Secretary MEYER. The plans came before me, and I remember they made certain recommendations, and I changed them.

The CHAIRMAN. The estimate submitted is purchase of additional land, $200,000; that is at the naval proving ground, Indianhead, and Admiral Twining has stated that in addition to the $200,000 for the purchase of additional land there would be other expenses in developing the proving ground or the firing range of about $450,000. That is a considerable outlay?

Secretary MEYER. Yes, sir.

An estimate of $200,000 was submitted for this purpose, and if appropriated it is contemplated purchasing the land known as the Indianhead Peninsula, which is immediately south of the present proving ground, and comprises about 1,300 acres, also about 2,500 acres in Charles County, Md., in order that the operations of the proving ground may be carried on over a land range, and thus not be dependent on the freedom of the Potomac River from traffic, as it now is. After this land is acquired it is proposed to construct a new firing and velocity battery about half a mile south of the existing battery, and so located as to have a line of fire down a range over the newly acquired land. The total cost of this improvement is estimated at $425,000, in addition to such sum as may be paid for land.

The present proving ground was established in 1891, its location being largely determined by the desirability of keeping it as near as possible to the gun factory. In this and in many other ways the site chosen was admirably adapted to the needs of that day, and it continued reasonably satisfactory for many years. Within the last few years, however, the demands on the proving ground have been multiplied many times, both as to the volume of work to be handled and as to the difficulties and dangers connected therewith. The range of heavy guns has been more than doubled, the number of guns to be proved has been enormously increased, and the tests of powder, armor plates, projectiles, and other material have grown far beyond the capacity of the area to which they are necessarily confined at present.

The result is that the various lines of work interfere with and delay each other, and the purely experimental work, to which we must look for improvements in ordnance material, is, in most cases, crowded out altogether.

The most serious of the difficulties presented by the present condition is that connected with the greatly increased range of guns as compared with that which had to be reckoned with in 1891. The available safe length of the range is limited by the course of the Potomac River, the Virginia shore, skirted by an important railroad, curving around below the proving ground, to meet and cross the line of fire. The available range has been increased from time to time by swinging around the line of fire more and more toward the Maryland shore, but no further movement in that direction is now possible as the present line barely clears the shore on the Maryland side.

It is absolutely necessary for the efficiency of the ordnance of the Navy that a larger proving ground be provided, and any delay in doing this will render it extremely difficult for the Bureau of Ŏrdnance to meet the requirements of the immediate future in the matter

of ordnance experimentation and in proving ordnance material. The question of how to provide these additional facilities has been thoroughly thrashed out by two boards and by two chiefs of bureau, and it is now the well-digested opinion of those who have given the subject consideration that the best way to provide these facilities is to acquire additional land in extension of the present proving ground so that the line of fire may be swung to the left, thus acquiring a long range entirely over and upon Government property.

A study of the data at hand regarding foreign proving grounds shows that what is considered abroad as being necessary is a place near the manufacturing point of guns and ordnance, where the material can be tested, and generally such a place is provided, but in addition they have a long range over land or water, with facilities for recovering projectiles. It is uneconomical to have two proving grounds and it is only done in European countries on account of the fact that they can rarely secure a long range in the vicinity of the gun factories. In the proposed new Indianhead proving ground this Government will have an ideal place close to the gun factory and providing space and facilities for all the operations of a proving ground and experimental station at an exceedingly low cost as compared with the cost of a proving ground of equal facilities in European countries. The Krupp proving ground at Essen, Germany, adjoins their works and is very complete, but required an enormous expenditure of money to construct the necessary butts, etc., to keep fragments of shell from striking outside of their boundaries, as, for instance, an embankment 50 feet high all around the range. This is used for short-range work only. For long-range work they have a proving ground at Meppen, where they have an over-land range which, if wider, would be ideal for all purposes, but is now only wide enough for long-range work.

The English have a proving ground at Shoeburyness, where the projectiles are fired over water and can be recovered at low tide, the range being on a beach, but at that place only long-range plate and shell work is carried on, the proving ground being conducted at Woolwich, which again separates the work.

