AMERICA MODIFIES NAVY BUILDING PLAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 243, 4 January 1928, Page 1

AMERICA MODIFIES NAVY BUILDING PLAN

BILL BEING DRAFTED EXPENDITURE CUT DOWN Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright NEW YORK, Monday, lie Washington correspondent of “New York Times” says the Naval tiding Biil, which is patterned on naval construction programme Ich was submitted to Congress on [ember 14 by the Secretary for the ff, Mr. C. D. Wilbur, is now in the ting, and probably will be ready consideration by the House of [resentatives in the middle of iruary. The recommendations for 71 ves*la and an expenditure of 8144,000,000 will be modified in mportant particulars. I number of craft will be reduced scale, with a consequent reduction tie amount of expenditure involved, s probable that two modern salvage PS will be Included as a result of toaster to Submarine S 4. is provision empowering the Preset to suspend building “in the nt of an international conference tie limitation of naval armaments” l be deleted. iccording to leaders of the Naval firs Committee of the House, an 'h will be made to lengthen the lod of construction to seven years, order to limit the annual expendis to £20,000,000, as it is believed 1 any larger sum is not warranted ffiliis juncture. fie sentiment of the Senate is said favour a programme approximating one formulated by Mr. Wilbur, •Dort for this programme having by the statement that it ! "not in conflict with the financial gramme of the President.” ITEMS TO BE PRUNED differ among the authori--1 concerning the probable cost of 1 Wilbur programme. Leaders of believe that the ultimate cost ■'l ships would exceed by at least ■Per cent, the estimate given. fS Members of the House CommitB* e state that if the new fleet is Iptborised, the Government should jl° ahead with the work, and not W n 'lt its activities to the mere preB* r ation of blue prints, iff is believed that the cruiser and ■marine Items will be among those It is known that some lesters so-called navy bloc will offer Rfndments providing for battleships, ■Pits of the feeling of the adminisa that, to include battleships in ■« I | roßramme ’ fhigbt lead to proHPS from other signatories of the Wbington Treaty.—A. and N.Z. Programme submitted to Congress Wilbur provided for 71 new vesn[o cost nearly £ 150,000.000. He also "lited a letter stating that this proIs not in conflict with the flnanlSS rr i lrntre of the President.” It , f°r 25 light cruisers, nine detJT, “Oder#. 32 submarines, and five d L Carr . iera No Hme limit was protor their construction but under a»(,, ns the bill the construction of eni cruisers and aircraft carriers was to the Washington Treaty. Mr. ““r said the estimated cost was S', •peculative, but he submitted a r pt totaikng £144.000.000. 2, M. Butler, chairman of the Affairs Committee of the House, cost would be between £OOO,OOO and £100.000.000. The estli- molded for an expenditure as folv.r , cruisers. £3,400,000 each; deCi. ‘caders. £1.000,000 each; sub£l,ooo,ooo each; aircraft carriers. s\oo° earh Th)s was , the larK est pro srarame submitted since 1916.