THE BIGGEST NAVY.

Mataura Ensign, 3 May 1919, Page 7

THE BIGGEST NAVY.

-A GU?E AT MR HAMELS. Cnder tho hauling "Josephus, the Rryumte, Become,., a a'oaring far, ’ the Toronto ■Globe’ prints a message from New \ ork as follows:--Josephus Daniels, Secret a r.v 01 the Navy, is busily urging upon Congress a great expans,on of me navy. At tins .suggestion the annual Appropriation /fill carrying 7.")(),0l)0,0UU dollars (£-lo(VK>l),(itl!)j was to-day (January Ml) approval oy the House Naval Coiumillee at Washington, In addition to lU battleships to cost not more than 21,UIJ(),()OU dollars eaeli, the programme as adopted provides lor JU scout cruisers, to cost up to -I,()()(), POO dollars each, l( was decided to leave in abeyance the proposal to construct IMO smaller craft, m order that the Navy Department might recommend at the next regular session of Congress types of vessels needed to round out the navy in the light of war lessons. The Republican (tress, which reflects the attitude of the late Theodore Roosevelt, is having considerable amusement over Mr Daniels' suddenly-developed naval ambitions, and lus desire to create tin* world's greatest navy. The ‘Evening ■Globe says » ditorially ■ ‘Not in your day,’ says Josephus Daniels, grand old war sea-dog, to a departing class at Annapolis, ‘will there be any reduction of naval power,’ ‘‘Tin* iiutes of peace may blow at Raids the. sweet music of the blessings of disarmament, but your Cade Josephus, giving a hitch -to his tronseis and grabbing a belaying pin, m not cajoled. ‘Ships, more ships,' he says. ‘Cannon, more cannon,’ .Me is mu building against any nation, and he has faith that tin*. League of IVaee of ids official superior ’will ulumandy cause a reduction in armament, hip 10 "him the ‘ultimate 1 is lar off, “The present mental slate of the secretary of the Navy furnishes a most striking example of the doctrine of the evolutionists concerning the supreme -influence of environment. A few years, ago he was a darling of the pacifists. Ail engines- of war were abhorrent to him. Me almost apologised when he mentioned a lighting, ship, and as for armor, it tilled him with loathing. The, panoply of righteousness he thought ample for pro-eci nnr. ) fie vulgarity of the sea manner, otfemled him, and to soften them he introduced the grape juice rule. Now he is a roaring tar, sitting on a dead man’s chest, shouting against the foolishness of those who rely mi words ami assurances. The Secretary strides about the deck with martial ardor, and cheers on Ids bully hoys. The encompassing navy has surely annexed him in these days when the word against all annexations has gone forth.”