AMERICAN ACTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1709, 8 May 1917, Page 2

AMERICAN ACTION.

OVER a week before the American declaration of war the and the Secretary of the Navy had decided upon the following measures: — (1) The immediate construction of (10 submarine chasers at the New 'York Navy Yard, their delivery to begin in from 00 to 80 days, and at the rate of one every three days. (2) The construction 200 and as many more submarine chasers as private shipbuilding companies are able to build within the next few months, these to he 110foot motor patrol boats, on contracts ranging from, three to five months. (3) Arrangements to draw upon privately owned motor craft available for navy use along (he entire Atlantic' coast, (4) The enrolment of voluntary crews for these boats among yachtsmen, the commanders of naval districts being ready to call them out and begin patrol work without delay. (5) A submarine patrol off the American coast, insuring the safe passage to and from American ports for all ships, and a working agreement with the British and French patrol squadrons which are now endeavouring to protect ships passing through the German submarine zone, (0) The utilisation of the £23,000,000 naval emergency' fund

Tor the purchase and construction of submarine chasers, for small craft for use in anti-submarine work, aircraft, guns, ammunition

and (lie more expeditious construction of the ships which are now being built or' which are under contract or authorised by Congress. (7) The suspension of the provisions of (lie eight-hour law with respect to naval construction and the payment of. time and one-half for all overtime work on naval orders. (S) An immediate graduation of some, if not all, of the first class of midshipmen at the naval academy, the men to be at once commissioned second lieutenants, (it) The immediate raising of ihe number of men in the navy, which has only been recruited to about (id,(100, to the full emergency limit of 87,000.