The Washington times., 1923-12-20
PLEA MADE.
IN NAVAL
BILL
Millions Asked for Purchase
and Improvement of Bases
by Cong. Britten.

The purchase of the town Of
Quantico, Va, for the Marine
Corps, at a cost of 100000, is
proposed by Congressman Fred
A. Britten, chairman of the House
Naval Affairs Committee.
The plan is outlined in Con-
gresham Britten's bill introduced
In the House today for CONSOLE
dating various naval reservations
and marine bases.
Population Is LOCO.
Quantico> has a civil population Of
nearly 1000, all of whom, under the
Britten plan, either would be re-
moved from the authority Of the
State of Virginia if the Federal Gov.
eminent purchased the town, or
would be forced to move from the
premises. The town would come
under military rule
Whether the Marine Corps could
purchase the town from individual
property-holders, or whether the
authorization Of the Virginia
legislature would be necessary to
bring Quantico under Marine Corps
Jurisdiction, are questions which the
House Naval Affairs committee will
consider in connection with the
plan.
List of improvements.
Expenditures totalling $27,SS2 $50
were proposed by Congressman Brit
ten for improvements in San Fran
cisco Bay, to be spread over Il period
OF twenty years. These include:
Navy Base at Alameda, SIG, $40, 900;
Yard, $5,857 $50; extension of coal
depot, 100000 marine depot Of
supplies, $335,O0O.
"All military experts agree that
the navy's greatest weakness is the
lack of a base on the Pacific
Coast" Britten declared. Uncle
Sam in the Pacific occupies the
position of a man with many auto
mobiles and not a single garage.
The adoption of a policy for the
future permanent use of Mare
Island Navy Yard for shipbuilding
and fleet repair work should set
ct rest the few, but rlbid DIRECTORS,
TO an Alameda base, now so neces-
sary. Lack Of a supply station in
San Francisco bay promotes con-
weakness"
Provisions were made for a naval
air station at Sand Point, Wash.
The Secretary Of the Navy was
also authorized to acquire the fol-
lowing lands:
Quantic0 Flying Field.
For supply station at Brooklyn,
N. z, $3SO.Ooo; Marine flying field
at Quantico, Va. $4,000; rifle
range at Puget Sound, Wash,
$35 900: coal depot at Hampton
Roads, Va, $4,000; air station at
Chatham, Mass, 5000: air sta.
ton at Lakehurst, N. j., $4,000:
turning basin at Norfolk, Va, $780,
Op0;. air station at Galveston, Tex,
$4,000.
Properties acquired during the
world war and no longer necessary
are ordered sold as follows: Radio
stations at Alpena, Mich; Duluth,
Mimi; Manistique, Mich; Miami,
Fla; Grand Isle, La; Siasconsett,
Mass; South Wellfleet, Mass;
Lentz. Ore, and Point Isabel, Tex.
Old naval properties ordered sold
at Widows Island, Me-; Wood
Island, Me-; Provincetown, Mass;
Blackbeard's Island, Ga; Blythe
Island, Ca; Grover Island, Ca:
Virginia Key, Fla; Pensacola, Fla,
and Mission Rock, San Francisco.
Naval Hospital Here.
The old Naval Hospital in the
District of Columbia; hospital
properties in Yokohama, Japan; coal
depot at Frenchman's Bay, Me-;
nitre depot at Maiden, Mass, and
rifle range at Puget Sound, Wash.
Britten stated that the director
of t." budget has advised the Navy
D. nent that the bill is not in
G. with the financial program
Of -esident Coolidge. It was re-
ferred to the Naval Affairs COM
mittee and will be considered i'm
mediately after the Christmas re-
cess.