Evening star., 1940-02-19

following new tonnage unQer con-
struction on November 15-Great
Britain, 73O,045; the United States,
491 800; Japan, 268 $3.50; Germany,
266 1898; France, 1852, and Italy,
242,530. The United States Navy is
now building 8 capital ships, 2 air
craft carriers, cruisers, AZ destroy
ers and 19 submarines
Several foreign countries keep
their naval plans secret. so full facts
on new and projected construction
are not available to the outside
world Japan releases little official
information on her armed forces.
Belligerent navies have already suf-
fered sizable losses. These are be-
lieved to have been largely offset by
new construction.
For the fiscal year 1941, President
Roosevelt asked Congress to appro-
pirate more than a billion dollars
for the Navy. The budget estimates
include funds to start work on two
new battleships, one aircraft carrier,
two cruisers, eight destroyerS, six
submarines, one submarine tender,
three seaplane tenders and one
minesweeper.
On January 8, Chairman Vinson
of the House Naval Affairs Commit
tee introduced new naval eXpan-
sion bill to increase the strength of
the Navy by approximately Is per
cent. The bill proposed an eXpendi-
ture of $780, 100000 over the next
six years, with the construction of
II fighting ships. and 125 1000 tons
of auxiliary tonnage. After extended
hearings, the committee approved a
tWo-year program, at a cost of $685.
100000 This would give the Navy a
10 per cent addition in strength.
The committee bill authorizes about
twenty new fighting ships. with ag-
gregate tonnage of $1,000, plus
$4,000 tons of auxiliary vessels. THE
two-year program will provide for all
the ships we can build, and world
conditions may change before it is
completed" Chairman Vinson ex-
planned.
Fleet Held Inadequate.
Both Secretary Edison and Chief
of Naval Operations Stark appeared
before the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee to urge adoption of the full
ST 300, 100000. siX-year authorization
program. Our present fleet as of
January this year is inadequate, "
Secretary Edison told the committee,
land the question is, will our present
building program provide adequate
Infnnco Tho &c N,1r
fleet, even when augmented by all
ships now building or ordered, plus
all ships authorized but not yet ap-
propriated for, will still be inferior
to the combined strength of possible
enemies. Theoretically to be secure
we should build to superiority over
the strongest likely enemy coalition
theoretically we should build to sus-
tain So ratio in the Pacific, and a
4-3 ratio in the Atlantic over the
combined naval strengths of our
possible enemies"
The proposed authorization,
Admiral Stark declared, would en-
able the Navy to maintain for the
present the So ratio in the Pacific
1t would not be sufficient, he said,
ito defend our home waters, our pos
sessions, and our trade routes against
a coalition of Japan, Russia, Ger
many and Italy"
Cost Would Be Heavy.
Because of the European war, the
Atlantic has thus assumed new
importance in our defense plans.
For the Navy envisages a possible
simultaneous attack from both
oceans. In January, 1889, an Atlantic
squadron was organized, consisting of
several battleships, cruisers, and
other vessels. A tWo-ocean Navy,
with fleet on the East Coast ap-
proximately as strong as that main
tanned in Pacific waters would cost,
for new construction alone, several
billion dollars. The Navys high COM
mand Is opposed to dividing the main
battle fleet, now concentrated in the
Pacific. Such division, it believes,
would seriously weaker the Navy S
striking power.
Under the policy of hemisphere
defense, the Navy's job is bigger
than ever before. In addition to pro-
tecting continental United States
the approaches to the Panama Canal
and preventing any foreign penetra
ton of the Americas, it must protect
our trade routes, and insure an un-
interrupted flow of strategic ma
terials. With the completion of the
new bases under construction in the
Caribbean and the Pacific the Navy
with its own air force and that of the
Army, should be able to check any
probable foreign combination operat-
ing in American waters.
To carry out successful invasion
of the Americas, foreign power OF
group of powers must first establish
bases in or near American waters
This will not be easy, unless the
United States battle fleet is put out
Of action.
Wear in Auxiliaries.
Though completion of the vessels
now under way will go far toward
remedying this deficiency, the Navy
is still weak in auxiliaries.
Since 1888, through the present
IlSCal year, approximately S1,ooo,-
100000 will have been spent on the
construction of combatant ships fol
the Navy. Expenditures for such
construction will reach this year ar
all time high of $255 ,000, 900.
The European war, so far. has
caused no important revision in oul
building plans. The battleship is still
the backbone of the fleet, and the
Navy high commands faith in thu
bAttleship has not been shaken by
the sinking of the Royal Oak. Il
Congress votes the necessary funds
construction of two As ,00O-ton battle.
ships will begin during the cominf
fiscal year. The scuttling of the Ora,
Spec. following its running fight witt
three British cruisers in the South