The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-12
FUILA|N RATES
GREAT NEEDS
Of navy
Airplane Carriers and Forces
First IN Importance,
Admiral Says
BY w. r. FULLAM,
Rear Admiral u. 8. Navy, retired.
written for Cosmopolitan News

BY w. #. FULLAM,
Rear Admiral u. 8. Navy, retired.
Written for Cosmopolitan News
Service.
The naval appropriation bill will
soon be reported out by the Sen.
ate Naval Committee. III general
it meets the most important de-
mand Of the navy, but there II
! 4 decided difference OF opinion con
corning the relative importance Of
some Of its provisions as far ~
new construction ii concerned.
! Briefly stated the main items are
q follows, and they are numbered
in the order Of their Importance in
the estimation OF the writer in
the order OF their Influence upon
the victory Of our feet IN the
next war.
/. Airpiane carriers and air forces.
2. Submarines.
3. River gun boats.
4. Light cruisers.
Carriers and cir forces are given
first place TOR the simple reason
that the fleet that commands the
air. other things being even mp.
proximately equal. win win the
next sea fight. No fleot can sur
vive II ita enemy commands the
air. subjecting It 70 bombing, tor
pedo. and mine attack from above.
The United States - neglecting
air power-the power without
i WupNA eAA -
without q dominating air fOrce
the navy win be poweEiesa. II win
face inevitable defeat.
Submarines Needed.
Submarines are placed second
| in, the list Of the navy'a MEDIA
Some may argue that summarized
rank as high as air forces IN Inn.
pOrtance. But this argument can
not be logically maintained. Air
planes can search out, attack and
sink submarines. Submarines can.
not search out, attack, or destroy
airplanes.
Our submarine forces are totally
and pathetically inadequate. We
have no cruising submarines to 60
with the neet. We have no bic
long range submarines to dispatch
to an .~eneny's coast-the only
craft that can approach . hostile
coast defense submarines are nm.
reliable. The situation 6 appallinr
in its unpreparedneoa II win take
ten years hard work to supply
these deficiencies. There should
Be new bureau Of submarines n
the Navy Department without Dc
lay. Until there b such q bureau
with an admiral and q hnstlina
staff in charge OF the submarine
building campaign, the subject viii
be neglected as It has been for ter
years past.
The navy ID sorely In need 81
small gunboats for patrol service
in the rivers Of China and in othes
nations where bigger ships and
even destroyers cannot enter Of
maneuver in safety. These small
craft are engaged In protecting
American interests" In ali seas
Nothing can. take their place. The
gunhoats should be provided with,
out delay.
DestrOyers For Cruisers.
Cruisers have been given fourth
place in the list. This rating viii
be contested. It is true that
cruisers are needed In the fleet
But one fact d ignored-we have
about two hundred (2OO1 splendid
high speed cruising deetroyers In
excess Of the number needed in the
feet. They were built <oo late fol-
service in the world war. But we
have them. We must use them
| They are now laid up at the docks
| detertorating This Ii fatal
| II these supernumerary destroy.
ers wero manned and olkiIlfully han
died In battle and In the man
euverB preceding q battle. thoy
would largely make up for our as
fictency In cruisers. II IL believed
that six Of these destroyerH would
be fully a. effective N one cruis
or In scouting and In battle. Two
hundred destroyern are fully euuaI
IN fighting power TO thirty cruisers
Reviewing the naval situation va
may say that when money q scarce
Il must be spent In o manner thai
VIII give the best return to the
navy. We must take careful &c
count Of stock. We must use com
mon sense. We must make NO mis-
take. We must modernizo our
navy. We must place every penny
whore 81 win inject the maximum
/ amount OF punch and fiRhf int