The Washington times., 1921-02-03
FLEET EQUAL TO
STRONGEST URGED
Report of General Navy Board
Submitted to Senate by
Secretary Daniels.
(Continued from First Page.

to rely solely upon our own state OF
preparedness
"The general principle OF concen-
tration of power in ships that can
deliver and receive the heaviest blows
and that can overcome the strongest
ships that may be brought against
them will continue as long as navies
exist" the report declared.
NEW WEAPONS FAILURES.
Because OF the cost OF capital ships
there has always been enthusiasm
for any new weapon OF naval war
fare. the board declared. but thus far
the new weapons have failed to sup
plant the capital ship.
Much was expected or fast torpeuo
boat destroyers that could launch
flock of torpedoes against capitai
ships in battle formation with fatal
effect" but in the battle OF Jutiand
these tactics failed" the report con
tinued. The British battleship Aari-
borough. latter being torpedoed' re-
mained ii the line and got safely
back to bort, and the German snip
Seydlitz had the same experience,
Speed and lodging failed" In the
recent war when Germany put out
fast light cruisers and raiders. be-
cause the German fleet could not sup
port them. the report declared.
CAPITAL SHIP SURVIVES.
During the late war. the subma-
rine, n new weapon never before tried
in war, received enormous develop
ment," the report declared. 1T came
very near winning the war for Ger
many. But as always, necessity and
invention combined found means to
meet the menace and reduce 1t to con-
trollable limits.
The capital ship survived this, per-
haps the most serious danger TO
which it has yet been exposed, and
further improvements in underwater
protection, as we'll as in other ways,
have greatly minimized it."
mo one can foretell what the de-
velopments in aviation may bring In
the modification OF present accepted
types of surface vessels. but II may
be confidently asserted that changes
OF type due TO this influence Will be
slow and will not seriously af1ect the
value of the ships now built or TO be
built in the near future" the report
continues. Predictions are one thing,
actualities are another.
DEFENSE SEEMS SOLVED.
AT the present time the defense of
surface ships against aircraft at
tack. whether by bombs or torpedoes,
seems fairly well solved. 1t consists
mainly in meeting aircraft with air
craft. Hence the need for immed-
late training and preparation in avia-
ton" The report declared IL would
be difficult to put battleships out of
commission by bombs dropped from
aeroplanes and declared the same to
be true Of aerial torpedoes.
There is no doubt, however, that
the future employment of aircraft
in connection with naval operations
will introduce new problems of at
tack and defense of far-reaching i'm
portance. They Will become In
creasingly valuable adjuncts OF the
fleet" he report added.
BATTLEsHIPs THE BASIS.
"The battleships is the basis OF
sea power" despite new methods OF
warfare. the board asserted. AS
now weapons have been invented
or old ones have been increased in
power means have been found to
meet them. Throughout the war IT
was the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow
or thereabouts which controlled the
moves ,Ints of the enemy ships. IL
was the sea power vested and latent
in the battleships which exercised
the pressure upon inc tncnly WuISn
kept the sea routes open to tho al
lies and kept the German High Sea
Fleet in its defended harbors."
Great Britain's naval experts still
depend upon the capital ship for
naval power. the report declared, cit
ing at length an opinion rendered to
parliament by the First Lord of the
Admiralty
THE United states naval building
prorram since 1903 has consistently
program toward equality OF sea power
with the strongest" the report con-
tInued. cit has been directed against
no nation or group OF nations.
"Tho great merchant feet that VIC
are now making every effort to create
and establish renders more necessary
than ever a powerful navy for its
protection.
EQUALITY IN POWER
The building program authorized
in 1916 will, II completed, give us for
the first time In the nations history
substantial equality in power, II not
In number OF ships, for our battle
fleet.