BIG AMERICAN NAVY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2688, 7 February 1916, Page 6

BIG AMERICAN NAVY

LESSONS OF THE WAR

5-YEAR PROGRAMME

The chief feature of the annual report of Air. Daniels, Secretary of the United States Navy, is a recommendation for the adoption of a five-year building programme. He says: — "I feel it my duty to urge above everything else the necessity of the adoption of a continuing programme of construction. For. the first time a plan is submitted to cover a period of five years. It is believed that steady and constructive building plans that look ahead and permit each year's construction to fit into the general plan for our navy is tho surest way to raise the standard of naval efficiency.

"A fow months ago a largo majority of the people would doubtless have voted to go into the building of submarines on a scale so largo as to leave little money for other fighting craft. Recently in navy circles the pendulum may bo said to have swung away from an over-large undersea programme with emphasis again placed upon the Dreadnought. In addition, the need for battle cruisers seems imperative. "The wise policy, approved by the ablest experts and enforced by the lessons of the war across the ocean; is towards a well-proportioned navy, the units being composed of the types which our fleet would have to meet and overcome in caso of war. The single-year method denied the country the obvious advantage which a well-digested continuous programme would ensure. Congress is asked to make appropriations only for a year at a time, in accordance' with custom. Any succeeding Congress will make such alterations as experience may prove desirable, without a reduction of the strength of the fleet to be constructed upon the plan proposed." The programme which Mr. Daniels recommends is as follows: — 1917.1918.1919.1920.1921. Dreadnoughts 2 2 2 2 2 Battle cruisers 2—121 Scout cruisers 3 12 2 2 Destroyers 15 10 5 10 10 Fleet submarines... 5 4 2 2 2 Coast submarines 25 15 15 15 15 Gunboats 2 1 — — 1 Hospital ships 1 — — — — Ammunition ships — — — 1 1 Fuel-oil ships — 1 — 1 — Repair ships — — — — 1 He also recommends" an expenditure for aviation of twe million dollars for 1917 and of one million in each of the other four years. The grand total of the cost of the programme for the five years is 502;482,214 dollars. If this programme were carried out, the Navy would includo in 1921: — Battleships, First Line 27 Battle cruisers 6 ' Battleships, Second Line 25 Armoured cruisers 10 Scout cruisers 13 Cruisers, first-class 5 Cruisers, second-class 3 Cruisers, third-class 10 Destroyers 108 Fleet submarines 18 Coast submarines 157 —~ - i