Big Navy Advocates Point To Europe.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 24, 1913:
Report on Activity Abroad to be Used for Support of Two-Battleship Bill in Congress.
OUR FLEET IN THIRD PLACE
France's Not Far Behind Us — Germany Strengthens Her Second Place — Britain Easily Foremost.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.— Chairman Padgett of the Naval Committee of the House has received from Secretary Meyer of the navy a special report prepared by the Office of Naval Intelligence on the shipbuilding rivalry of the principal foreign powers. It shows that Great Britain now has effective units with an aggregate displacement of 2,478,152 tons, giving that navy its time-honored position as the most powerful afloat; that Germany, which has passed the United States, has strengthened its hold on second place with a tonnage, built and building, of 1,124,257, while the United States is third with a tonnage of 898,345, in vessels built and building, and regarded as effective. France is not very far behind this country. The aggregate displacement of the effective fighting units of the French fleet is given as 806,729, while Japan has fifth place with a displacement of 613,724 tons, Russia sixth with 450,207 tons, Italy seventh with 416,310 tons, and Austria eighth, with 260,751 tons.
    "The shipbuilding programmes of the principal naval powers," says this report, which is to be used in support of the Two-Battleship bill reported by the House Naval Committee, "indicates an increase in warship construction. The new Russian programme and the amendment of the German fleet law are particularly noteworthy. The shipyards are working to their full capacity, and a general activity is manifest.
    "The all-big-gun battleship has become the definite standard, and is now the only type of battleship under construction. The system employed by the United States in mounting all turrets on the centre line has been universally copied, and all ships laid down this year, including battle cruisers, are so designed. The 12-inch gun, so long the standard for battleships, has been discarded in favor of a 13.5-inch or 14-inch gun for ships now under construction, while a 15-inch weapon is under construction.
    "The year has seen the completion of the new type of dreadnought, namely, the Dante Alighieri of the Italian Navy, the first ship in the world to be armed with a three-turret gun. This system of mounting guns has also been adopted in the Austrian and Russian Navies, while in France a four-turret has been proposed.
    "The battle cruisers that are being built by Great Britain, Germany, Russia, and Japan show a steady increase in tonnage. In fact, all new construction, including destroyers and submarines, indicate an increase in displacement. Mining ships and submarine salvage ships are now found in all the principal navies. Italy and America are the only naval powers that continue to build torpedo boats."
    The report shows that the total naval estimates for the current year in Great Britain amount to $228,430,064, as compared with $123,151,538 appropriated by the United States. The cost of the British Navy, like that of other powers, has been steadily growing. For 1912 the amount allotted by Great Britain for her navy was $216,036,101 and for 1911 it was $197,597,906.
    "The actual standard of new construction which the Admiralty followed during recent years," says the report as to Great Britain's policy of sea power, "has been to develop a 60 per cent. superiority on vessels of the dreadnought type over the German Navy on the basis of an existing fleet law."
    The British naval programme for the current year is four large armored ships, twenty destroyers, a group of submarines, a coast-guard cruiser, four oil-tank steamers, and minor units. During the last year Great Britain has completed the battleships Conqueror and Thunderer, each of 22,500 tons; the Centurion and King George, each of 24,000 tons, as well as the battle cruiser Princess Royal, of 26,350 tons, and the battle cruiser New Zealand, of 18,800 tons.
    The German Naval bill of 1912-13 authorized one new battleship, a battle cruiser, two small cruisers, twelve destroyers, six submarines, and a submarine salvage ship. This year's new construction will be two battleships, a battle cruiser, and minor units. In the year Germany completed three battleships, the Oldenburg, of 22,435 tons; the Kaiser, and the Friedrich der Grosse, each of 24,110 tons. The German battle cruiser Goeben, of 22,632 tons, has also been completed. It is a powerful addition to the German fleet, mounting ten 11-inch guns, and has a speed of nearly 29 knots.
    There are also building for Germany three battleships of 24,110 tons each, the Kaiserin, the Koenig Albert, and the Prinz Regent Luitpold, also four battleships, each of 27,000 tons, the Kuerfuerst Friedrich Wilhelm, the Weissenburg, the Brandenburg, and the battleship "S," yet unnamed. Three battleship cruisers are also being built for Germany, the Seyditz, of 25,000 tons; the Kaiserin Augusta, and the "K," each of 26,000 tons.
    Concerning Japan, the report says that the naval estimates for 1913-14 have not yet been submitted; that a new shipbuilding programme has been under discussion some time, but the details are not definitely known. Various advices indicate, the report proceeds, that seven battleships and six battleship cruisers, two to be laid down yearly, will be provided for, while others state that on account of economical reasons three ships only of the Fuso type, to be completed within five years, will be demanded. For 1912-13 Japans naval bill amounts to $46,158,216, an increase of nearly $3,000,000.
    The unexpended balance of the existing appropriation for "maintaining naval preparation" amounts to $123,839,443, to be spent within six years up to and including 1916-17. The allotment for the current year amounts to $24,144,446, as against $21,768,673 for 1912. In the year Japan completed two dreadnought battleships, the Setsu and Kawachi, both of 20,800 tons, each armed with twelve-inch guns, and five small units. The battleship Fuso, authorized in 1911, has been laid down. She is to have a displacement of 30,000 tons, and is the largest battleship in sight. She will mount nothing but fourteen-inch guns. Three battleship cruisers of the 1911 programme have also been started in Japan. They are of the Kongo class, each displacing 27,500 tons, are armed with fourteen-inch guns, and have a designed speed of 29 knots.
    This makes five large ships now under construction for Japan, namely, the battleship Fuso, and the battle, cruisers Kongo, Hiyei, Kirishima, and the Haruna, each cruiser displacing 27,500 tons.
    In dreadnought battleships alone Great Britain has sixteen built and nine building, Germany has ten built and seven building, the United States has eight built and four building, France has none built but seven building, Japan has two built and one building, Russia has none built but seven building, Italy has one built and seven building, and Austria has one built and three building, a total of eighty-three.