Washington, Jan. 28.
Congressmen are surprised at the failure of the President's message to formulate a foreign policy in support of the national rearmament programme.
Replying to questions at a press conference, President Roosevelt said that the size of the new battleships mentioned in his message had no* been fixed, and would not comment on the nature of the experimental "small vessels," These, however, it is reliably understood, are "mosquito" boats, fast and well-armed torpedo-carrying craft, as used in he Mediterranean by the Italian and, later, by the British naval authorities. The ype has not been previously used on this side of the Atlantic, because American defence tactics envisage enhgements in the ocean far from ases.
It is understood, however, that the rem type of boat can be carried by warships and launched at a suitable moment to engage an enemy battle "eet by means of torpedo attack at close range. Their small size and speed make it very difficult to hit the mosquito boats by gunfire or from he air.
Revarding the widening of the Panama Canal to take larger battle-shins, President Roosevelt understood hat army engineers had been study ing the problem for some time.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.