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Show 'DEFENSE PROGRAMME IS MOVED FORWARD Preliminary Work Accomplished in Both the Naval and Military Committees Commit-tees of the House. WASHINGTON, Pec. S- Preliminary work on the 1&17 defense programme moved forward today ja both the naval and military committees of the house, with Kcar Admirals Badger and .Fletcher .Fletch-er of the navy's general board before the former, and Quartermaster General Harpe before ihe latter. The two admirals told of the board's recommendation for an enormous increase in-crease in size and ptfvver and a smaller increase in speed for the battleships to be provided for at this session of con- . grcss. Because of the tendency of Eu : ropean navies to build even larger ships, ami guns, and because there is reason ; to believe that Japan already has under i construction a more powerful ship than has vet been planned for the United' States, Admiral Badger said the board j fc.lt it necessary that the American navy j follow a similar policy. He said the; board had recommended main batteries of twelve lG-inch guns, an iTierease of oO per cent in gun power over 1017 I ships, and a speed of twenty-three knots j an hour. A statement issued today by Secretary Secre-tary Daniels indicates that the recommendations recom-mendations of the board will be approved ap-proved when the department 's opinion j is laid before the committee. The new j dreadnoughts will displace probably i more than 40,000 tons, as against 3.000 ! for the California class and succeeding ! ships. ! |