Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/523

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sidenible increase in expenditure, due mainly to the adoption for the tint time of a continuous shipbuilding programme. The period was of 3 years, the total cost was to be about 103,000.000/., and in the first year 4 battleships, 4 battle-cruisers, 4 scouts, 30 submarines and 20 de- stroyers were to be laid down. A new programme came before Congress, designed, according to Mr. Daniels, then Secretary of the Nary (January 1, 1919), to make the United States N avy "second to none." This programme included 6 additional battleships, 2 additional battle- cruisers, 6 additional scouts, and over 100 destroyers, submarines, kc. The scheme was included in the Estimates of 1919-20, beginning with a comparatively small appropriation. The Secretary repeatedly said that the United States must hare the most powerful navy in the world. The Naval Appropriation Bill passed both Houses in Julv, 1919, with an estimated expenditure of 123.200.000J. The Naval* Appropriation Bill of 1920-21 amounted to 484,406,269 dollars. Provision is made for all the big ships to complete the programme.

The grounds for the maintenance of the United States Navy at great strength were stated by the last Secretary on June 25. 1919. They are the need of miintaining fleets in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.

The control of naval affairs is vested in the Secretary of the Navy, a Cabinet officer, appointed by the President, with the approval of the Senate. The Assistant-Secretary, a civilian, also appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate, the Chief of Naval Operations, the chiefs of seven administrative bureaus, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Judge - Advocate-General, are directly responsible to the Secretary. The administra- tive bureaus are : yards and docks, navigation, ordnance, construction and repair, steam engineering, supplies and accounts, and medicine and surgery.

The Government Naval Stations and constructive and repairing estab- lishments are at Portsmouth, N. H. ; Boston, Mass. ; Brooklyn, N.Y. ; League Island, Pa. ; Washington, D.C. ; Norfolk, Va. ; Pensacola, Fla. ; Mare Island, Cal. ; and Puget Sound ; and naval stations are at Newport, R.I. ; New London Conu. ; Charleston, S.C. ; Port Royal, S.C : Kye. "West, Fla. ; New Orleans, La. ; Guantanamo, Cuba ; Guam ; Hawaii ; Tutuila, Samoa; Cavite, P.I. ; Olongapo, P.I.

The following is a classified statement of the strength of the United States Navy on December 31, 1918, 1919, and 1920. Vessels unserviceable for war purposes, gunboats, yachts, tugs, training ships, £e. . not included : —

Effective at end of

IMC

Dreadnonghts Pre-Divadnoughte Armoured cruisers Cruisers, 1st class ,, 2nd ,, 3rd ,. Monitors Destroyers Coastal Destroyers Torpedo boats Submarines

19

_i

9

5

6 15

90? 30 19 92?

19

19

90

M

8

s

4

4

b

6

IS

11

4

4

150?

250?

80

17

17

17

92?

110?