, 1923-01-21

bay, In the statement that the develop
ment OF the Alameda site is impera-
tive n should be given priority over
all continental naval projects said
MacLafferty. "It should be under
stood hat the Rodman board was mp
pointed by the secretary of the navy
TO make an investigation which would
assist the navy department In adopt
ing a policy in harmony with the re-
duction of armament agreement en-
tered into between several powers. 1,
at has beer a matter of no little
mystery to the people of the San
Francisco bay district hat for six
years the navy departments efforts
to nave a suitable base for the Pacific
fleet on San Francisco bay have been
frustrated. It is remembered that in
1916 a board known as the Helm
board m which two eminent on
gineers, Admirals Rousseau and
Zappe. were members, made an extern
sive inquiry into many sites on the
Pacific coast for the purpose of
locating a suitable base for the fleet.
This board unanimously recommend
ed San Francisco bay as such a base
and the development OF a portion of
the Alameda shore as one OF the
units of the base.
Following this, the so-called Parks
Mexican board made a supplementary
investigation and %concurred IN the find
ing of the Helm board. That was in
1919. In 1926 a special Joint commit.
tee OF congress wns created which
made another investigation of Pacific
coast localities and in conclusion
unanimously recommended substan-
TALLY the same development at Ala
media as did the two previous boards.
80 hat the record shows that
three distinct investigating commits.
sion arrive at the same unanimous
conclusion, and now comes the Rod
man report, not only concurring in
the former findings, but emphasizing
them by giving priority over all con-
fdential naval construction and as.
sorting in plain, unmistakable lam
guage that the military need of
immediate development is Imperative
at is therefore. after full consider
ation Of the foregoing facts hat h
Bay Cities Naval Affairs committee,
representing 139 organizations about
San Francisco bay and the San Fran.
cisco Chamber of Commerce. together
with the c. c. Thomas post of the
American Legion have combined to
urge by all reasonable and legit mate
methods that the congress of the
United States enact such legislation
as will enable the navy department to
accept this gift of 5.340 acres from
Alameda in order to carry out Its
program.
1.-The largest naval unit of the world
Is now the United States fleet In the
Pacific, comprising something Owe
2O8 vessels. This fleet is the !nstr
ment of the United States N
serving peaca in the Pacific. Cor
provides the sh rs and fue
themi the personnel to opc~a
the guns and ammun tor
them fleet We: and a >
in the efficiency and n
navy to persorIa the rs
should provide the r.
OF ma'nser&ncr.
naval las TIA
deems rsars5rry
whole guest on.
an eff Q on Geat shsul
Adequately taken care o n &c
of a Eap as in the wa OF fuel, p E
aonncl and a-mament2 II l.. just ms
necessary thnt the feet has a cen.
trally ~'ocate, fully equipped hase, as
any other element. The people around
San Francisco bay are for h Ala
media site because the navy depart
ment. through its recognized and
competent instrumentalities, has de.
cided that It is necessary that they
therefore feel confident hat when the
congress of the United States shall
have all the evidence before it. 1t will
not hsitate to take the necessary
steps to give legislative sanction to
the development of San Francisco
bay as n naval base along the lines
recommended by the Rodman report"