The development during the past few years in the Diesel engine industry of light-weight high-speed engines, making available power in lesser weight and space, is impressive. However, these new designs have not been tried out under naval service conditions and therefore it has been impossible to determine the most effective design for naval uses. It is hoped that by experimentation as authorized in this bill a power plant will be obtained for naval vessels which will greatly increase the reliability of these vessels and also decrease the high maintenance cost of engineering materials therein. The following program is merely a plan for one year, and your committee feels that a start should be made and that plans and specifications should be prepared without delay. Even if it should be the plan of the Congress not to build up to the full tonnage allowed by 1936, complete plans for a treaty Navy should be prepared and their construction authorized. The purpose of the bill meets with the approval of the Navy Department as shown by the following letter addressed to the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, and is hereby made a part of this report. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 15, 1930. The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Replying further to the committee's letter of December 9, 1930, transmitting the bill H. R. 14688, "To authorize the construction of certain naval vessels, and for other purposes," and requesting the views and recommendations of the Navy Department thereon, I have the honor to inform the committee as follows: The purpose of this bill is (1) to authorize the President to undertake the construction of the following vessels: (a) One aircraft carrier to cost, including armor, armament, ammunition, and airplanes, not to exceed $27,650,000. (b) One flying deck cruiser to cost, including armor, armament, ammunition, and airplanes, not to exceed $20,780,000. (c) One cruiser to cost, including armor, armament, ammunition, and airplanes, not to exceed $16,605,000. (d) Four submarines to cost, including armor, armament, and ammunition, not to exceed $4,400,000 each; in all $17,600,000. And (2) to modify the act of June 24, 1926 (44 Stat. 764; U. S. C., title 34, sec. 749), so as to provide for the procurement and operation of additional aircraft necessitated by new construction at an additional estimated cost of $5,000,000. The building program proposed by the Navy Department for the next fiscal year includes the above vessels and in addition thereto, (1) one destroyer leader to cost not to exceed $5,300,000, and (2) 10 destroyers to cost not to exceed $4,700,000 each. It is not deemed necessary to request authorization for undertaking the construction of the destroyer leader and destroyers, it being considered that the authorization contained in the act of August 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 616), for destroyers is sufficient authority for the appropriation of funds to build these ships. (H. Rept. No. 834 and S. Rept. No. 988, 70th Cong., 1st sess.) This program of building for the next fiscal year has been decided upon after careful consideration of the recommendations of the General Board, the present needs of the fleet, and the limitations imposed by the treaty of London. The Navy Department has long felt the need of developing Diesel engines for naval use. Accordingly, it is recommended that the bill H. R. 14688 be amended by adding a new section thereto as follows: "SEC. 5. The Secretary of the Navy, for the purpose of developing Diesel engine power plants for naval vessels, is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to procure by purchase, abroad or in the United States, with or without competition, by contract or otherwise, or by manufacture in Government yards such designs, power plants, power plant parts or power plant accessories, as may be necessary in his judgment for experimental purposes in the development of such power plants and their installation to cost in the aggregate not to exceed $3,000,000: Provided, That, whenever the Secretary of the Navy shall enter into a contract for such designs, power plants, power plant parts or accessories he is hereby authorized to award such contract to the bidder that can satisfactorily perform the work or the service required to the best advantage of the Government; and the decision of the Secretary of the Navy as to the award of such contract, the interpretation of the provisions of the contract, and the application and administration of the contract shall not be reviewable by any officer or tribunal of the United States except the President and the Federal courts." The cost of the bill H. R. 14688, if amended as suggested above, will be $90,635,000. The total cost of the building program, including the destroyers previously authorized, will result in an additional cost to the Government of $142,935,000. In view of the foregoing the Navy Department strongly recommends that the bill H. R. 14688 be enacted. It is further recommended that the above suggested amendment be added to the bill. Sincerely yours, C. F. ADAMS, Secretary of the Navy. HR-71-3-VOL 1-40 O EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK JANUARY 17, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. Yox, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 12381] The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 12381) to provide for the establishment of the Everglades National Park in the State of Florida, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that it do pass with the following amendments: Page 1, line 3, after the word "to" insert the words "all the". Page 2, line 15, strike out the period and insert a colon and the following: Provided, That no land for said park shall be accepted until exclusive jurisdiction over the entire park area, in form satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior, shall have been ceded by the State of Florida to the United States. Page 2, line 24, strike out the period and insert a colon and the following: Provided further, That nothing in this act shall be construed to lessen any existing rights of the Seminole Indians which are not in conflict with the purposes for which the Everglades National Park is created. Under the act of Congress approved March 1, 1929, the Secretary of the Interior was directed and authorized to make an investigation as to the desirability and practicability of establishing a national park in the tropical Everglades located in Dade, Monroe, and Collier Counties of the State of Florida. This investigation was made during the past year by a group of men, well qualified by training and experience, whose judgment and decision should be very reliable. These men in their report highly recommend this area as being both desirable and practical for national-park purposes. The report of the Secretary of the Interior recently submitted to Congress on the findings of this investigation commission is herein set out in full for the information of the House. 34255-H. Rept. 2300, 71-3-1 House Document No. 654, 71st Congress, 3d Session TROPIC EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TRANSMITTING REPORT TO CONGRESS AS TO THE DESIRABILITY AND PRACTICABILITY OF ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PARK, TO BE KNOWN AS THE TROPIC EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, IN THE EVERGLADES OF DADE, MONROE, AND COLLIER COUNTIES OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA DECEMBER 3, 1930.-Referred to the Committee on Public Lands and ordered to be printed, with illustrations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: The act of Congress approved March 1, 1929, prescribes as follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, directed to investigate and report to Congress as to the desirability and practicability of establishing a national park, to be known as the Tropic Everglades National Park, in the everglades of Dade, Monroe, and Collier Counties of the State of Florida, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States and to preserve said area in its natural state, including in his report full information as to the ownership, value, estimated cost to acquire and character of the lands involved and his opinion as to whether such areas measure up to national park standards. Any appropriations for the National Park Service shall be available for the necessary expenses of such investigation. 2 |