The total cost of the new proving ground, in addition to the cost of the land, is estimated at about $425,000. The estimate submitted for the purchase of land is $200,000, but it is believed that it can be secured for less. The present proving ground and powder factory reservation was bought in 1890, comprising 881 acres, and cost $13.220. The Stump Neck reservation, to the southward of the present proving ground, was acquired in 1901, comprising 1.084 acres, and cost $25,000. The recent sale of land known as the Mitchell tract, comprising 127 acres adjoining the proving ground, brought $3,500; the sale was under foreclosure proceedings. The proposed purchase comprises about 3.800 acres, and if the Government were obliged to pay as much as $40 an acre the cost would only be $152,000. Farm lands in this vicinity are offered for sale by real estate people for anywhere from $10 to $30 an acre, including improvements which, in the main, are not very valuable.

It is hoped that the whole sum of $200,000 will be appropriated, with the proviso that it may be expended for the purchase and improvement of the land, so that any sum remaining after the land has

been purchased and paid for may be devoted to beginning the establishment of a new proving ground.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Secretary, we will be pleased to hear you with reference to the increase of the Navy, and shall be glad to have you state what your recommendations are for the increase.

Secretary MEYER. I recommend three battleships.

Mr. HOBSON. May I request that you also give the recommendation of the general board?

Secretary MEYER. It is in my report.

Before I became Secretary the estimates used to be submitted without a battleship program, and I instituted the method of putting in the estimates two battleships. I wanted to endeavor to establish that as the basis of the estimates and put them in each year in order that comparisons could be made with the previous year; and I thought it was fairer to have the two battleships in, as that was the basis of the building program. I did not put in any ship beyond that, because it was never the custom to put anything of the building program in the estimates. It was a matter which I thought more open to discussion as to the character of the vessels and the number that the committee were willing to add to the building program after having in two battleships. Last year one battleship was voted, and this year, realizing the necessity of our maintaining our Navy at the regular standard, I have recommended three battleships. That would call for an increase of $13,000,000, total cost unrestricted, and at eight hours a day, $15,000,000 per ship.

The CHAIRMAN. And what if constructed in a navy yard?

Secretary MEYER. $16,345,000. That is on the basis of one battle

ship.

Mr. HOBSON. The total cost?

Secretary MEYER. Yes, sir. It would require for the first year $5,700,000 for one battleship, $6,294,000 on the eight-hour basis, and $6,392,000 if built at a navy yard, and about $100,000 for the last year on the basis of one battleship, for two battleships twice as much, and for three battleships three times as much. Then, I have given the price of a battle cruiser.

Mr. HOBSON. Based on what speed?

Secretary MEYER. My recollection is 28 or 29 knots.

The CHAIRMAN. What would be the cost of the battle cruiser? Secretary MEYER. Unrestricted, $18,000,000; under the eight-hour law, $20,000,000; and at the navy yard, $22,700,000.

Mr. HOBSON. Have you any figures on the cost of the German and English latest types, also compared with the battleship cost as well as the battle cruiser?

Secretary MEYER: To state exactly the costs of American, British, and German battleships in such form that they can be compared is difficult because of meagerness of exact information as to foreign cost, the difference in size and character of ships compared, and the difference in conditions under which work is done at various periods.

To do so for battle cruisers is impossible, because the United States has not yet built any battle cruisers, and the same difficulty as to difference in characteristics of British and German vessels of this character exists as in the case of battleships.

The table below shows as nearly as can be ascertained the approximate costs:

1 In the foregoing tables cost per ton means cost per ton complete without consumable stores or ammunition. 2 Estimates.

The approximate cost for a 32.500-ton battleship to-day for the three countries referred to would be, including armor and armament:

United States.
Great Britain.
Germany..

Unrestricted.

Eight-hour law.

$13,695, 275 $15,043, 803
13, 130.000
13,500,000

(?)

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Secretary, please insert in the hearing the total cost, under the three plans of unrestricted eight-hour and navy-yard construction, of one ship of each of the types recommended in the report of the general board, so that we will have before us a statement of the full cost under each plan of construction.

Mr. GREGG. Unrestricted is really obsolete?

The CHAIRMAN. I understand, only for comparison purposes. Also the amount necessary for the first year for each of the types of ships. Secretary MEYER. Yes, sir.

85873-13-42

BATTLESHIP.

[Based on general board characteristics of modified Pennsylvania-Construction and repair No. 15272-A.

2, Sept. 25, 1912.]

[Based on characteristics submitted to department by Bureau of Construction and Repair and not yet approved, 15272-A. 2 (AF), Oct. 19, 1912.]

[Based on characteristics of General Board for which sketch has been submitted by Bureau of Construetion and Repair but which has not yet been approved (Construction and Repair No. 15272-A.2).]