 444 Appropriated.
Eliminates improvements
for Washington Yard.

Carrying appropriations reaching
total of 95.504.444.23. the naval bill
was reported to the House by the APP
preparations committee today, all items
for the improvement of the Washing
ton navy yard, as well as that at
Portsmouth. N H.. being eliminated
from the measure in committee.
The department had asked S19O,00o
for the Washington navy yard for the
fiscal year of 1922, comparing with an
appropriation of $500 made Tor the
current fiscal year.
A general appropriation under which
the local navy yard operates is con-
tanned in the lump-sum appropriation
for ordnance and ordnance stores,
which in the present bill amounts TO
S14.450,000 for the next fiscal year.
This is S3.455. 900 less than the appro-
priation for the current fiscal year
and $685. 900 less than the estimates
submitted for the fiscal year of 1922
In addition to the funds already APP
propriated it will require almost half
q billion dollars to complete the
Nays building program of 156 YES
sells authorized in 1915. The com
mittee'S report stated that Whlle the
total cost of completing the program
was originally placed at S544.10o.ooo
increased cost of materials and labor
probably would necesSitate an eX-
penditure of s972.931,000. of which
$53S270, 900 already has been appro-
priated
The ultimate cost however. may
come we'll within the revised figures.
in the committees opinion. since all
the vessels in course of construction
at private yards are being built on
cost-plus basis, which Will permit
the government to benefit in the event
of declines in labor and material costs.
S9O.00o.OO0 for Construction.
The bill reported today. which car
Of
44423. provides s90000.000 for the
constructio ion of ships. This amount.
the accompanying report stated. Will
allow the work to be prosecuted dur
ing the coming fiscal year about as
rapidly as it has been possible to
proceed thus far in the current fiscal
year"
The naval appropriation act ap-
proved in August. 1915, authorized
the construction of 156 vessels. all
of which, with the exception of twelve
torpedoboat destroyers and one trans
port are either built or building, ac-
cording to the committee.
The committees report pointed out
that thes Navy Department had esti-
mated it would incur a deficit of SOL
tai expenditures for the current fiscal
year S494.S40.229 or approximately
$100,000,000 more than the total car
ried in the bill as reported today.
To Cut Personnel.
Provision is not only made for a
reduction in the enlisted personnel of
the Navy from $4,000 to 100000, but
for a cut in the strength of the Ma
rine Corps from 27.400 to 10000 en-
listed men. No reduction, however,
will be made in the number of Of
ficers in either branch of service.
The Nays number S,319 and the
Marine Corps 1896.
During the war; the report said.
"the Navy stressed the building of
destroyers, submarines, submarine
chasers. vessels for mining operations
and certain other small craft, the
majority of which were authorized in
various measures subsequent to the
naval act Of August 90, 1916, and the