Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-27
EBERLE'S REPORT
SHOWS WEAK NAVY
Ships Out of Commission for
Lack of Funds, Operation
Chief Says.

The controversy over elevation of
guns on old battleShips was recalled
today when Admiral r. E. Eberle,
chief of naval operations, made pub
tic his annual report. Admiral Eberle
asks for reappropriation Of the funds
made available by the Sixty seventh
Congress for arranging the main bat
teries of the older type battleShfpS
of the United States.
Another recommendation calls for
the undermining Of six older battle
ships IF reliance upon these ships
as of the first line of battle is to be
depended upon" Plans for the work
have been completed, the report add
ed, against the .hoped-for authority
from Congress to proceed. Further
recomme ndations seek to replace the
funds which will allow maintenance
to be resumed in the fleet which, the
report says. lis not better than sta
tionary." Admiral Eberle calls at
tention to the fact that the work dur
ing the last year has been accom-
plished by the fact that salvaged
ships were used for repairs. This
source of material is now depleted,
he said.
Seeks New Construction.
The construction of two mine lay
will be sought at the next session of
Congress- the report says, the bill au
thorizing this work having died in
the Senate after passing the last
House. Admiral Eberle pointed out
that the cost of upkeep for a ship
increased with every year of it's age.
Only the most urgent repairs have
been made, he stated, and practically
every ship of the Navy has been at
the yards for repairs during the last
year and in some cases most expen-
sive alterations have been made.
Boilers in such a bad condition tina {
they would have put the. ships out of
commission have been repaired tenn
porarlly on the battleships Wyoming,
Arkansas and Utah. These ships, with
the Florida have been forced out of
action because the conditions have
since become so bad that they were
taken out of commission for safety
reasons.
Military Necessity.
1T has been clearly demonstrated, -
Admiral Eberle said, that the re-
boilerng of these important cunts of
the battle line is military necessity
Somewhat similar conditions are
prevalent among the cruisers, but not
30 widespread, the report said To
ton Roads submarine base has been
decommissioned and the 81 subma-
rincs out of comm ission there trans
ferred to the Philadelphia yard, where
total of 50 decommssioned under
water vessels have been grouped.
Scrapping of the vessels designated
under the Washington arms limita-
ton treaty has been carried out and
the equipment from the old ones used
20 IL
of material supply shut off, the cost
of maintaining the new ships will be
additional.
Five new submarines, provided for
under the act of 1915, but for which
there has never been appropriated
funds, will be sought during the COM
ing SESSION of Congress, at least two
OF them to be built as mine-laying
vessels and three of them as SUBJ
marine cruisers.
Wants $1,000 Enlisted Men.
Discussing the personnel of the
Navy, Admiral Eberle says that in
order to carry out the operations OF
the fleet based upon the naval operat-
ing plans for 1926 provision be made
for $4,000 enlisted men of which $500
are required to man two. new airpIane
carriers and 500 are required for the
increase to be made in aviation crews"
Admiral Eberle sought in addition
the reconditioning Of the cruiser
Frederick former MarylanD as a
relief flagship for the fiagships now
on the Asiatic and European stations.
In concluding his recommendations
as to the condition and needs of the
fleet. Admiral Eberle said. THE gen.
eral boards building program for the
hscal year 1925 is strongly recon-
nended for approval by the depart
ment and authorization by Congress"