Six Naval Bases

The general plans of the Navy for developing its fleet bases was made public. A board on "shore establishments," of which Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman is the head, has drawn up a program for developing two naval bases on the Pacific Coast, two on the Atlantic, one at Panama, one at Hawaii.

The four continental naval bases are to be situated at San Francisco, Puget Sound, New York, and Chesapeake Bay. They will be developed for strategic reasons, in the order named. Each of the four is to be made capable of serving the entire fleet in all respects. The Navy will thus have four interchangeable bases from which to operate, and in the event of the capture or destruction of one will always have another on the same coast to which the fleet may retire.

Although the Board did not recommend any addition to those naval bases on our insular possessions where prohibited by the limitation or armament treaty, it plans to expedite development at the Panama Canal Zone and Hawaiian bases. Development of these two bases is especially necessary at this time. The limitation of armament treaty does not prohibit the building of light, fast cruisers. Accordingly other nations-one of whom is Japan-have specialized in ships of this type. In order to counterbalance this condition it is necessary to develop our outlying bases.

The next Congress will be presented with estimates of the cost of developing the six bases.