Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-14
NAVAL PROGRESS
CITED BY WILBUR
Economy and Trying Year
Have Failed to Affect
Morale, He Says.

In the face of forced economy and
one of the most trying years in Navy
history that branch of the Govern
ment has shown progress and main
tanned a high morale, Secretary Cur.
It's ID. Wilbur of the Navy Depart
ment reported in his annual report
TO President Coolidge. lie gives a
great part Of his report TO air activi-
| ties, including discussion of the
| Shenandoah disaster and. as for the
fleet itself, he says the success of the
trip to Australia was a practical
demonstration of the fitness Of the
| Navy and also served to foster
friendly relations with our neighbors
of the South Pacific.
| Forced economy, he said, has aided
in eliminating extravaganza and
waste, by developing thrift and thor
! oughnesS, and In particular by devel.
oping the skill, zeal and character OF
| the naval personnel, but he added
that when ships became obsolete they
should be replaced.
Defends Navy Attitude.
Referring to the Shenandoah dis
aster and the controversy which fol-
| lowed, Mr.. Wilbur again declared
that complete liberty of action was
given Lieut.. Comdr. Zachary Lands.
downe, the ships commander. AS for
aviation policies in general, he reiter-
ated his stand that aeronautics should
continue as an arm Of the fleet.
ION August IS, 1926" Mr.. Wilbur
said. the chief of naval operations
held his final conference with Lieut..
Comdr. Lansdowne concerning the
flight, at which time Lieut.. Comdr.
Lansdowne expressed himself as sat
isiied with the date and arrangement
for the flight and expressed entire
confidence in the ability of the ship
and crew TO successfully complete the
proposed flight.
AT this conference Lieut.. Comdr.
| LanSdowne was again reminded that
in accordance with the esta blished
policy of the department he was au-
thorized to defer the trip, change the
itinerary, or abandon it altogether II
in his judgment such changes were
rendered necessary by weather condi-
tons"
Praises Hawaiian Flyers
The naval aviation operations with
the Macmillan expedition, the Secre-
tary said. would furnish valuable in.
formation not only from a viewpoint
of science and discovery, but in the
interest of air operations under new
land difficult conditions. The at
tempted Hawaiian flight was described
40 oilcliiCi SbcJ III diltS III lIic oc-
Ivelopment of material and equipment
for naval planes in long -distance work
| over water" The plane PN-9 No. !.
he added. failed to reach her goal be.
| cause the favorable winds were of less
intensity than anticipated. which with
rain squalls accounted for her not
having enough fuel.
Comdr. John Rodgers and his crew.
he said, merited great credit" for
| fhojr fnrfifn1o nd
The report described the courses in
aviation instituted at the Naval Acad-
envy, adding that it was planned to
give more extensive courses to classes
upon their graduation. Then taking
up the subject in detail, it continued
Aircraft operating with the other
coordinate arms OF the fleet are vitality
| essential to modern naval operations.
The development of naval aviation
has progressed during the past year
| with satisfactory results in spite of
many difficulties inherent in the re-
finement Of a new art.
Standard Planes Sought.
1.-THE Navy has made every effort to
standardize on types Of aircraft which
are best suited to the needs of the
naval service. Planes have been de-
veloped and are now in service with
the feet, which combine the functions
Of scouting. bombing and torpedo
launching. Other types have been de-
veloped and are in use for observa-
ton and spotting service to the bat
tleships and cruisers. Fighting planes
will be provided with special reference
to the equipment Of airplane carriers.
practical training III the tactical
use of aircraft in naval operations was
afforded by the maneuvers held this
. year and centering around the Ha-
waiian Islands. In these operations
naval aviation was given an impor-
tant role. A total Of 100 naval air.
| craft were engaged in these maneu.
vers, representing an increase OF ap.
proximately 20 per cent over the avail.
| able air strength Of the fleet in the
previous year.
1.-THE combined operations Of air
craft, submarines and surface vessels
again proved the value Of each type
and demonstrated the interdependence
} Of these three arms Of the Navy. The
operations Of the carrier Langley in
J the fleet maneuvers demonstrated the
, value Of this type and served to EN-
phasize the need of first-line aircraft
carriers in major fleet operations.
In spite of the lack Of carrier ton
! mage the number Of aircraft partici
pating in fleet maneuvers has in
creased each year since the close OF
|
THE Bureau of Aeronautics during
the year has continued development
work in an effort to produce three.
service plane available for the new
aircraft carriers. Trials have been
! made of such planes, and the bureau
reports that by the list Of December
: 1t will be in a position to determine
definitely the exact characteristics Of
this type of plane to be manufactured
for the aircraft carriers. The char
acteristics of the fighting and observa.
. ton planes for the carriers have been
settled and these planes soon will be
under construction
The present condition of the machin,
cry of the fleet, the Secretary said, is
satisfactory from the viewpoints of
, design, age and material effectiveness
, During the recent Hawaiian maneu,
vers Of the entire fleet and the subse'
quent Australian-New Zealand cruise
of the battle fleet, no serious machin.
cry casualties were reported on any
class of combatant vessel.
Morale High, Report Says.
| The high morale he declared was