71 Major Craft to be Built int Five Year Period Washington, Jan, 11, The essential considerations of national defence and the influence of "showing the flag" upon Ameri. can merchants secking trade expans sion, are two points urged by the Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Curtis D. Wilbur, in the course of a staree ment to the Naval Committee, seting forth the reasons for his' support of the United States' $725,000, 000 nova) construction plan" embracing 25 cruisers, five aircraft. carriers, nine destroyer-leaders and 82 submarines, Mr. Wilbur emphasized that the programme of the United States no way competitive, though consideration had been taken of the programmes of other nations, He declared that Britain's insistenes adequate cruiser tonnage regard ie of the plans of other Powers, was the most persuasive evidence that the United States also definitely needed cruiser tonnage regardless of the programmes of other Powers, Mr. Wilbur's report adds that 22 cruisers, displacing 1,641,000 tons, should be replaced as obsolete, He: emphasizes that the displacement and armament laid down by the Washington Conference would bq respected, Tt is understood that the gramme will be spread over period of five years.—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.