Comprehensive 20-year Building Programme Drafted at Washington: Immediate Scheme to Build Washington, Jan. 12, Secretary Wilbur disclosed to the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives to-day, that the Navy Department had drafted a. *eomprehensive 20-year building programme, of which the programme mentioned in his report, embracing 25 cruisers, 5 aircrattcarriers, 9 destroyer-leaders and 32 submarines, was only a part.
Mr. Wilbur said that the programme he mentioned in his state-rent to the Naval Committee yesterday was spread over eight years, The bigger programme provided for replacement of battleships og soon as that was possible under the Washington Treaty. The annual cost of battleship replacement would be $168,000,000, aggregating Later.
Mr. Wilbur Inter corrected his statement before the Naval Committee and estimated the cost of the proposed 20-year battleship construction programme to be $12 (000,000 annually and not, $168,000,- 000, thus aggregating $2,500,000,-
Previous to this n member of the Committee asked whether Mr. Wile Dur considered the American Navy at present a first-class fighting force.
"We need cruisers," replied Mr. Wilbur, "Then you consider the Navy not first-class?" queried the member, answered the Secretary.
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