New Britain herald., 1924-02-09
NAVY ESTIMATES
 | FOR NEXT YEAR
Annual Appropriations Bill Is
 Reported by Committee
TOTAL IS MUCH SMALLER
Twenty-threc Million Dollars Less Than Last Year is Allowed For Cost of North Pole Trip is S1S3, ,OOO Amount for New Ships.
By Tho Associated Press.

Washington, Feb. 9.-The annual [ naval appropriation bill carrying l s271, ,942,S67, of which s30.000, ,O00
 would be available for completing ! more than a score Of vessels now
 under construction, was reported to- day by the house appropriations com-
 mittee. The total is s4,453,000 less ] than budget estimates and $23.024,- [ 900 less than the amount allotted the i navy by congress a year ago.
 The bin provides s117,000,000 for 1 pay. enough to keep the navy at its 1 present strength of 6.4G9 officers and S6.0o0 enlisted men during the fiscal
 year beginning July 1 next. Provision also is made for l,002 officers and 19,- GOO enlisted mon in the marine corps the present strength.
 For aviation the bill carries si4,- 590, ,000 or s57.i74 less than last years appropriation.
 Commenting on the proposed Polar exploration trip of the dirigible Shen- andoah next summer. the report said actual expenses over normal operating costs would approximate $lsS,000, and that since most of this amount would be met with current appropri- ations, the committee had not s en fit to interfere in any way with plans for the expedition.
 New Ship Construction.
 As to new ship construction, the committee said 1t was without power to authorize expenditures for vessels not yet sanctioned by congress. but cited information 1t had obtained to the effect that the navy dcparment is committed to a program for building types permissible under the Washing ton arms conference treaty which, with the modernzlng program al- ready under way would involve ox- pcnditure of approximately s35,oo0,- GOO for tho next ten years.
 "A year ago." the report stated. the committee proposed --- and it finally became law--a request by the congress that the president take ap- propriaie steps looking to the con summation Of a supplemental treaty to limit construction by the leading naval powers of ships of the types to which the existing treaty did not ex- tend or only controlled as to tonnage and gunpowcr. Lp to this time no formal conference has been held look ing to such a supplemental treaty.
 "So far as this committee has been able 10 ascertain, none of the for eign powers which arc parties to the treaty actually has yet begun the construction of any treaty exempted or permitted craft since the confer ence was concluded. America cer- tainly should not be the first, and should exert its influence to prevent the necessity arising to commerce at all."
 ships Being Built
 With reference to the appropriation Of s30,000,O00 for continuing the building of ships permissible under the arms conference agreements the | report said that on November 80 last one battleship, two airplane carriers, 1 six scout cruisers. 13 submarines [ three fleet submarines. one gunboat, ! two destroyer tenders. one submarine ! tender and one repair ship were in 1 various stages Of construction and ! would be completed during the com l ing fiscal year. with the exception of | the two airplane carriers, three of the ! scout cruisers and the three fleet stfD- l An additional s6,500,000 it | was estimated will have to be ap- 1 to complete the work.
 The committee declined to accept l budget recommendation that s2.- i S50,009 be appropriated for commence | ing the construction Of three fleet l authorized in 1916, de- | the values Of this type of | craft had not yet been proved. It instead that s600,000 | be made available for the develop ment and testing of submarine mo- live power under actual service con- iitions.
 For betterments at navy yards and naval stations. the committee recom- nended an appropriation of s1,s16,- 500 or less than half the budget es- innate. to be distributed for the most part as follows.
 For Navy Yards
 Boston navy yard s175,000; Mare island navy ,yard s72&0o0; Puget sound navy yard siOO. 900; Pearl liar ,or naval station s17S.000; Cayite, naval station s141.000, md Great Lakes naval station s1i5.- 100. The report pointed out that the committee had no authority to make iIlotmenis for some Of the projects provided for in the budget estimates. including the Alameda. Cal. base md the Sand Point. Wash. aviation tation.
 With a view Of cutting down the ,nicer strength Of the navy. the com- nittee recommended that appoint nents to the Annapolis naval academy ,e reduced on q five to three bases. the graduating class down to 1, 54 iu faeS Ii also suggested that bout go civilian instructors at An- Z. r.r.Iis he drnr,nah and flf.ir nlacns ]