Evening star., 1923-12-10
S0,oO,oOO ASKED
TO OVERHAUL NAVY
DENLY Reports U. S. Far Be.
low Arms Treaty Nations
in Ships and Planes.


A $ao,00o.0 900 appropriation to carry
out the much-controverted program
OF heet modernization, authorization
Tor the building of eight ten-thou-
sand-ton cruisers, three cruiser-type
submarines and six gunboats, ex-
penditure OF s7,676.o on naval
bases. and a five-year constructive
naval aviation program were recon-
inended today by Secretary Denby in
his annual report
The modernizatIon plans held in
aheyanee during the past year must
De carried out, the Secretary said, II
the United States Is to maintain its
| proper place under the arms treaty.
while In cruiser strength this country
mas 1aiIen so far behind Great Britain
that IL cannot hope for years to come
10 attain the equality 1t is entitled to
uHoer the b-5-3-naval ratio.
Elevation Of Tarret Guns.
The $4,000, 900 sought for nnoderni-
zation work would include the reap
preparation Of $500, 900 for the pur-
pose or increasing the elevation of
tn1fet ha,,sa guns Of thirteen Of the treaty
| not used during the past year be-
cause. MI Denby said. quite unin-
| tentionally the impression given Con-
| gress was that the disparity In ranges
vas ovsrwheiringly in favor Of the
In the opinion of the department"
the Secretary declared. the elevation
OF the guns will not In any way con-
traFene the spirit or letter Of the
treaty"
Mr.. DENLY appended to his report a
special report signed by Capt F. H
Schofleld of the Navy general board
analyzing in detail the objections
which had besn raised to the change
In elevation, with the conclusion that
these were wholly unsupported by
any fair Interpretation of the treaty
Capt Schofleld listed Ave steps" Is
necessary in the physical alteration
or a turret to permit the higher ele-
walton, namely:
Treaty Not Violated.
Increasing size of gun opening:
iengthening the gun screw which
raises and lowers the breech; chang
Ing position of ammunition hoists
increasing strength of counter-recoil
breech.
In none OF these steps, it was de-
clared. was their involved any "aIrera-
tion in the general type Of mount
| ing" which constituted the sole pro-
hibition in the treaty affecting the
program.
The public is very generally un-
der the impression" Capt. SchofieI Id
continued. that the British admiralty
depreciation OF the treaty It would be
illegal for US to change the eleva-
tions as proposed. No such conten-
tion has ever been put forward by
the British admiralty. British gov
eminent or by any other Official in
any government signatory to the
treaty.
"The general intent Of the treaty
was to grant to each power full right
| to keep step with material and scien-
ttfic progress. subject only to spe-
cific Limitations. Nowhere is there to
be found a spirit of the treaty
| which contravenes this right
In addition to elevation of the main
| includes the installation of deck
sheathing as an additional defense
against air attack. addition of bills
ters" as a defense against torpedos
| and the conversion of six coal-burn-
ing battleships to oil burners
The approved budget of the Navy
now includes s2.s5o.0eo for beginning
construction Of three submarines au-
thorized IN the 1916 naval act, Mr..
DENLY said, but he called attention
su bm arines and river gunboats.
The Navy OF the United States at
present does not equal in cruiser
strength either Of the other two pow
ers signetory to the treaty" he said,
rnor is the fleet to be considered as
In any. way balanced through lack
OF this vital arm. The. disparity be-
tween the cruiser strength Of Great
is 80 great that we cannot hope for
many years to bring about anything
approaching equality with that
power.
Calls Navy III balanced.
'The Navy of the United States is
SO i'll balanced and SO deficient In
cruiser strength that 1t would be put
at a serious disadvantage in major
Of cruisers in offense and in defense is
a primary factor in naval strategy.
Other than the ten light cruisers.
some Of which are authorized under
the 1916 building program. some of
rapidly nearing completion. We arc
without real cruiser strength.
"vessells still in service OF the
type OF the Pittsburgh. Denver and
Salem arc useful for peace work. but
in time of war. The raiders that
drive our commerce from the sea,
that attack our transports and sup
ply ships, can never be overtaken
unless we build cruisers to do the
work. InoreIofe, &c HeAeuro
vision OF the fleet and equalization
with other powers I strongly recon-
mend tho authorization and appro-
priation OF funds sufficient to COM
mence construction OF eight 10000
ton cruisers.
"A large submarine tonnage Is be-
ing laid down abroad. At present
forty-one submarines arc building
or projected by . single power:
twenty-three OF these are over 1000
eesy rus In .d
dition to the forty-one mentioned.
eleven were completed In 1892 and
1929 by this Same power. II present
foreign programs are completed
States would have to build $4,000
tons Of submarines in order to attain
the treaty ratios.
Deficient in Submarines.
Tho United States has no cruiser
and no mine-laying submarines.
Both types demonstrated their great
usefulness In tho world war. In
order to supply in part our deficiency
In those types and in order, to be-
gin to attain q suitable relative sub
marine strength. / recommend tho
authorization and appropriation OF
funds sufficient to commence con-
struction OF three submarines of the
cruiser type,
81 recommend also that Congress
authorise six gunboats of suitable
type and size and make appropriation
for their complete construction as
early AZ possible"
Announcing that the department
would submit to Congress q five-year
program for naval aviation, the Seo-
rotary declared tho present situation
In that branch, both as to personnel
ana equipment was one "to be viewed
with concern" Only twelve aviators
wero added to tho roll during tho