Evening star., 1923-07-29
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS

1.-THE strategic Importance OF the diff
ferent bases and stations.
The outline for the proposed pro-
gram, which has been followed out by
the new board. was as follows:
ta) A list of the bases and stations
to be developed in the order of pSece-
idence.
(b) A detailed development plan for
each with estimated cost.
| (cl A schedule arranged so that the
expenditure of the total cost may be
distributed over a definite term Of
years.
This has been worked out after six
months study, and a concrete plan
drawn for submission to Congress. 1t
is understood that the board finds
that there is but one station which
fully meets the requirements of a
naval base. that being in Chesapeake
4 bay. Specific needs of other bases are
pointed out, and recomme ndations for
the work needed and estimates of the
cost of each Improvement are sub
mitted.
Coinciding with the findings Of the
tRodman board, 1t Is understood, the
new report shows that the develop
ment of naval air stations is entirely
Inadequate for carrying out the mis-
the expansion that would be neces-
sary In time of war.
This report will serve as the basis
for the estimates to be submitted to
Congress this fall for funds to be
used in developing the shore estab-
lishment of the Navy and for subse-
quent appropriations in a program to
| be spread out over the next couple of
decades.
Rear ADMIRAL Andrew Long as
sumed his new duties as chief Of the
bureau of navigation on Friday re-
leaving Rear Admiral Thomas Wash
| fngton, who leaves to assume COM
mand OF the Atlantic fleet, with the
| rank of vice admiral.
Capt Richard Leigh will remain
as ssstant chief of the bureau until
| next June. when he will be ordered
| to the Naval War College.
On the departure of Admiral Coontz
from the department Rear Admiral
Joseph Strauss succeeded him
ent chief of operations being reliev-
ed from that portion Of duties Of
this office. This action by the Sec
retary is dual recognition of the
Importance of work devolving upon
the budget officer and of the heavy
burden that has in the past two years
been imposed upon the head of
| operations.
At conference this week between
| departmental heads. representatives
of the Newport News Shipbuilding
Company and Capt Sem, who will
| Dt III COHlTHanu OF In6 DdIlleSnlD
West Virginia. agreement was reach
ed for completion of work on the
| new ship in time to have her COM
missioned on December !.
Experimental operations of sea-
planes with submarines is to be un-
dertaken by the Navy in the near fu-
ture. Six submarine planes. for
months under construction by the
Glen Martin Company at Cleveland,
Ohio, have been completed and are
now ready for shipment
Five of them will be sent to the
naval air station at Hampton roads
and one to the station at Anacostia
The five will be placed into actual
service with submarines as soon as
possible. while the one here will be
used for experimental and test pur-
| poses
These will be the first planes to be
placed on submarines on this side of
the Atlantic. though experiments
have been carried on along these lines
abroad. 1t is. proposed to use them
for observation and scouting work in
connection with submarine operations.
now an integral part of the fleet
maneuvers.
In anticipation of these experiments
the submarine ST. has been specially
fitted out. and probably will be used
/ In the first tests. So small are these
baby planes" that. when knocked
down" they can be stored away even
1 iH tHc liiHlleu COnHneS OF Su Dma-
rine.
! In actual operation it is expected
that the practical procedure will
! eliminate the catapault and hoisting
gear with which surface ships are
equipped. Instead it is proposed to
launch the plane by the simple ex-
pedient of setting 1t up on the deck
of the submarine and letting the boat
submerge. leaving the plane floating
on the surface. The plane then can
take the air by taxying as her older
sisters do. On completion of the
! flight the plane will then land on the
surface. and the submarine Will come
up Immediately under it, bringing the
plane up on it's deck.
| Reports compiled by the director of
target practice on the relative stand
ing in gunnery of the leading vessels
in the destroyer class for the year
ending July ], in which there Is the
carried off the honorS with a final
merit of 79.902. Her nearest COM
merit of 74.6. the third being the
John d. Edwards. with 65.S.
In the mine-laying class the Lud-
low has first place, with 1898; the
Burns second. with S6.7. and the
Rizal third. with S4.9.
Interesting statistics have been pre-
pared by the bureau of engineering
on the constant increase of electrical
1y-driven appliances in use on naval
vessels. One of these appliances,
humble, but useful and economical
is an electrically driven vegeta BILE
peeler successfully developed at the
J New York navy yard. Its chief use