Evening star., 1924-11-11
Proof in British Case.

T0tte roised 'Sastss saa,ss tonnsse:.:.:: Is $50
Contrasting with our lack of 40
tilla leaders, Mr.. Shearer lists % Brit
ish vessels of that class. He also
lays stress on the condition of our
Far Eastern naval base at Cavite in
comparison with the British bases at
Hongkong and Singapore, as follows:
At Hongkong-Well fortified. COM
plete repair yard. Special base for
submarines. Docks: One 574h by 95
by 3sA, two $50 by So by 3411, one
three smaller for destroyers and one
4S6 by S5h by 90. Oil fuel depot.
Hospital.
Singapore-Wel fortified. Oil and
coal fuel depot. Average anchorage
10 fathoms Fair repair facilities.
Docks: One $50 by 64A by 20, two
All by 59h by 81, three $50 by AN
by ID (Keppel Harbor), four 440 by
Ga by II (keppel Harbor): also five
S73 by 100 by "a at keppel Harbor.
One very large dock to take two
35,000-ton ships proposed.
Cavite- Defenses obsolete. Very
old short 12-inch guns. No docks ex-
cept floating Dewey, now at Olon-
gapo. Small repair facilities for de-
stroyers and submarines. No oil ia
cilities. A small coal pile. Hardly
enough land for any improvements.
Charges Lobbies Active.
Mr.. Shearer charges that three dis
tinct lobbies, each gratified with the
| success Of the other, are working to
, undermine our Navy and naval de-
fenses, saying:
"A foreign lobby exists today in
America that Is against our Navy and
merchant marine. A pacifist lobby
exists that would weaken our de-
fense. They fight the battle of the
first and may not know it. The
| third lobby is guided for business
reasons and would take from our
Navy the power to plan for defense
| or offense. That lobby strikes at our
! war plans division and our board of
I strategy. Each of the three Hobbies
| is happy in the success of the other"
His recommendations, which are
expected to be considered by what
ever congressional investigation may
! result, are as follows:
Large fuel supplies must be stored
at the Panama Canal as the chief op-
| Grating base for the Pacific fleet. Fuel
! supplies and other equipment must
| be stored at Pearl Harbor as an ad-
vanse base and repair base. Current
oil should not be figured. Mercan-
| tile Oil must eventually be figured
| as the Navy supply. Naval fuel oil
in naval tanks and naval reserve
tanks is one Of the problems now
fcing the board Of strategy.
Training and qualifying officers
| and men for the destroyer service
should begin at once. OF our 309 de-
| stroyers, 103 are In commission, six
are mine layers; 200 of our destroy
! ers are slowly but surely going to
rust and ruin tied up at Philadelphia,
Pa, and San Diego. Calf. less twen-
ty-one turned over to United States
Coast Guard.
"Our air defense Is weakest of all.
one air craft carrier Of ten knots
speed. Rating France 100 per cent,
England "a per cent, the United
States would stand at Is per cent.
Our Army and Navy air forces must
be increased, but not at the expense
of the capital ship.
For security we must have an ade-
quate number of vessels of many
types-the capital ship to bear the
brunt Of the engagement, the de-
stroyer to get home torpedo attack
under cover Of night or . smoke
screen, the swift cruiser to scout for
the enemy ana deny Information to