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Show Swill Cruisers to be Added to American Fleet Will Cost $18,000,000 to Construct and Equip. Number Ai Yet Undecided Washington, Oct. 4. Superb battle bat-tle cruisers, bigger, faster and nioro heavily armed than any war craft now afloat or building, and which will cost $ 18,000,000 each to construct nnd equip, will bo recommended to Congress as a part of tho navy building build-ing program for next year. This decision was reached today at a conference botween President Wilson, Secretary Daniels nnd Representative Rep-resentative Padgett, chairman of tho Tlmton nmfnl nttntftt nnmmltinA House naval anairs committee Plans for such a typo .of vessel as Is contemplated already have been prepared under the direction of Rear Admiral David W. Taylor, chief constructor con-structor of the navy and now aro bo-tng bo-tng considered by tho secretary and members ot tho general board. Number Undecided Just how many of tho new typo ships will bo asked for this wlntor has not been determined, Secretary Danlols said. Cost of construction of navy craft has risen slnco the outbreak of tho European war with tbo consequent enormous demand upon up-on American resources, somo recent steel contracts for the navy showing an increaso of 30 ptr cont over previous pre-vious prices. Dreadnoughts, which also will bo recommended for construction this winter will cost $18,000,000 each, it Is estimated, as against $15,000,000 for tboso now building. Part of this Increase, howovor, Is duo to new hull construction to provldo for greater protection against torpedo attack. The number of ships of each class to be urgod probably will bo agreed upon within a few days. Secretary Daniels continued tonight his confor-enco confor-enco with Representative Padgett and he will see President Wilson again probably this week. Tho estimates es-timates by law, must be In tho bands to tho secretary of tho treasury by Octobsr 15. To Equal Railway Speed , Plans' for tho battle cruisers, Mr. DanlolB said contemplated u speed of 35 knots an hour. Thoy will bo faster than rny but tho swiftest do-Btroycrs. do-Btroycrs. In land terms, thoy will equal tho speed of railway trains making moro.than forty miles an liour In bIzo thoy will equal tho largest American dreadnoughts now building and far exceed any now afloat. Tho armament I1113 not been decided decid-ed upon, but It probably will bo equal equ-al to or greater than thut of present day dreadnoughts. It la understood that somo offlcors bulluvo each ship should carry twelve 14 Inch, CO caliber cali-ber rifles, but It Is possible, thut a lessor number of guns may bo mount-or mount-or that tho now 10 Inch rifle, tho largest naval gun yet doveloped, may bo used. In that case probably only six or eight big guns would bo mounted. All tho Items of tho forthcoming navy estimates woro considered at today's conferences. Secrotary Daniels Dan-iels declined to disclose other details of plans. Ho Intimated, however, Miiif ltnll.llntv timtrpnm frm Hl null. thut a building program ror mo suu-marlno suu-marlno flotilla would be urged that would make possible an Inner lino ot defense along both coasts to bo maintained main-tained by submerslbles operating from bases established at necessary Intorval on both tho Atlantic and tho Paclllc shoro lines. Tho secrotary said that redontly, when submarines woro at tho height of their activity In tho European war tho pendulum of public opinion had swung too far In favor of submarlnos and thnt tho tendency now would bo to swing It too fnr the other way. Tho navy plans, ho declared, would not make either error. Ho added that tho valuo of submerslblos for defense of tho wide roaches of coast lino on both shores could hardly bo overestimated. 8wlft 8couts to Come Later Tho mission of tho navy, as it is discussed In navy war collogo problem prob-lem always has boon regardod as defonso of tho United States. Y'lth efforts being mado to foster the merchant mer-chant marln.o, howovor, and with tho Monroe doctrlno to uphold and tho Panama canal to dofond tho officers think that tho tlmo has como when tho navy should bo glvon tho samo tools to fight with that posslblo enemies ene-mies might havo. Recent maneuvers, it Is said, havo brought out sharply tho need of both swift scouts and fighting ships. It is rogarded as improbable that tho estimates this year wilt Include rec- ommendatlons for a consldorablo j M number of scouting craft, aside from ( M tho cruiser destroyers, which havo ' M been Included In appropriation bills M for several years. For tho present H It Is thought tho crulsor destroyors I H can All tho placo of especially do- , H signed scouts, although later many i H high speed light cruUors will bo sought to round out the navy. With H enormous coast Hues to guard, such , craft aro vlowod as absolutely neccs- 'Jl sary to a well balanced fleet. '''I ' |
