STUMPED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1928, Page 7

STUMPED.

NAVY CAN'T EXPLAIN.

Increase In U.S. Cruisers In

Two Years.

ADMIRAL "FOUNDERS."

'By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Received 10 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, January* 26

Rear-Admiral C. B. McVay, Budget Officer for the Navy, appeared before the Naval Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. He said the five-year building programme was just as important to the country as was relief for farmers, flood control, or any other problem involving the expenditure of large sums of money. He said that if it was desired to have a large seaboard commerce then it must be adequately protected. It it were endangered it would most certainly disturb internal conditions and might extend to a panic. The Navy Department would have presented the building programme to Congress whatever the outcome of the Geneva Conference. Admiral McVay was unable to explain, upon being questioned, why the naval authorities now thought it necessary to have 43 cruisers, whereas in 1925 they indicated that from 21 to 30 ships of this type were all that were required. Floating Aerodromes. Rear-Admiral Moffett, chief of the Navy Aeronautic Bureau, told the House Naval Committee that 759 new 'planes will be needed to man the five new aircraft carriers and 26 new cruisers provided in the building programme, these being additional to the 1000 'planes provided in the five-year aviation programme now being carried out. He stated that each carrier needs 75 'planes for active service and about half that in reserve, while each cruiser needs six. He also asserted that each 'plane would carry a bomb capable of demolishing a cruiser. "An Asinine Outburst." Representative McClintic, addressing the House, described Admiral Plunkett's alleged war talk # as an "idiotic, isinino outburst" and declared that the admiral's prophecy of a war with Britain "has tho effect of curtailing and destroying trade relations instead of increasing commerce with friendly nations."